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Heavens Glory, Seeke It

Earts Vanitie, Flye It. Hells Horror, Fere It [by Samuel Rowlands]

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HEAVENS Glory, Earths Vanitie, and Hels Torments.
 
 
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HEAVENS Glory, Earths Vanitie, and Hels Torments.


54

A Sigh.

Hence lazie sleepe,
thou sonne of sullen night,
That with soft-breathing Spels
keeps sorrowes vnder
Thy charmes; cheares vp
the spirits with delight,
And laps the Sences
in Lethæan slumber;
Packe and he gone:
for my sad soule knowes well,
Care best accordeth
with a gloomie Cell.
And what more darke
then my sin-clouded Soule?

55

Where yet the Sunne
of Sapience neuer shone;
But still in Errors
vgly caue did roule,
Where nought keepes concord
but discordant mone:
Leaue me I say,
and giue me leaue to tell,
That to my Soule,
my selfe ha's not done well.
Good man! (if good
there liues one) Thou that art
So farre thrust
from the worlds imperious eyes;
Helpe me to act
this penitentiall part:
I meane, No coyner
of new Niceties,
Nor wodden Worshipper:
Giue me him than

56

That's a God-louing,
and good-liuing man,
To be my partner
in this Tragedie;
Whose scenes run bleeding
through the wounded Acts,
Heart-strucke by Sinne
and Satans fallacie,
And poyson'd by
my selfe-committed facts:
Send me thy prayers,
if not thy presence found,
To stop the Ore-face
of this streaming wound.
Steere me (sweet Sauiour)
while I safe haue past
The stormie Euroclydons
of Despaire,

57

Till happily I haue
arriu'd at last,
To touch at Thee, my Soules
sole-sauing stayre:
Tow vp my sin-frought Soule,
sunke downe below,
And long lien weltring
midst the waues of wo.
New rig me vp,
lest wallowing I orewhelme;
Thy Mercy be my Main-mast;
And for Sayles
My Sighs; thy Truth, my tackling;
Faith, my Helme:
My ballast, Loue;
Hope, Anchor that ne're failes:
Then in Heau'ns hauen
calme Peace me arriue,
Where once enharbor'd,
I shall richly thriue.

58

Woes me! how long ha's
Pride besotted me?
Proposing to dim Reason
my good parts,
My nimble Wit,
my quicke procliuitie
To Apprehension;
and in high desarts
How many stood beneath me:
I (vaine foole)
Thus fob'd by Satans sleights,
ore-slipt my Soule:
Who in darke Error
downe embodied lies,
Blacke as the Star-lesse Night;
and hideously
Impuritie with rustie wings
crosse flies
Betwixt the Sunne of
Righteousnesse and me;

59

Whil'st (Bat-like) beats my Soule
her leather sayles
Gainst the soft Ayre;
and rising, fals and failes.
Must I for each
vnsyllabled close Thought
Render account?
O wit fi'lde Conference!
Cal'd in is thy protection then,
deare bought:
How was my brow
o'rehatcht with Impudence?
To let whole worlds of words
my cheekes vp-swell,
The least of whom
would ding me downe to Hell.
O wretched Impes
then of mans impious race!

58

Who'l breath out Blasphemies
to make a Iest;
And call wit flashing
the sole punctuall grace
Of genuine knowledge:
But amongst the rest,
Iudge in what case
are those wit-hucksters in,
That hourely practise
this soule sinking sinne?
O may my tongue
be euer riuetted
Fast to my roofe,
but when it speakes Gods praise:
May not one vocall sound
by breath be sed,
But when it carols out
celestiall Layes;
Let not one tone
through my tongues hatches slye,

61

But what beares with't
heau'ns glories harmonie.
Helpe (Lord of power) my
feeble-toynted praiers
To clamber th' azure Mountaines
throwne aboue me;
And keepe a seat for me there
mongst those haires,
Apportion'd out to such
as truely loue thee:
Admit them in thine eares
a resting roome,
Vntill to thee and them,
my soule shall come.
Meane while, moyst ey'd
Repentance here below
Shall, Inmate wise be
Tenant to my minde:

62

For Prayers, without true
Penitence, doe show,
“Like meats vnseason'd,
or like Bils vnsign'd;
“Or corne on tops of
Cottages that growes,
“Which (vselesse) no man
either reapes or sowes.
O how my Soule's surpriz'd
with shallow feares?
When, thinking to leane on
Lifes broken staffe;
And counting to mine age
large summes of yeares,
I heare the sweet
and sacred Psalmograph,
Compare Life to a Flowre,
a Puffe, a Span;
Who's Monarch now,
next minute's not a Man.

63

Must I needs dye?
why surfet Ion Pleasure?
Must I needs dye?
why swim I in Delight?
Must I needs dye?
why squint I after Treasure?
Must I needs dye?
why liue I not aright?
Must I needs dye?
why liue I then in sin?
Thrice better for me
I had neuer bin.
Fountaine of breathing Dust?
such grace me giue,
That I in life,
prepare in dust to lye;
Let me be dying still
whiles I doe liue;
That I may blisfull liue,
when I shall dye:

64

For in Christs Schoole
this Paradox learne I;
Who dies before he dies,
shall neuer die.
If I must die,
then after must begin
The life of Ioy or
Torment, without end;
The life of Torment
purchas'd is by sinne;
The life of Ioy, by life
that learnes t'amend:
Why should I then prophane,
sweare, curse, lust, lie,
If I but thinke on this;
That I must die?
Why should I quaffe
to more then Nature can?

65

Sith more drinke I gaine
more losse is mine:
For may I not be tearm'd
a bestiall man,
To drowne my Reason
in a cup of wine?
Yea tenfold worse:
Thus monster made at least:
God made me Man,
I make my selfe a Beast.
How swelt I with hard trauell
through the Dale
That leads to Prophanations
irkesome cell?
But freeze, by softly
pacing vp the skale,
Where burning zeale,
and her bright sisters dwell:
Thus sweat. I in the shadow,
shake i'th shine,

66

And by free choice,
from good to ill decline.
Sweet Sauiour cleanse
my leprous loathsome soule
In that depurpled Fount,
which forth thy side
Gurgling, did twixt two
Lilly-mountaines roule,
To rinse Mans tainted Race,
Sin-soylifide:
Wash it more white
then the triumphant Swan,
That rides o'th siluer brest
of Eridan.
Suffer my prayers
harmony to rise
Into thine eares,
while th' Angels beare a part:

67

Accept my Sighs,
as smelling Sacrifice,
Sent from the Altar
of my bleeding heart;
Vp to thy nostrils, sweet
as th' Oyle of Aaron,
Or th' odoriferous Rose
of flowrie Sharon.
The Hart ne're long'd more
for the purling brookes;
Nor did the lustfull Goate
with more pursuit,
After the blossom'd
Tritifolie looke,
Then do's my panting Soule,
t'enioy the fruit
Of thy Life-water;
which if I attaine
To taste of once,
I ne're shall thirst againe,

68

Euen as the chapped ground
in Summers heat,
Cals to the clouds,
and gapes at euery showre:
Whose thirstie Casma's
greedily intreat,
As tho they would
th' whole house of heau'n deuour;
So do's my riuen Soule,
beparcht with sin,
Yawne wide, to let
mayst drops of Mercie in.

113

[Though long it were since Adam was]

I

Though long it were since Adam was,
Yet seemes he here to be;
A blessed creature once he was,
Now naked as you see:
Whose wife was cause of all my care,
To say I may be bold:
Turne backe the leaues, and then you may
My picture there behold,

II

To thinke vpon the workes of God,
All-worldly men may wonder:
But thinking on thy sinnes O man,
Thy heart may burst a sunder:
The sinner sits and sweetly sings,
And so his heart beguiles,

114

Till I come with my bitter stings,
And turne to griefe his smiles.

III

Muse not to gaze vpon my shape,
Whose nakednesse you see;
By flattering and deceitfull words,
The Diuell deceiued me:
Let me example be to all,
That once from God doe range:
Turne backe the leaues, and then behold
Another sight as strange.

IV

Had Adam and Eue neuer beene
As there you saw their shape,
I neuer had deceiued them,
Nor they ere made debate:
But turne, behold where both doe stand
And lay the fault on me:
Turne backe the vpper and nether crests,
There each of them you see.

115

I, III

Here we doe stand in perfect state,
All formed as we were;
But what the Serpent did by hate,
Shall sodainely appeare:
Then here behold how both doe stand,
And where the fault did lye:
Th' almighty power did so command,
That once we all must dye.

II, IV

See what comes of wicked deed,
As all men well doe know;
And for the same God hath decreed
That we should liue in woe:
The dust it was my daily food,
Vnto it we must turne;
And darknesse is my chiefe abode,
In sorrow so we mourne.


THE Common Cals, Cryes and Sounds of the Bell-man.

OR Diuers Verses to put vs in minde of our mortalitie.

Which may serue as warnings to be prepared at all times for the day of our death.



For Christmas day.

Remember all that on this morne,
Our blessed Sauior Christ was borne;
Who issued from a Virgin pure,
Our soules from Sathan to secure,
And patronise our feeble spirit,
That we through him may heauen inherit.

For Saint Stephens night.

This blessed time beare in your minde,
How that blest Martyr Stephen dyed,
In whom was all that good confinde,
That might with flesh and bloud abide:


In doctrine and example he,
Taught what to doe, and what to flee:
Full of the spirit he would preach,
Against opinions false and naught,
Confute them too, and boldly teach
What Christ himselfe to him had taught;
For which at last he lost his breath,
Ston'd by the stony hearts to death:
Let vs then learn by this blest Martyrs end,
To see our follies, and our liues amend.

For Saint Johns day.

This man the word did boldly teach,
Saw Christ transformed, and did preach,
The glory in that Mount he saw;
And by that glory stroue to draw,
The soule of man to sinne a thrall,
To heauen, to which God send vs all.


For Innocents day.

The swords of Herods seruants tooke
Such sweet yong things, as with a look
Might make a heart of Marble melt,
But they nor grace, nor pittie felt;
Some from the cradle, some awake,
Some sweetly sleeping, some they take
Dandled vpon their mothers lap,
Some from their armes, some from the pap.

For New-yeares day.

All you that doe the Bell-man heare,
The first day of this hopefull yeare;
I doe in loue admonish you,
To bid your old sins all adue,


And walke as Gods iust Law requires,
In holy deeds and good desires,
Which if to doe youle doe your best,
God will in Christ forgiue the rest.

For Saint Dauids day.

I am no Welchman, but yet to show
The loue I to the Countrey owe,
I call this morning, and beseeke
Each man prepare him for his Leeke;
For as I heare some men say,
The first of March is Saint Dauids day;
That worthy Britaine, valiant wise,
Withstood his Countries enemies,
And caused his Souldiers there to choose
Leekes for to know them from his foes;
Wno brauely fought, and conquest won,
And so the custome first begun.


Then weare your Leeks, and doe not shame
To memorize your worthies name:
So noble Britaines all adew,
Loue still King Charles, for he loues you.

For the 5. of Nouemb.

Awake Britaines subiects
with one accord,
Extoll and praise,
and magnifie the Lord,
Humble your hearts,
and with deuotion sing
Praises of thanks to God
for our most gracious King;
This was the night
when in a darksome Cell,
Treason was found in earth
it hatcht in hell;


And had it tooke effect,
what would auail'd our sorrow,
The traine being laid
to haue blowne vs vp o'th' morrow?
Yet God our guide
reueal'd the damned plot,
And they themselues destroy'd,
and we were not.
Then let vs not forget
him thankes to render,
That hath preseru'd and kept
our faiths defender.

For Good Fryday.

All you that now in bed doe lye,
Know, Iesus Christ this night did dye,
Our soules most sinfull for to saue,
That we eternall life might haue;


His whips, his grones, his crown of thornes,
Would make vs weepe, lament, and mourn.

For Sunday.

Les labour passe, let prayer be
This day the chiefest worke for thee,
Thy selfe and seruants more and lesse,
This day must let all labour passe.
All hale to you that sleepe and rest;
Repent, awake, your sinnes detest,
Call to your minde the day of doome,
For then our Sauiour Christ will come,
Accompt to haue he hath decreed,
Of euery thought, word, worke, and deede:
And as we haue our times here past,
So shall our Iudgements be at last.


As darkesome night
vnto thy thoughts present,
What 'tis to want
the dayes bright Element,
So let thy soule descend
through contemplation,
Where vtter darknesse keepes
her habitation,
Where endlesse, easelesse
pines remedilesse
Attend to torture sinnes
curst wilfulnesse:
O then remember
whilst thou yet hast time
To call for mercy for
each forepast crime;
And with good Dauid
wash thy bed with teares,


That so repentance may
subdue hels feares:
Then shall thy soule
more purer then the Sunne,
Ioy as a Gyant
her best race to runne,
And in vnspotted robes
her selfe addresse
To meet her Lord
that Sonne of righteousnesse,
To whom with God the Father
and the Spirit
Be all due praise,
where all true ioyes inherit.
The Belman like the wakefull
morning Cocke,
Doth warne you to be vigilant
and wise:


Looke to your fire, your candle
and your locke,
Preuent what may through
negligence arise;
So may you sleepe with peace
and wake with ioy,
And no mischances shall
your state annoy.
Your beds compare vnto the graue,
Then thinke what sepulcher you haue.
For though you lay you downe to sleepe,
The Belman wakes your peace to keepe,
And nightly walkes the round about,
To see if fire and light be out;
But when the morne (dayes light) appeares
Be you as ready for your prayers:
So shall your labours thriue each day,
That you the Belman well may pay.


Like to the Seaman is our life,
Tost by the waues of sinfull strife,
Finding no ground whereon to stand,
Vncertaine death is still at hand:
If that our liues so vainlesse be,
Then all the world is vanitie.
Those that liue in wrath and ire,
And goe to rest in any sinne,
They are worse vnto their house the fire,
Or violent theeues that would breake in.
Then seeke to shun with all your might,
That Hidras head, that monstrous sin;
That God may blesse your goods abroad,
And eke also your selues within.


Sleepe on in peace, yet waking be,
And dread his powerfull Maiestie,
Who can translate the irkesome night,
From darknesse to that glorious light,
Whose radient beames when once they rise,
With winged speed the darknesse flyes.
Thou God that art our helpe at hand,
Preserue and keepe our King & land
Frem forraigne and domesticke foes,
Such as the word and truth depose;
And euer prosper those of pittie,
That loue the peace of this our Citie.
Awake from sleepe, awake from sin,
With voyce and heart to call on him,


Who from aboue pleas'd to descend,
From Sathans malice to defend
Our forfeit soules, to that rich grace
Where we may still behold his face.
Let vs repare and God implore,
That henceforth we transgres no more
And that our ioy be at this tide,
That we in him be satisfide;
Then shall we all for his deare sake,
Be blest asleepe, be blest awake.
Sith neither men nor Angels know,
When as the dreadful trump shal blow,
Nor when our Sauiour Christ shall come
To giue the world a wofull doome;
Thinke then but what a case you're in,
That sleepe in vnrepented sinne:


O wake, O wake, O watch and pray,
And thinke vpon this dreadfull day.
Sleepe not so sound, rest not secure,
Marke well my words, of this be sure
The waking Virgins past the gate,
When those that slept came all too late:
Wherefore be watchfull in your center,
That you may with the Bridegrome enter.
If wicked impes wake day and night,
And keepe their candle alwayes light,
And all their skill and practise bend,
To bring their damned plots to end;
Let vs not sleepe, but laud his skill,
That frustrates all their proiects still.


The night well spent,
the day drawes nigh,
Awake from sleepe
and sinne defie,
All sluggish sloath expell away,
Haue still in minde the iudgement day,
When dead shall rise at trumpets call,
The graues shall open wide with all.
Arise from sinne,
awake from sleepe,
The earth doth mourne,
The heauens weepe;
The winds and Seas distempered bin,
And all by reason of mans sin:
Wherefore arise, lay sleepe aside,
And call on God to be your guide,


From raging sword and arrowes flight,
And from the terrours of the night;
From fires flame, from sin and sorrow,
God blesse you all, and so good morrow.
All you which in your beds doe lye,
Vnto the Lord ye ought to cry,
That he would pardon all your sinnes;
And thus the Belmans prayer begins;
Lord giue vs grace our sinful life to mend,
And at the last to send a ioyfull end:
Hauing put out your fire and your light,
For to conclude, I bid you all good night.
Mans life is like a warfare
on the earth,
Whose time is spent with
troubles, toyles and cares,


Subiect to all temptations
from his birth:
In woe he liues and dyes
at vnawares.
The surest signe true
fortitude to show,
Is in his life all
vice to ouerthrow.
O harke , O harke my Masters all,
To your poore seruants cry and call:
And know all you that lye at ease,
That our great God may if he please,
Depriue you of your vitall breath:
Then sleeping, thinke your sleep is death.
Let true repentance cleanse your sin,
And then your soules cōmend to him,


That by his death hath rais'd and cur'd
The dead, the blinde, and them assured
To giue to them eternall rest,
To liue in heauen among the blest.
Confesse thy sinnes to God on hie,
Who pardons sinners when they cry;
Bewray thy faults to him in time,
Who will in Christ forgiue thy crime.
He that on the crosse hath dyed,
And for our sinnes was crucisied,
Be you euer blest in him,
And cleane remitted from your sinne:
Be it granted as I haue praid,
And so the Belman resteth paid.


All you that in bed doe lye,
Harken well to what I cry,
Leaue of your sinnes, repentance craue,
It is the enely way your soules to saue.
Repent in time while ye haue breath,
Repentāce commeth not after death:
He therefore that will liue for aye,
Must leaue his sinnes, and to God pray.
O gracious God and blessed,
Preserue all ye that be in bed,
So that your quiet rest may take,
Vntill the morning that yee wake:
Then may ye all with praises sing,
To thee O God our heauenly King.


Remember man thou art but dust,
There is none aliue but dye he must,
To day a man, to morrow none,
So soone our life is past and gone.
Mans life is like a withered flower,
Aliue and dead all in an houre,
Leaue of thy sins therefore in time,
And Christ will rid thee from thy crime.
O mortall man that is made of dust,
In worldly riches put not thy trust,
Remember how thy time doth passe,
Euen like the sand that from the Glasse,
Hath spent the time and there remaines,
Neuer canst thou call that time againe.
Sicke men complaine they cannot sleepe,
The Bel-man such a noise doth keepe;
Others that doe win at play,
Saies he too soone proclaimes the day:
Yet to the sicke that drawes short breath,
It puts them in the minde of death;
And saies the gamster makes good stake,
If he for heauen so long would wake;
And all this while like silly worme,
He doth his office but performe:
Then if his duety breed disease,
Heele go to bed and none displease.
FINIS.