Poetical Meditations being the improvement of some Vacant Hours |
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MEDITATIONS on Man's First and Fallen Estate, and the Wonderful Love of GOD Exhibited in a Redeemer.
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 | Poetical Meditations |  |
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MEDITATIONS on Man's First and Fallen Estate, and the Wonderful Love of GOD Exhibited in a Redeemer.
Once did I view a fragrant Flower fair,
Till thro' the optick windows of mine Eye
The sweet discoveries of its beauties rare
Did much affect & Charm my fantasie,
To see how bright and sweetly it did shine
In Beauties that were purely Genuine.
Till thro' the optick windows of mine Eye
The sweet discoveries of its beauties rare
Did much affect & Charm my fantasie,
To see how bright and sweetly it did shine
In Beauties that were purely Genuine.
But Lo, the dire Effects of baneful Pride;
A weed whose favour was Pestiferous
Did vie with this fair flower Qualify'd
With many Vertues Odoriferous.
This fragrant flower which to affect the sense
Had Beauties, Grace, and Vertues Excellence.
A weed whose favour was Pestiferous
Did vie with this fair flower Qualify'd
With many Vertues Odoriferous.
This fragrant flower which to affect the sense
Had Beauties, Grace, and Vertues Excellence.
2
Not being Content unworthily to stand
In the dark Corner of some mead obscure,
Or in some rough uncultivated Land
Which th' painful Husbandman did nev'r manure;
Or in some dismal wood where Mischief Lyes
And Ravens croak their fatal Auguries.
In the dark Corner of some mead obscure,
Or in some rough uncultivated Land
Which th' painful Husbandman did nev'r manure;
Or in some dismal wood where Mischief Lyes
And Ravens croak their fatal Auguries.
But by a bold Insulting Disposition
Presumes into a famous Garden fair
And more to Manifest it's bold Ambition,
Vies with the fairest flowers that were there;
And by it's growth the flowers so overtops
That it bereaved them of Heavens drops.
Presumes into a famous Garden fair
And more to Manifest it's bold Ambition,
Vies with the fairest flowers that were there;
And by it's growth the flowers so overtops
That it bereaved them of Heavens drops.
Collecting of the Nutrimental juice
That's of the Earth it did Monopolize
The same to it's own benefit and Use,
Also the benediction of the Skies.
Thus to it's Baseness makes subservient,
Earth's fruitfulness and Heaven's dews descent.
That's of the Earth it did Monopolize
The same to it's own benefit and Use,
Also the benediction of the Skies.
Thus to it's Baseness makes subservient,
Earth's fruitfulness and Heaven's dews descent.
The Flowers thus Injuriously ov'r-topt
Began to darken perish fade and dye,
Their beauty Lost & all their Grace was Cropt
Their Savour soon became unsavoury;
For having Lost the Suns sweet Influence
They with it Lost their Grace and Excellence.
Began to darken perish fade and dye,
Their beauty Lost & all their Grace was Cropt
Their Savour soon became unsavoury;
For having Lost the Suns sweet Influence
They with it Lost their Grace and Excellence.
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Nor were they in this Deplorable state
Able to work their Liberty and Ease
None but the Gardiner can Extricate,
Them from their Bondage and give them release.
Many instructions may from hence arise
If on this embleme we do Moralize.
Able to work their Liberty and Ease
None but the Gardiner can Extricate,
Them from their Bondage and give them release.
Many instructions may from hence arise
If on this embleme we do Moralize.
I'le take occasion hence to Contemplate
Fair Paradise in it's prime Excellence
But most of all the Glorious Estate,
Of our first Father in his Innocence.
Who was the flower of that Garden, and
A Garden in which many flowers did stand.
Fair Paradise in it's prime Excellence
But most of all the Glorious Estate,
Of our first Father in his Innocence.
Who was the flower of that Garden, and
A Garden in which many flowers did stand.
His body with such Comliness was deck't
As did declare this famous Faberick
Was of no ordinary Architect,
But the Almighties Glorious work-manship,
Being fearfully and wonderfully made,
By him that needed not a foreign aid.
As did declare this famous Faberick
Was of no ordinary Architect,
But the Almighties Glorious work-manship,
Being fearfully and wonderfully made,
By him that needed not a foreign aid.
His parts proportion and rare Simmetrie
Shew'd forth his Glorious uniformal Grace
His pleasant and yet awful Majestie,
Appeared in the figure of his face:
Where ruby ruddiness did beautify
The lily white with a Vermilion dye.
Shew'd forth his Glorious uniformal Grace
His pleasant and yet awful Majestie,
Appeared in the figure of his face:
Where ruby ruddiness did beautify
The lily white with a Vermilion dye.
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Behold him there made Misne Lord of all
The whole Creation that was sublunary
And all the Creatures made that so they shall
Unto his Comfort be Contributary,
He was to take their Tributes and again,
Offer them up unto his Soveraign.
The whole Creation that was sublunary
And all the Creatures made that so they shall
Unto his Comfort be Contributary,
He was to take their Tributes and again,
Offer them up unto his Soveraign.
His understanding was so Excellent
That he was able by his Knowledge Great
Names to all Creatures in his Government
To give: Ev'n such as were most adequate,
Unto their Inclinations Natural,
O wondrous wisdom Philosophy call.
That he was able by his Knowledge Great
Names to all Creatures in his Government
To give: Ev'n such as were most adequate,
Unto their Inclinations Natural,
O wondrous wisdom Philosophy call.
But was that Knowledge and discerning Skill
The Sole perfection of this noble Nature?
O no; he was possessed with a will,
Able to Love and serve his great Creator.
To apprehend him as his Chiefest Good,
And prize him more than his appointed food.
The Sole perfection of this noble Nature?
O no; he was possessed with a will,
Able to Love and serve his great Creator.
To apprehend him as his Chiefest Good,
And prize him more than his appointed food.
He was Commissionated to remain
In this Estate to perpetuity
Here might he Live rejoyce in God and Reign
Throughout the Ages of Eternity.
And of all the Delights and fruits of Eden,
Only the Tree of Knowledge was forbidden.
In this Estate to perpetuity
Here might he Live rejoyce in God and Reign
Throughout the Ages of Eternity.
And of all the Delights and fruits of Eden,
Only the Tree of Knowledge was forbidden.
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But Lo, the dire Effects of baneful Pride
Man being made in Honour thus to flourish
Did not a night in that Estate abide
But soon became like to the beasts that perish.
Abusing of his Liberty of will
Against his Sovereign Lord he did rebel.
Man being made in Honour thus to flourish
Did not a night in that Estate abide
But soon became like to the beasts that perish.
Abusing of his Liberty of will
Against his Sovereign Lord he did rebel.
For casting off that Reverential awe
He ow'd unto God's Sacred Majestie
Against the Comminations of his Law,
He did rebel, and in rebellion he
The Sacramental Tree of Life neglected,
And eat of that which God had Interdicted.
He ow'd unto God's Sacred Majestie
Against the Comminations of his Law,
He did rebel, and in rebellion he
The Sacramental Tree of Life neglected,
And eat of that which God had Interdicted.
And for endeavouring to Equalize
The Lord's Omniscence: is quite ruinated
And hath his Soul in all its Faculties
Strangely Besotted and Infatuated:
For having once rebell'd against his duty,
Opacous Sin soon blasted all his beauty.
The Lord's Omniscence: is quite ruinated
And hath his Soul in all its Faculties
Strangely Besotted and Infatuated:
For having once rebell'd against his duty,
Opacous Sin soon blasted all his beauty.
Now we have Lost Ability to Climb
The steps of Providence unto Gods Throne:
Our Souls (alas) are now to Insublime,
To Seat and Settle our Affections on
The Pinacle of all Perfection,
Whose Vision Satisfys th' Affection.
The steps of Providence unto Gods Throne:
Our Souls (alas) are now to Insublime,
To Seat and Settle our Affections on
The Pinacle of all Perfection,
Whose Vision Satisfys th' Affection.
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But through a Poisonous Impetuous Rage,
Our Minds we to these Earthly Objects glew:
And tho' we find they can't our Thirst asswage,
The more we're Dis-appointed, we pursue.
Thus do we prostitute our vast affection,
To yield to our Inferiours subjection.
Our Minds we to these Earthly Objects glew:
And tho' we find they can't our Thirst asswage,
The more we're Dis-appointed, we pursue.
Thus do we prostitute our vast affection,
To yield to our Inferiours subjection.
But when we sunk under this misery
And all help failed us on every side
No Creature could find out a way whereby,
Justice Offended might be Satisfi'd:
To do that work our Saviour undertook
As it was writ i'th' Volumn of the book.
And all help failed us on every side
No Creature could find out a way whereby,
Justice Offended might be Satisfi'd:
To do that work our Saviour undertook
As it was writ i'th' Volumn of the book.
The Love that gave him, Oh! 'twas Infinite;
The Person suffering was most Excellent
The Pains he suffered were most Exquisite;
And Glorious was the blessed Consequent.
With wonderment and Ravishing surprize,
The Angels Contemplate these Mysteries.
The Person suffering was most Excellent
The Pains he suffered were most Exquisite;
And Glorious was the blessed Consequent.
With wonderment and Ravishing surprize,
The Angels Contemplate these Mysteries.
When I behold th' Heavens wond'rous frame
The Sun and Moon shining in Beauty bright
Which thou hast made to Magnify thy Name
By thy Almighty power Infinite
And View the Stars in their celestial ranging
Not Jostling in all their inter-changing.
The Sun and Moon shining in Beauty bright
Which thou hast made to Magnify thy Name
By thy Almighty power Infinite
And View the Stars in their celestial ranging
Not Jostling in all their inter-changing.
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Oh what is man that thou shouldest allow
Him to Inherit thy divine compassion?
What is the sinful Son of man that thou
Should'st grant to him thy Spirits visitation?
And suffer thine Eternal SON to dye
To Reconcile thy stubborn Enemy.
Him to Inherit thy divine compassion?
What is the sinful Son of man that thou
Should'st grant to him thy Spirits visitation?
And suffer thine Eternal SON to dye
To Reconcile thy stubborn Enemy.
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