The grand Tryal or, Poetical Exercitations upon the book of Job. Wherein, Suitable to each Text of that sacred Book, a modest Explanation, and Continuation of the several Discourses contained in it, is attempted by William Clark |
I. |
II. |
III. |
IV. |
XXXII. |
XXXIII. |
XXXIV. |
XXXV. |
XXXVI. | Cap. XXXVI. |
XXXVII. |
V. |
The grand Tryal | ||
Cap. XXXVI.
Breathing a while, till he might recollect
His spirits, he begun again to speak,
As formerly, and with a judgment stayd
The zealous young man thus continued.
His spirits, he begun again to speak,
As formerly, and with a judgment stayd
The zealous young man thus continued.
Suffer me yet a little while, said he,
To speak, my friend, and I'll impart to thee
What further I have yet to plead, and say
On Gods behalf, suffer me now, I pray
To speak but yet a little, in defence
Of my great Master, that I may from thence
Inform thee of his Power, and Majesty,
And thy own dulnesse, and stupidity,
Who all this while hast boldly argued
'Gainst his procedure in thy case, and said
'Twas hard to send so great a punishment,
Upon a man so just, and innocent
As thou art: I shall therefore freely show,
How much thou to this mighty God dost owe,
Who hath been pleas'd, with so much patience,
To hear thee talk so on thy innocence,
And even attempt t'arraign his Providence;
Without inflicting yet some harder things,
Upon thee, for thy sinfull murmurings.
To speak, my friend, and I'll impart to thee
What further I have yet to plead, and say
On Gods behalf, suffer me now, I pray
To speak but yet a little, in defence
Of my great Master, that I may from thence
Inform thee of his Power, and Majesty,
And thy own dulnesse, and stupidity,
Who all this while hast boldly argued
'Gainst his procedure in thy case, and said
'Twas hard to send so great a punishment,
Upon a man so just, and innocent
As thou art: I shall therefore freely show,
How much thou to this mighty God dost owe,
Who hath been pleas'd, with so much patience,
To hear thee talk so on thy innocence,
And even attempt t'arraign his Providence;
Without inflicting yet some harder things,
Upon thee, for thy sinfull murmurings.
Allow me then to speak, for I intend
'Gainst all opponents stoutly to defend
The honour of my Maker; and maintain
Against all mortals, who of him complain,
That he's all justice, mercy, and compassion,
And uses in his wrath great moderation:
That he's all virtue, truth, and righteousness,
And more then I am able to express.
Allow me then to speak, allow me, pray,
And seriously advert to what I say
Upon the subject; for though my intent
Be to pursue my former argument,
And show the power of him, who sits on high,
Cloath'd with eternal Light, and Majesty:
Yet not from reasons topicks, but indeed,
From such as do all reason far exceed,
I mean to draw my mediums, and prove
That the first mover, by whom all things move,
Who no beginning had, and knows no end,
Is what our reason cannot comprehend.
I'll speak of him, as of that Deity,
Perceptible by th'spirit, not by th'eye.
Who's great beyond our reach, who's all in all,
Whose Character is supernatural.
'Gainst all opponents stoutly to defend
The honour of my Maker; and maintain
Against all mortals, who of him complain,
That he's all justice, mercy, and compassion,
And uses in his wrath great moderation:
That he's all virtue, truth, and righteousness,
And more then I am able to express.
Allow me then to speak, allow me, pray,
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Upon the subject; for though my intent
Be to pursue my former argument,
And show the power of him, who sits on high,
Cloath'd with eternal Light, and Majesty:
Yet not from reasons topicks, but indeed,
From such as do all reason far exceed,
I mean to draw my mediums, and prove
That the first mover, by whom all things move,
Who no beginning had, and knows no end,
Is what our reason cannot comprehend.
I'll speak of him, as of that Deity,
Perceptible by th'spirit, not by th'eye.
Who's great beyond our reach, who's all in all,
Whose Character is supernatural.
Be pleas'd to hear me then, for seriously
I mean to speak, with great sincerity,
Upon the matter; I intend to speak
Nothing but truth, as God shall me direct.
In sober terms, I shall my self expresse,
In what concerns thy present wretchednesse,
For I do fully understand thy case.
I mean to speak, with great sincerity,
Upon the matter; I intend to speak
Nothing but truth, as God shall me direct.
In sober terms, I shall my self expresse,
In what concerns thy present wretchednesse,
For I do fully understand thy case.
First then, that I may speak in vindication,
Of my great Maker upon this occasion:
I'd have thee know that even the best of men
Do, but with great difficulty, obtain
Some random knowledge of the qualities
Of that great God, who dwells above the Skies.
The language of his ways we cannot read,
Whence all our grosse mistakes of him proceed:
Our ignorance of him makes us to erre
In our behaviour to him, whensoe're
He's pleas'd t'afflict us: and imagine that
He censures none, but those, whom he doth hate,
That he has no regard to innocence,
When such good men are punished, and thence
Reflecting on our own integrity,
We think he does us no small injury.
Advert then pray, and I will teach thee now,
By a most lively demonstration, how
Thou may'st hereafter know him perfectly,
And thence thy former errors, rectify.
Of my great Maker upon this occasion:
I'd have thee know that even the best of men
Do, but with great difficulty, obtain
Some random knowledge of the qualities
Of that great God, who dwells above the Skies.
The language of his ways we cannot read,
Whence all our grosse mistakes of him proceed:
Our ignorance of him makes us to erre
In our behaviour to him, whensoe're
He's pleas'd t'afflict us: and imagine that
He censures none, but those, whom he doth hate,
That he has no regard to innocence,
When such good men are punished, and thence
Reflecting on our own integrity,
We think he does us no small injury.
Advert then pray, and I will teach thee now,
By a most lively demonstration, how
Thou may'st hereafter know him perfectly,
And thence thy former errors, rectify.
Behold then, he is mighty, and exceeds
In power the reputation of his deeds:
He's high, and mighty, and doth far excell
All Kings, and Princes that on Earth do dwell:
In strength he's highly super-eminent,
His mighty arm doth shake the Firmament:
In wisdom, he so fully doth abound,
And is in every knowledge so profound,
That all our knowledge, all our art, and wit,
Is but meer folly, laid in scale, with it.
Yet as he's great, so he is good, and just,
And will do wrong to nothing made of dust.
Ready at all occasions he appears
To do men justice, and he gently hears
All their Petitions; he will not despise
The poor man in his suit: for in his eyes
Both rich, and poor are equal: every man
Who with uplifted hands, but faintly can
Say, Lord have mercy on me, he will hear,
And all may freely, without any fear,
To him approach; all may to him address
In person, and with ease lay out their case.
Access to him is easily obtain'd,
Without the introduction of a friend:
Without expence of waiting, and delay;
And being shifted still from day to day,
As men in Courts of mortal Kings are us'd,
And after all, either their suits refus'd,
Or laid aside; and when their means are gone,
Pitied by many, but supply'd by none,
T'endure the hateful name of hingers on.
No, all men may from him have audience,
What ever be their case, without expence
Of any thing but Prayer; and quickly find
Though he is great, yet he is just, and kind
To all that truly call upon his Name,
And, if we have not audience, we may blame
None but our selves: nay, though we should be mute,
If even our hearts but speak, he'll grant our sute.
In power the reputation of his deeds:
He's high, and mighty, and doth far excell
All Kings, and Princes that on Earth do dwell:
In strength he's highly super-eminent,
His mighty arm doth shake the Firmament:
In wisdom, he so fully doth abound,
And is in every knowledge so profound,
That all our knowledge, all our art, and wit,
Is but meer folly, laid in scale, with it.
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And will do wrong to nothing made of dust.
Ready at all occasions he appears
To do men justice, and he gently hears
All their Petitions; he will not despise
The poor man in his suit: for in his eyes
Both rich, and poor are equal: every man
Who with uplifted hands, but faintly can
Say, Lord have mercy on me, he will hear,
And all may freely, without any fear,
To him approach; all may to him address
In person, and with ease lay out their case.
Access to him is easily obtain'd,
Without the introduction of a friend:
Without expence of waiting, and delay;
And being shifted still from day to day,
As men in Courts of mortal Kings are us'd,
And after all, either their suits refus'd,
Or laid aside; and when their means are gone,
Pitied by many, but supply'd by none,
T'endure the hateful name of hingers on.
No, all men may from him have audience,
What ever be their case, without expence
Of any thing but Prayer; and quickly find
Though he is great, yet he is just, and kind
To all that truly call upon his Name,
And, if we have not audience, we may blame
None but our selves: nay, though we should be mute,
If even our hearts but speak, he'll grant our sute.
Now, as he's great, and just, so he is kind
To all good men: for when he calls to mind,
How some bad persons void of conscience,
Triumphing in their formal violence,
Taking th'advantage of the times, and glad
To have occasion to oppress, have laid
Themselves to do all mischiefs to those men,
Who, when injur'd only to God complain.
Hence, though these godless men have done much wrong
To many, and yet God has let them long
Live at their ease unpunish'd; after all
Arm'd with pure Justice, he'll upon them fall;
Break them to pieces, seize what they possess,
And spoil them of their unjust purchasses:
In their estates he'll make a sudden change,
And all those poor mens injuries revenge,
Upon the Persons, and the Families
Of those, who did commit these injuries.
To all good men: for when he calls to mind,
How some bad persons void of conscience,
Triumphing in their formal violence,
Taking th'advantage of the times, and glad
To have occasion to oppress, have laid
Themselves to do all mischiefs to those men,
Who, when injur'd only to God complain.
Hence, though these godless men have done much wrong
To many, and yet God has let them long
Live at their ease unpunish'd; after all
Arm'd with pure Justice, he'll upon them fall;
Break them to pieces, seize what they possess,
And spoil them of their unjust purchasses:
In their estates he'll make a sudden change,
And all those poor mens injuries revenge,
Upon the Persons, and the Families
Of those, who did commit these injuries.
And, though he suffer those bad men to live
Long time, in plenty, and to them doth give
What e're their hearts can wish, yet all the time
He spares their persons, he doth mind their crime
He lets the righteous suffer misery,
And sad distress, but has a watchful eye
On all that do them wrong: and in the end,
All those good men, that upon him depend,
Not only he'll restore, to all which these
Oppressours did most inhumanely seize.
But will bring them in favour, and esteem
With those that wear the Sacred Diademe.
Whence they shall be enabled to protect
All pious men from the oppressing Sect.
Long time, in plenty, and to them doth give
What e're their hearts can wish, yet all the time
He spares their persons, he doth mind their crime
He lets the righteous suffer misery,
And sad distress, but has a watchful eye
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All those good men, that upon him depend,
Not only he'll restore, to all which these
Oppressours did most inhumanely seize.
But will bring them in favour, and esteem
With those that wear the Sacred Diademe.
Whence they shall be enabled to protect
All pious men from the oppressing Sect.
Nay; though some time th'Almighty God permits
Such ravenous men, in their oppressing fits,
To do even what they list against his Saints,
As if he seem'd to slight their sad complaints,
Whilst in closs Prison, fettered, manacled,
Fast ty'd with cords, on bread and water fed:
Sleeping on boards, and benches at the best,
They in their wearied bones can have no rest;
Whilst thieves, and drunkards, Rogues and murderers,
Are now their only fellow-prisoners;
And lodg'd in the same room with them, whilst none
Dare pity them, or but emit a groan
On their behalf, without a strong suspition,
That they are favourers of their superstition.
Whilst choak'd with breathing of the croud, and stink
Of those, who void, and those, who smoak, and drink:
Where all the day is spent, as it were night
In a perpetual flame of Candle-light:
Whilst their sad ears are pestered constantly
With noise of horrid oaths, and ribaldry,
So that they find no opportunity
For their devotion; whilst arraign'd, condemn'd,
And the hour of their execution nam'd.
So that, by all appearance, there is none
Can think, with reason, but these men are gone:
He breaks their fetters; he doth soon unty
Their cords, and sets them all at liberty,
Who were perhaps next day design'd to dy.
Such ravenous men, in their oppressing fits,
To do even what they list against his Saints,
As if he seem'd to slight their sad complaints,
Whilst in closs Prison, fettered, manacled,
Fast ty'd with cords, on bread and water fed:
Sleeping on boards, and benches at the best,
They in their wearied bones can have no rest;
Whilst thieves, and drunkards, Rogues and murderers,
Are now their only fellow-prisoners;
And lodg'd in the same room with them, whilst none
Dare pity them, or but emit a groan
On their behalf, without a strong suspition,
That they are favourers of their superstition.
Whilst choak'd with breathing of the croud, and stink
Of those, who void, and those, who smoak, and drink:
Where all the day is spent, as it were night
In a perpetual flame of Candle-light:
Whilst their sad ears are pestered constantly
With noise of horrid oaths, and ribaldry,
So that they find no opportunity
For their devotion; whilst arraign'd, condemn'd,
And the hour of their execution nam'd.
So that, by all appearance, there is none
Can think, with reason, but these men are gone:
He breaks their fetters; he doth soon unty
Their cords, and sets them all at liberty,
Who were perhaps next day design'd to dy.
For by all these afflictions his intent
Is only, in great love, to represent
To these good men, how grosly they have err'd,
As well as others have done, and preferr'd
Their own conceits to what was right and just,
And have not in his mercy put their trust.
Is only, in great love, to represent
To these good men, how grosly they have err'd,
As well as others have done, and preferr'd
Their own conceits to what was right and just,
And have not in his mercy put their trust.
Hence he perswades them quickly to apply
Their minds to true, and solid piety,
With greater zeal, then they did formerly.
By these afflictions he doth them convince
Of all their failings, their escapes, and sins;
And makes them for the future live so well,
As they no more sad persecution feel.
Their minds to true, and solid piety,
With greater zeal, then they did formerly.
By these afflictions he doth them convince
Of all their failings, their escapes, and sins;
And makes them for the future live so well,
As they no more sad persecution feel.
For if such men do with unfeigned heart
Return to God; all blessings he'll impart
To them, their dayes in pleasure they shall spend,
Their years in honour, joy, and wealth shall end.
Return to God; all blessings he'll impart
To them, their dayes in pleasure they shall spend,
Their years in honour, joy, and wealth shall end.
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But if they don't, but follow foolishly
The sinful methods of hypocrisy,
As many do, who yet would be esteem'd
Great saints, and are such by the vulgar nam'd:
Whilst in their hearts they think on nothing less,
But entertain all sort of wickedness,
Which they imagine, may promove i'th' least,
The smallest part of their own interest.
Then shall they fall like such, then shall they dy,
Like all the followers of hypocrisy.
The sinful methods of hypocrisy,
As many do, who yet would be esteem'd
Great saints, and are such by the vulgar nam'd:
Whilst in their hearts they think on nothing less,
But entertain all sort of wickedness,
Which they imagine, may promove i'th' least,
The smallest part of their own interest.
Then shall they fall like such, then shall they dy,
Like all the followers of hypocrisy.
Hypocrisy! and here's a sin indeed,
Which in Gods sight doth many sins exceed.
A complex sin, made up of many parts,
A catalogue of all pernicious Arts:
A close concealer of all villany,
A great debaucher of integrity:
A guilded sin, compos'd of all that's bad,
A crying sin in pious masquerade:
A couz'ning sin, a sin so intricat,
As all, save God, it easily doth cheat.
A sin so painted, siz'd, and varnished,
With pious Oyles, and so well shaddowed,
As it can hardly be discovered
To be a sin, by any mortal eye.
A sin, that seems t'abhor impiety,
And yet doth hug it; such a sin indeed,
In my opinion doth all sins exceed.
And sure I know, God, who doth falshood hate,
Above all others doth abominate
This cunning sin; and thence we often read
How this close sin God has discovered
By his great art. For as we dayly see,
How many counterfeited Coines there be,
By worst of villains stamp'd, and fashioned,
Where Silver is so cunningly allay'd
With courser Mettals, as they will endure
The Touch-stone, and the File, and seem so pure,
As one would think they of true fineness were;
Yet put them in a crucible, and there
By heat of Fire, the cheat will soon appear.
Which in Gods sight doth many sins exceed.
A complex sin, made up of many parts,
A catalogue of all pernicious Arts:
A close concealer of all villany,
A great debaucher of integrity:
A guilded sin, compos'd of all that's bad,
A crying sin in pious masquerade:
A couz'ning sin, a sin so intricat,
As all, save God, it easily doth cheat.
A sin so painted, siz'd, and varnished,
With pious Oyles, and so well shaddowed,
As it can hardly be discovered
To be a sin, by any mortal eye.
A sin, that seems t'abhor impiety,
And yet doth hug it; such a sin indeed,
In my opinion doth all sins exceed.
And sure I know, God, who doth falshood hate,
Above all others doth abominate
This cunning sin; and thence we often read
How this close sin God has discovered
By his great art. For as we dayly see,
How many counterfeited Coines there be,
By worst of villains stamp'd, and fashioned,
Where Silver is so cunningly allay'd
With courser Mettals, as they will endure
The Touch-stone, and the File, and seem so pure,
As one would think they of true fineness were;
Yet put them in a crucible, and there
By heat of Fire, the cheat will soon appear.
So when the Hypocrite doth pleasantly
Enjoy himself in great tranquility,
With such a specious, but adulterat show
Of piety, he gulls the people so,
As in his Fig-leav'd Coat, and zealous paint,
He passes current for an upright Saint.
But let him once be brought, as others are
To th'fiery tryal, then he doth appear
To be the person that he is indeed,
Then all his falshood is discovered;
His timerous spirit soon doth liquify,
His soul begins to shrink: he cann't apply
Himself to God, but passes stupidly
His time away, without all meditation,
Or thoughts of Heaven, as upon such occasion
All good men do:
But hardned in his sins, and knowing well
How much his former actions merit Hell:
He thinks that now 'tis hardly worth his pain
T'apply to God for mercy, or complain
To him, whom he has so much irritate;
But as contented with his present state,
Takes of his Masque, and acts now openly,
What he before perform'd more cautiously.
Enjoy himself in great tranquility,
With such a specious, but adulterat show
Of piety, he gulls the people so,
As in his Fig-leav'd Coat, and zealous paint,
He passes current for an upright Saint.
But let him once be brought, as others are
To th'fiery tryal, then he doth appear
To be the person that he is indeed,
Then all his falshood is discovered;
His timerous spirit soon doth liquify,
His soul begins to shrink: he cann't apply
Himself to God, but passes stupidly
His time away, without all meditation,
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All good men do:
But hardned in his sins, and knowing well
How much his former actions merit Hell:
He thinks that now 'tis hardly worth his pain
T'apply to God for mercy, or complain
To him, whom he has so much irritate;
But as contented with his present state,
Takes of his Masque, and acts now openly,
What he before perform'd more cautiously.
Then he lets loose the reins of inclinations,
And runs like mad man into all temptations;
Then as in youthful veins, his blood doth rage,
And he must find out pleasures to asswage
The horrid torment of his melancholly;
And so expends some years in sin, and folly.
For that so rude, disordered fermentation,
O'th' mass of Blood, doth quickly give occasion
To sharp Diseases, which do warmly fall
Upon his body; and e're he can call
To God, for mercy, without more delay
Do hurry him, and all his sins away.
And runs like mad man into all temptations;
Then as in youthful veins, his blood doth rage,
And he must find out pleasures to asswage
The horrid torment of his melancholly;
And so expends some years in sin, and folly.
For that so rude, disordered fermentation,
O'th' mass of Blood, doth quickly give occasion
To sharp Diseases, which do warmly fall
Upon his body; and e're he can call
To God, for mercy, without more delay
Do hurry him, and all his sins away.
Thus then, my friend, we see Afflictions are
Most necessary, and we must prepare
Our selves for Tryals, and severe Temptations,
(As thou dost now endure) at all occasions:
Because by these, our God is us'd to try
The difference betwixt true Piety,
And base sophisticate Hypocrisy.
For, as the best of Grain is pestered
With the foul mixture of some specious Weed,
Which growing up in the same Field with it,
Doth the good Grain so slily counterfeit;
As while cut down, thresh'd out, and winnowed,
The false Grain cannot be discovered.
So in the Summer of Prosperity
When true Religion, and Hypocrisy
Appear to grow up in one Field together,
'Tis hard for Mortals to distinguish either;
But in the Harvest of Adversity,
When cut down, thresh'd, and winnowed, by, and by
We can distinguish what is bad, what's good,
And Hypocrites are quickly understood
In time of Trouble: then indeed, as Wheat
Is from the Chaff, by winnowing separate:
So Hypocrites are all discovered,
And from just, pious men distinguished.
Most necessary, and we must prepare
Our selves for Tryals, and severe Temptations,
(As thou dost now endure) at all occasions:
Because by these, our God is us'd to try
The difference betwixt true Piety,
And base sophisticate Hypocrisy.
For, as the best of Grain is pestered
With the foul mixture of some specious Weed,
Which growing up in the same Field with it,
Doth the good Grain so slily counterfeit;
As while cut down, thresh'd out, and winnowed,
The false Grain cannot be discovered.
So in the Summer of Prosperity
When true Religion, and Hypocrisy
Appear to grow up in one Field together,
'Tis hard for Mortals to distinguish either;
But in the Harvest of Adversity,
When cut down, thresh'd, and winnowed, by, and by
We can distinguish what is bad, what's good,
And Hypocrites are quickly understood
In time of Trouble: then indeed, as Wheat
Is from the Chaff, by winnowing separate:
So Hypocrites are all discovered,
And from just, pious men distinguished.
But those, my friend, who are in heart sincere,
Though their ingrain'd Afflictions appear
To be o'th' deepest dy, and do endure,
For a long time; yet God at length will sure
Deliver them out of them all, and show
That neither to themselves, nor friends they owe
Such great deliverance, but to him alone,
Who's their Redeemer; and forsaketh none
In their Afflictions, who upon him call,
But hears them, and at length doth grant them all
Their hearts can wish; and doth instruct them too
What for the future such good men should do
T'evite such Troubles.
Though their ingrain'd Afflictions appear
To be o'th' deepest dy, and do endure,
For a long time; yet God at length will sure
Deliver them out of them all, and show
That neither to themselves, nor friends they owe
Such great deliverance, but to him alone,
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In their Afflictions, who upon him call,
But hears them, and at length doth grant them all
Their hearts can wish; and doth instruct them too
What for the future such good men should do
T'evite such Troubles.
Even so, my friend, if thou hadst put thy trust
In his great Name, and not ha'been unjust
In thy Complaints; he had reliev'd thee too,
Out of thy sad Afflictions, long ere now,
Before this time he had thee liberate
From these sad pains, and, without all debate,
Restor'd thee fully to thy former state.
In his great Name, and not ha'been unjust
In thy Complaints; he had reliev'd thee too,
Out of thy sad Afflictions, long ere now,
Before this time he had thee liberate
From these sad pains, and, without all debate,
Restor'd thee fully to thy former state.
But thou in thy Afflictions hast rav'd,
And hast so very foolishly behav'd,
Th'hast so provok'd him, as it would appear,
'Had left thee in a Labyrinth of fear,
And of thy restitution took no care.
And hast so very foolishly behav'd,
Th'hast so provok'd him, as it would appear,
'Had left thee in a Labyrinth of fear,
And of thy restitution took no care.
And now that I thy Case have opened,
And shown'n thee, why thou art so punished;
In the next place, I must give thee advice
Not to esteem thy self too just, and wise;
Nor think that God has done thee injury,
By plunging thee in so much misery,
When all th'hast suffered must be understood
T'have been intended meerly for thy good.
But, with great calmness, humbly meditate
On th'circumstances of thy present state:
Confess thy Errors, seriously implore
His pardon, and resolve to do no more,
As thou hast done: lest, in his burning wrath
He prosecute thee closely to thy death:
And then no offers of some thousand Prayers,
Largitions, Fastings, Pennances, and Tears
Can ransom thee, for thou must quickly die
Without Repentance, and for ever ly
In the dark Prison of Eternity.
And shown'n thee, why thou art so punished;
In the next place, I must give thee advice
Not to esteem thy self too just, and wise;
Nor think that God has done thee injury,
By plunging thee in so much misery,
When all th'hast suffered must be understood
T'have been intended meerly for thy good.
But, with great calmness, humbly meditate
On th'circumstances of thy present state:
Confess thy Errors, seriously implore
His pardon, and resolve to do no more,
As thou hast done: lest, in his burning wrath
He prosecute thee closely to thy death:
And then no offers of some thousand Prayers,
Largitions, Fastings, Pennances, and Tears
Can ransom thee, for thou must quickly die
Without Repentance, and for ever ly
In the dark Prison of Eternity.
Assure thy self, my friend, this is thy Case,
If thou repent not quickly, this alace
Will be thy final Sentence; this thy Doom,
Which thou must suffer in all time to come.
And of this Sentence no Reprival can
Be purchas'd by the Art, or Wit of Man:
Nor Gold, nor Friendship, nor all Artifices
Of Humane Labour: nor the close devices,
Of cunning Interceeders can delay
The Execution, but for half a day
Of this same Sentence: for be confident
With Gifts thou canst not bribe th'Omnipotent.
If thou repent not quickly, this alace
Will be thy final Sentence; this thy Doom,
Which thou must suffer in all time to come.
And of this Sentence no Reprival can
Be purchas'd by the Art, or Wit of Man:
Nor Gold, nor Friendship, nor all Artifices
Of Humane Labour: nor the close devices,
Of cunning Interceeders can delay
The Execution, but for half a day
Of this same Sentence: for be confident
With Gifts thou canst not bribe th'Omnipotent.
But O me thinks I hear thee say, if Death
Be all that I must suffer in his Wrath:
Why let him kill me, I am well content,
And shall esteem Death a kind Punishment:
For I am wearied of my Life, and know
I never shall have rest until I go
Down to the Grave. Why here, my friend, again
Is a gross error, and I must complain
Of thy so frequent wishing thou mightst die,
And in the Grave enjoy tranquillitie.
For though Death be a thing I must confess,
Which we ought all to meet with cheerfulness:
And every man, who doth th'Almighty fear
Should surely, at all times himself prepare
To welcome Death, yet thus before the time
Design'd by God, to wish it is, is a crime.
And is, as if one in a raging fit,
Should head-long throw himself into a Pit.
We must not wish for death, nor foolishly
When winds of troubles blow, desire to dye:
No, we must leave the rules of life and death
To God alone, and whilst he gives us breath,
We ought to live content with every state,
Which he is pleas'd for us to allocate,
From time to time, and when he thinks it fit
That we should die: why let us then submit
All our concerns, with patience to the blow,
And not down to the grave in anger go,
As if wee'd die whether he would or no.
Be all that I must suffer in his Wrath:
Why let him kill me, I am well content,
And shall esteem Death a kind Punishment:
For I am wearied of my Life, and know
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Down to the Grave. Why here, my friend, again
Is a gross error, and I must complain
Of thy so frequent wishing thou mightst die,
And in the Grave enjoy tranquillitie.
For though Death be a thing I must confess,
Which we ought all to meet with cheerfulness:
And every man, who doth th'Almighty fear
Should surely, at all times himself prepare
To welcome Death, yet thus before the time
Design'd by God, to wish it is, is a crime.
And is, as if one in a raging fit,
Should head-long throw himself into a Pit.
We must not wish for death, nor foolishly
When winds of troubles blow, desire to dye:
No, we must leave the rules of life and death
To God alone, and whilst he gives us breath,
We ought to live content with every state,
Which he is pleas'd for us to allocate,
From time to time, and when he thinks it fit
That we should die: why let us then submit
All our concerns, with patience to the blow,
And not down to the grave in anger go,
As if wee'd die whether he would or no.
Take heed then pray, lest through impatience
Of thy afflictions thou give God offence.
For men should rather choose to undergo
Even the extremity of pain, and wo,
Then by complaining, in some sullen fit,
(As thou alace hast often done) commit
The least of sin. Nay if thou dost expect
That such complaints as these at length may break
The stream of thy afflictions, and so
Thou through the River of thy woes may'st go
With ease, and safety, and be thence reliev'd
From misery, trust me, thou art deceiv'd.
For, as young Children vex't with their disease
Of Itch, by scratching think to find some ease,
But after they have scratch'd their skin to pieces,
In stead of finding ease, their pain encreases.
So thou, my friend, by such complaints as these,
May'st well augment the force of thy disease,
But thou canst not allay it; trust me then,
'Tis a great folly for thee to complain.
Of thy afflictions thou give God offence.
For men should rather choose to undergo
Even the extremity of pain, and wo,
Then by complaining, in some sullen fit,
(As thou alace hast often done) commit
The least of sin. Nay if thou dost expect
That such complaints as these at length may break
The stream of thy afflictions, and so
Thou through the River of thy woes may'st go
With ease, and safety, and be thence reliev'd
From misery, trust me, thou art deceiv'd.
For, as young Children vex't with their disease
Of Itch, by scratching think to find some ease,
But after they have scratch'd their skin to pieces,
In stead of finding ease, their pain encreases.
So thou, my friend, by such complaints as these,
May'st well augment the force of thy disease,
But thou canst not allay it; trust me then,
'Tis a great folly for thee to complain.
For what's complaining else, but quarrelling
Of Gods procedure? What but murmuring
Against his justice? What but ignorance
Of what God is, and foolish arrogance,
Which thence proceeds? allow me then again,
Allow me, pray, a little to explain
The Power, Dominion, Wisdom, Majesty,
And Equity of him, who sits on high:
All which I do intend to evidence
Even from the common works of Providence;
That I may show thee all thy weaknesses,
For, hadst thou understood such things as these,
Which are so obvious, and at all occasions,
Afford us subject of high Contemplations:
Under thy Tryal thou hadst not behav'd
So sinfully, th'hadst not so madly rav'd
In thy expressions, nor, with so much spleen,
Quarrell'd thy Maker, over, and again.
Of Gods procedure? What but murmuring
Against his justice? What but ignorance
Of what God is, and foolish arrogance,
Which thence proceeds? allow me then again,
Allow me, pray, a little to explain
The Power, Dominion, Wisdom, Majesty,
And Equity of him, who sits on high:
All which I do intend to evidence
Even from the common works of Providence;
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For, hadst thou understood such things as these,
Which are so obvious, and at all occasions,
Afford us subject of high Contemplations:
Under thy Tryal thou hadst not behav'd
So sinfully, th'hadst not so madly rav'd
In thy expressions, nor, with so much spleen,
Quarrell'd thy Maker, over, and again.
Know then, my friend, whatever be our state,
We must not quarrel God at any rate:
Or, if we do, we'll find our labour vain
And we had better suffer, then complain.
For as he is himself exalted far
Above all Powers, that e're created were:
So whom he pleases, he doth quickly raise,
And others he as quickly doth debase,
As he thinks fit: in all which he's so wise,
As he from none on Earth doth need advice.
We must not quarrel God at any rate:
Or, if we do, we'll find our labour vain
And we had better suffer, then complain.
For as he is himself exalted far
Above all Powers, that e're created were:
So whom he pleases, he doth quickly raise,
And others he as quickly doth debase,
As he thinks fit: in all which he's so wise,
As he from none on Earth doth need advice.
And as his Supream Power doth not allow
That any man should teach him what to do,
So we to what he does should all submit,
For he will do whatever he thinks fit.
That any man should teach him what to do,
So we to what he does should all submit,
For he will do whatever he thinks fit.
Remember then he is thy God, and know
How much the whole Creation doth show
His Power, and Glory: for by what we see
In all his works, we know that none but he
Doth rule the World, and by computation,
Of what we do admire in the Creation,
We may attempt to take his elevation.
How much the whole Creation doth show
His Power, and Glory: for by what we see
In all his works, we know that none but he
Doth rule the World, and by computation,
Of what we do admire in the Creation,
We may attempt to take his elevation.
For even from these common Phœnomena
Some little Maps we may with safety draw,
Of the vast Region of his Providence,
And through the very Microscope of sense
Perceive so much, as we may learn from thence
How great he is.—
Some little Maps we may with safety draw,
Of the vast Region of his Providence,
And through the very Microscope of sense
Perceive so much, as we may learn from thence
How great he is.—
Yet after all, the best of us I doubt,
Cannot with all his curious Wit, find out
His true Perfection, which no Mortal sure
Can further see, then in the Miniature
Of his external works: for he is great
Beyond what all our Art can calculate.
He govern'd all, before what now we see,
Appear'd to us: 'twas God, 'twas only he,
That rul'd all before Infant Time did fly
Out of the belly of Eternity:
To which (though we on Earth would fain restrain
Its rapide flight) it hastes, with speed again.
Before it in the World set up a Shop,
And sold that necessary Toy call'd Hope,
Which every day we buy at any rate,
The Pedling Churle is pleas'd to estimate,
Before this Time appear'd, e're it was known,
He ordered all things from his heavenly Throne,
And will so do, when Time is broke, and gone.
Cannot with all his curious Wit, find out
His true Perfection, which no Mortal sure
Can further see, then in the Miniature
Of his external works: for he is great
Beyond what all our Art can calculate.
He govern'd all, before what now we see,
Appear'd to us: 'twas God, 'twas only he,
That rul'd all before Infant Time did fly
Out of the belly of Eternity:
To which (though we on Earth would fain restrain
Its rapide flight) it hastes, with speed again.
Before it in the World set up a Shop,
And sold that necessary Toy call'd Hope,
Which every day we buy at any rate,
The Pedling Churle is pleas'd to estimate,
Before this Time appear'd, e're it was known,
He ordered all things from his heavenly Throne,
And will so do, when Time is broke, and gone.
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Let none attempt then by Philosophy,
T'unriddle this great divine mystery
Of Providence: but rest content with what
May with their reason be proportionat:
For even the knowledge of those common things,
Which we by art can fathom, surely brings
No little satisfaction to our mind:
For as in Copper Ore we sometimes find
Some grains of Gold ly hidden in the Vein:
So, without doubt, Gods outward works contain
Some scattered grains of his Excellency,
Perceptible by a just, serious eye.
Though, after all, the knowledge we attain
By all these outward signs do not explain
What God is fully, no, that is indeed
A knowledge, which doth all our art exceed.
For God's a thing incomprehensible,
Infinit, boundless, and invisible,
And by no rules of art definible.
T'unriddle this great divine mystery
Of Providence: but rest content with what
May with their reason be proportionat:
For even the knowledge of those common things,
Which we by art can fathom, surely brings
No little satisfaction to our mind:
For as in Copper Ore we sometimes find
Some grains of Gold ly hidden in the Vein:
So, without doubt, Gods outward works contain
Some scattered grains of his Excellency,
Perceptible by a just, serious eye.
Though, after all, the knowledge we attain
By all these outward signs do not explain
What God is fully, no, that is indeed
A knowledge, which doth all our art exceed.
For God's a thing incomprehensible,
Infinit, boundless, and invisible,
And by no rules of art definible.
Then let us view the Heavens, and see what there,
Doth worth our admiration appear:
And first we may discern with little pain,
Even in that small phenomenon of rain,
No small appearance, no small demonstration,
O'th' God of Natures powerful operation,
In ord'ring on't: for he commands the Sun,
As in his dayly progress he doth run,
About the Earth, to suck up here, and there
What vapours moist, and unctuous do appear
Upon its surface which he gathereth
In several Clouds, and these distributeth
In all the quarters of the spacious Air,
Whilst out o'th' vapours he doth rain prepare.
That finish'd, and those clouds all mustered
Before him, ready, if so ordered,
With their whole force upon the Earth to fall,
And in a general Deluge drown us all.
As once they did loos'd by his mighty hand,
And would do yet, if he should so command:
He kindly doth their violence restrain,
And makes them only squirt themselves in rain.
Doth worth our admiration appear:
And first we may discern with little pain,
Even in that small phenomenon of rain,
No small appearance, no small demonstration,
O'th' God of Natures powerful operation,
In ord'ring on't: for he commands the Sun,
As in his dayly progress he doth run,
About the Earth, to suck up here, and there
What vapours moist, and unctuous do appear
Upon its surface which he gathereth
In several Clouds, and these distributeth
In all the quarters of the spacious Air,
Whilst out o'th' vapours he doth rain prepare.
That finish'd, and those clouds all mustered
Before him, ready, if so ordered,
With their whole force upon the Earth to fall,
And in a general Deluge drown us all.
As once they did loos'd by his mighty hand,
And would do yet, if he should so command:
He kindly doth their violence restrain,
And makes them only squirt themselves in rain.
So, that, as through a Seive, in little drops,
Those waters now do fall, and feed the hopes
O'th' Labourer, when he perceives his Grain
Spread out its ears, by th'influence of rain:
And every drop, which on the Earth doth fall,
In its due season prove spermatical.
Those waters now do fall, and feed the hopes
O'th' Labourer, when he perceives his Grain
Spread out its ears, by th'influence of rain:
And every drop, which on the Earth doth fall,
In its due season prove spermatical.
But O, what art, what language can declare
The motions of these Clouds, whilst here, and there
In troops they ramble, and to us appear
T'observe no order; but so scattering
Themselves, as if they went a forraging,
Through all the spacious Sky, would make us stand
Amaz'd, if so we did not understand
Th'Almighty is their Captain General,
That he commands in chief, and gives out all
The orders for these motions, so that we
Even in those ramblings do his glory see.
For when by their great Master ordered,
I'th' twinkling of an eye, they'll over-spread
The face of Heav'ns, and make all darkness there,
Where late the Sun most brightly did appear.
There in Battalia for some time they stand,
Expecting further orders; when at hand
Another Body of hot Clouds he makes
Fall on that Host, which, with great sury breaks
That mighty Squadron, yet it doth not yeeld
At first, nor in disorder quit the Field,
For all the others fury, but doth make
A strong resistance to their fierce attaque:
Long time they fight, whilst we with fear and wonder,
Expect they'll tear the Universe assunder:
For Lightnings in small Parties furiously
Burst through the thickest Clouds, and in the Sky
Make a strange Figure, and not only there,
But ev'n on Earth their fury doth appear,
When now and then beasts, buildings, men, what not
Are burnt, and wounded by their randome shot.
Nay Fishes in the Sea, when they do hear
Such rumbling in the Firmament, do fear
A general Conflagration, and run
Down to the bottom of the Seas, to shun
The fury of those Combatants: but there
They hardly safety find, for every where
Those Warring Clouds do make a mighty sound,
And fright all both above, and under ground.
The motions of these Clouds, whilst here, and there
In troops they ramble, and to us appear
T'observe no order; but so scattering
Themselves, as if they went a forraging,
Through all the spacious Sky, would make us stand
Amaz'd, if so we did not understand
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That he commands in chief, and gives out all
The orders for these motions, so that we
Even in those ramblings do his glory see.
For when by their great Master ordered,
I'th' twinkling of an eye, they'll over-spread
The face of Heav'ns, and make all darkness there,
Where late the Sun most brightly did appear.
There in Battalia for some time they stand,
Expecting further orders; when at hand
Another Body of hot Clouds he makes
Fall on that Host, which, with great sury breaks
That mighty Squadron, yet it doth not yeeld
At first, nor in disorder quit the Field,
For all the others fury, but doth make
A strong resistance to their fierce attaque:
Long time they fight, whilst we with fear and wonder,
Expect they'll tear the Universe assunder:
For Lightnings in small Parties furiously
Burst through the thickest Clouds, and in the Sky
Make a strange Figure, and not only there,
But ev'n on Earth their fury doth appear,
When now and then beasts, buildings, men, what not
Are burnt, and wounded by their randome shot.
Nay Fishes in the Sea, when they do hear
Such rumbling in the Firmament, do fear
A general Conflagration, and run
Down to the bottom of the Seas, to shun
The fury of those Combatants: but there
They hardly safety find, for every where
Those Warring Clouds do make a mighty sound,
And fright all both above, and under ground.
Yet after all, when we do still expect
Those Clouds of Water will in pieces break,
By this so strong collision; when we
Confounded quite, by what we hear and see,
Do think those Clouds will let their Liquor out,
Not as through Sieve, but as through Water-spout,
And in great horrour, and sad consternation,
Expect a full and general inundation;
Why then we see how gracious Providence
Doth order, that for our convenience,
Which we suspected had been ordered
For our destruction; and imagined
VVe were all lost.—
For when those Warriours have their fury spent,
And with their mutual force, each other rent:
The event of this Battel doth produce
No more, than what is proper for the use
Of every thing that lives: for by and by
Those Clouds do only drop, as formerly,
In showres of Rain; as they're accustomed,
By which the earth is kindly moistened;
Rewarding all the labourers toyl and sweat,
And by fair Harvest, doth afford us meat.
Those Clouds of Water will in pieces break,
By this so strong collision; when we
Confounded quite, by what we hear and see,
Do think those Clouds will let their Liquor out,
Not as through Sieve, but as through Water-spout,
And in great horrour, and sad consternation,
Expect a full and general inundation;
Why then we see how gracious Providence
Doth order, that for our convenience,
Which we suspected had been ordered
For our destruction; and imagined
VVe were all lost.—
For when those Warriours have their fury spent,
And with their mutual force, each other rent:
The event of this Battel doth produce
No more, than what is proper for the use
Of every thing that lives: for by and by
Those Clouds do only drop, as formerly,
In showres of Rain; as they're accustomed,
By which the earth is kindly moistened;
Rewarding all the labourers toyl and sweat,
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Then if at any time to evidence
The vast extent o'th' power of Providence,
He should command the Sun to hide his face;
(Which so much of his glory doth express)
And gathering in his scattered rayes to shroud
Himself within the mantle of a cloud:
Why he's obey'd: and we, for many dayes,
Condole the absence of those glorious rayes:
Whilst Clouds, Foggs, Rain, are th'only things which now
We see about us, and with much ado
Deprived of that comfortable light
We faintly do distinguish day from night.
Yet must we not despair, but still expect
That when our God thinks fit, the Sun will take
That covering from his face, and by and by
Appear as bright, as he did formerly.
The vast extent o'th' power of Providence,
He should command the Sun to hide his face;
(Which so much of his glory doth express)
And gathering in his scattered rayes to shroud
Himself within the mantle of a cloud:
Why he's obey'd: and we, for many dayes,
Condole the absence of those glorious rayes:
Whilst Clouds, Foggs, Rain, are th'only things which now
We see about us, and with much ado
Deprived of that comfortable light
We faintly do distinguish day from night.
Yet must we not despair, but still expect
That when our God thinks fit, the Sun will take
That covering from his face, and by and by
Appear as bright, as he did formerly.
And now again I must with no small wonder,
Speak of this great Phœnomenon of Thunder,
This dreadful subject, this stupendious thing,
That only should attend so great a King,
And in its high, commanding Dialect,
The pomp and grandeur of its Master speak.
A thing, whose horrid noise doth so confound
The race of Creatures all the world around,
That those, that live on Earth, in Sea, and Air,
At noise of Thunder, tremble all for fear.
Speak of this great Phœnomenon of Thunder,
This dreadful subject, this stupendious thing,
That only should attend so great a King,
And in its high, commanding Dialect,
The pomp and grandeur of its Master speak.
A thing, whose horrid noise doth so confound
The race of Creatures all the world around,
That those, that live on Earth, in Sea, and Air,
At noise of Thunder, tremble all for fear.
The grand Tryal | ||