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 | Miscellaneous works of George Wither |  |
Clad all in angry Armes of discontent,
Because of his perpetuall banishment
From blisse, above five thousand yeares ago,
And in revenge of that same fatall blow,
Given him by that pure unspotted Child,
Borne of a woman whom he so beguild,
The old infernall Serpent ever since,
Hath prov'd a hatefull Rebell to his Prince,
And all enrag'd with malice and despight,
He leads his captive souldiers thus to fight.
Because of his perpetuall banishment
From blisse, above five thousand yeares ago,
And in revenge of that same fatall blow,
Given him by that pure unspotted Child,
Borne of a woman whom he so beguild,
The old infernall Serpent ever since,
Hath prov'd a hatefull Rebell to his Prince,
And all enrag'd with malice and despight,
He leads his captive souldiers thus to fight.
In Van, or Front march Infidels without
The Church, then Persecutors, and the rout
Of Heretiques within; the Middleward
Prophane, and all ungodly men do guard;
The Reare consists of an accursed Crew,
Terrible indeed, and hideous to view
(As Conscience awaked once can tell)
Deadly sinne, damnation, death and hell.
The wings, or sides this body that inclose
Are fleshly lusts, and worldly pleasures Foes,
That by force of strong perswasion kill,
Moe, than the Tempter can with all his skill.
The Collonels, Captains, Drums and Trumpeters,
And other such inferiour Officers,
Are infernall spirits hovering in the aire;
Th'word of command's Presumption and Despaire.
The Church, then Persecutors, and the rout
Of Heretiques within; the Middleward
Prophane, and all ungodly men do guard;
The Reare consists of an accursed Crew,
Terrible indeed, and hideous to view
(As Conscience awaked once can tell)
Deadly sinne, damnation, death and hell.
The wings, or sides this body that inclose
Are fleshly lusts, and worldly pleasures Foes,
That by force of strong perswasion kill,
Moe, than the Tempter can with all his skill.
The Collonels, Captains, Drums and Trumpeters,
And other such inferiour Officers,
Are infernall spirits hovering in the aire;
Th'word of command's Presumption and Despaire.
Thus Summum Malum, Summum Bonums Foe,
Sets up his Standard here on earth below;
And with his false suggestions, every houre
Drawes to his party a Malignant power
Of Potentates, as well as baser sort,
His earthly fading kingdomes to support,
And sends abroad his nimble Mercuries,
Intelligencers, Scouts, and Aulick lyes,
And promiseth rewards for all their paines,
As pleasures, treasures, dignities and gaines:
But all these proffers prove but a flim-flam,
He leaves them at the last like Doctor Lambe;
And when delights, and life are gone and past,
Then comes the sad Catastrophe at last,
Endlesse and easelesse torments in hell-fire,
This is the Serpents and his souldiers hire.
Sets up his Standard here on earth below;
And with his false suggestions, every houre
Drawes to his party a Malignant power
Of Potentates, as well as baser sort,
His earthly fading kingdomes to support,
And sends abroad his nimble Mercuries,
Intelligencers, Scouts, and Aulick lyes,
And promiseth rewards for all their paines,
As pleasures, treasures, dignities and gaines:
But all these proffers prove but a flim-flam,
He leaves them at the last like Doctor Lambe;
And when delights, and life are gone and past,
Then comes the sad Catastrophe at last,
Endlesse and easelesse torments in hell-fire,
This is the Serpents and his souldiers hire.
| Miscellaneous works of George Wither | |