The Poems of Thomas Pestell Edited with an account of his life and work by Hannah Buchan |
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 | The Poems of Thomas Pestell |  |
[Sermons and Devotions, Old and New, 1659:]
The Relief on Easter Eve.
Like an Hart, the liue-long dayThat in thorns and thickets lay,
Rouse thee soul, thy flesh forsake,
Got to relief from thy brake;
Shuddering I would have thee part,
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Look behind thee still to see,
If thy frailties follow thee.
Deep in silence of the night,
Take a sweet and stoln delight.
Graze on Clover by this calm,
Precious spring of bleeding Balm,
Thou remembrest how it ran
From his side, thats God and man.
Taste the pleasures of this stream,
Thou wilt think thy flesh a dream.
Nightly this Repast go take,
Got to Relief from thy brake.
On New-years Day, a New-years Gift;
Out of Gal. 4, 4. God sent his Son, made of a woman, made under the Law.
First, God sent his Son.
God sent his Son; to make mans joy begunFrom first to last, in endless circle run.
Without Beginning God who never ends
From boundless Being, mans Beginning sends.
Mans double guard of Sun and stars we see.
Angels unseen, all of his sending be.
A foodfull Garden; after food came rest.
Then woman came, of Visibles the best:
Her seed in Promise then, in Gods intent
Before all worlds into the world was sent.
But till all other sendings fail and fade,
The Blood that seal'd this mission was unmade.
Man first was sent to Reasons goodly Lamp,
Which dul'd he found, and dim'd in sinful damp
Then Sacrifice and Prayer; which heard, he saw
New Light down sent him in a flaming Law;
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That tir'd by sin, by Faith on him repose.
To make whose joyes in endless circle run,
From first to last; Behold God sent his Son.
Made under the Law.
Under the Law; He that the Ground-work laidOf Earth, and gave the seas a Law, was made.
Who gives the charge to this Eternal Word;
Supream-and-sole-law-giving mighty Lord.
Proud slime and worms, God bows our yoke to bear,
Put on in love, to put us out of fear.
To service, homage, vassalage descends
Today, and first fruit of his blood he spends.
What Feind Eccentrick then shall force our souls
From motions regular about his Poles?
Shall euen deadly sins in disaray,
Keep off our minds from his Diurnal sway?
Under the Law made he his resting place,
And chose the curse, to leave us under Grace.
But still to morals tied our hearts and hands;
Scorn not his easie yoak, nor break his bands.
Without those Grates, all fire of vertue cools;
None lawless thus, but Devils, Popes and Fools.
Made of a Woman
Made of a woman; Heark you RaceOf men; no more this Sex disgrace:
The Lord of Glory leaves his place
To Bour with Mary full of Grace.
God above all thats great or good,
Is made of womans flesh and blood.
How rare a Vivary was this,
Our Lord within our Lady is.
O look! Amazed Angels look,
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Till that Babes blood unclose the seal,
And so himself, himself reveal.
The woman first that wrought our wo
Remember first, from man did grow.
Here all by Virgins blood was done,
Gods only Partner in his Son
Made of a woman; Heark you Race
Of men; no more this Sex disgrace.
A Psalm for Christmass day morning.
1
Fairest of morning Lights appear,Thou blest and gaudy day,
On whom was born our Saviour dear,
Make haste and c[o]me away.
2
See, See, our pensive breasts do pant,Like gasping Land we lie,
Thy holy Dews our souls do want.
We faint, we pine, we die.
3
Let from the skies a joyfull RainLike Mel or Manna fall.
Whose searching drops our sins may drain,
And quench our sorrows all.
4
This day prevents his day of Doom,His mercy now is nigh.
The mighty God of love is come;
The day-spring from on high.
5
Behold the great Creator makesHimself an house of clay.
A Robe of Virgin flesh he takes
Which he will wear for ay.
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6
Heark, heark, the wise Eternal Word,Like a weak Infant cries,
In form of servant is the Lord;
And God in Cradle lies.
7
This wonder struck the world amaz'd;It shook the stary frame.
Squadrons of spirits stood and gaz'd.
Then down in Troops they came.
8
Glad Shepherds ran to view this sight,A quire of Angels sings,
And Eastern Sages with delight
Adore this King of Kings.
9
Bis. Joyn then all hearts that are not stone,And all our voices prove
To celebrate this holy One,
The God of Peace and Love.
A Psalm for Sunday Nights.
1
Come Ravisht souls with high Delight:In sweet immortal Verse,
To crown the day, and welcome night;
Jehovahs praise Reherse.
2
O sing the Glories of our Lord,His Grace and Truth resound.
And his stupendous acts Record,
Whose mercies have no bound.
3
He made the All informing Light,And hosts of Ang[el]s fair:
Tis he with shadows cloaths the night,
He clouds or clears the Air.
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4
Those restless skies with stars enchasteHe on firm hindges set:
The wave embraced earth he plac'd
His hanging Cabinet.
5
Wherein for us all things complyWhich he hath so d[e]creed.
That each in order faithfully
Shall evermore proceed.
6
We in his Sommer sun-shine stand,And by his favour grow.
We gather what his bounteous hand
Is pleased to bestow.
7
When he contracts his brow we mourn,And all our strength is vain,
To former dust in death we turn,
Till he inspire again.
8
Then to this mighty Lord give praiseAnd all our voices prove.
The Glory of his name to raise,
The God of Peace and Love.
The Christians Reply to Christs Venite
Possum, good Lord by thee inclin'd:Volo sometimes with ease I find.
Nolo yet runs so in mind,
Malo still makes me lag behind.
Pride will fall,—but Grace to the Humble.
1
This fall Fell Lucifer first tries,Who endlong fell, never to rise.
Woman the next; then man, and all;
Proud flesh from them have caught the fall.
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2
From this foul falling sickness shallThe fall of one, recover all
Mankind, that medcin'd by his Spirit
His best of Graces shall inherit.
Whereby he still in it doth fall
Upon his humble servants all.
His conjugal Prayer Domestick.
God infinitely Great and Good!Purge all our sins by Jesus blood.
From serpentine three deadly foes,
The Gardens of our souls enclose.
That Spirit which Grace and Truth affords,
Rule all our actions, thoughts and words.
Our hearts into his Temples raise;
Our tongues loud Organs of his praise.
Lord make our selves and Race throughout,
Pure, humble, sober, chast, devout,
Loyal and gratefull, wise and just,
On thee, and industrie to trust;
Blest with a low, but glad estate,
In food and Rayment moderate.
Nor rich of poor to be envied,
Nor poor to be by rich supplied.
Give freedom, Order, Health and Peace,
Then in thy favour to decease
When Nature here by Grace prepar'd,
May look for Glory afterward.
| The Poems of Thomas Pestell | |