The Muses Sacrifice :: :: University of Virginia Library

Dread Lord, by whom all Soules are sentenced,
when I bethinke me of that dreadfull Day,
Wherein thou com'st to iudge the Quicke and Dead,
I faint, as falling quite, with Feare, away.

When all this All shall be reuerst, and made
a Chaos suncke in all-deuouring Flames:
For, Vengeance shall the Vniuerse inuade;
and, change her Fabrickes though they keepe their Names:

A chill-cold Bloud (still flowing from Dismay)
fleets throgh my veines, when throgh my brains doth glide
But eu'n the naked thought of that blacke Day,
wherein all Flesh shall be most strictly tride.

When Christ vpon a Throne of Sunnes and Starres,
reflecting Beames against each other so,

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As Glory with her selfe shall seeme at Warres,
shall doome all Flesh to endlesse weale or woe.

For, he shall shake the Sanctuaries of Heau'n;
and, with the Shocke, appeare with flames of fire,
And Millions of his Angels, to make eu'n
with good and bad; in fauour, or in ire.

Aray'd with all Eye-blinding Maiestie,
infernall Angels (his dread Throne beneath)
Wayting, with ougly Formes, and hedious Cry,
to execute his Doome of second Death.

Where Hell still gapeth (greedy) to receiue
condemned Caitifes into quenchlesse fire,
Without light flaming, onely but to grieue;
and grieue, but to torment, not life expire.

All on a floud of Fire shall (sinking) floate
to clense them from corruption: n'erthelesse
The most corrupt, though scowr'd, without the Boate
of Diuine safety, sincke in deep'st distresse.

As high as Water in the Floud did rise,
so high, nay, higher shall this Fire ascend:
For, it shall scowre the Planets and the Skies;
for, new must Heau'n and Earth be, in the end.

Riuers, shall partch; Founts, faile; and Mountaines fade;
not that their proper substances shall cease;

But all the Vniuerse shall then be made
most pure, to last, eternally, in peace.

The Sea, shall boile, and all her scaly Hoast
therem shall seath; and floate vpon her froth;
The Earth vnto this Sodde, shall be the Roast;
and Skie and Aire shall haste, and burne them both.

Then shall the Heau'ns bright Studs, the golden Stars,
drop from their Spheares; and showre downe thicke as Haile
With flames inuolu'd, like firie Meteors;
for, then shall fire gainst Heau'n and Earth preuaile.

The Sunne and Moone to Bloud (ô wonder) growne
boyling and broiling twixt sulphurious Wings,
Shal through the glowing aire come whizzing down
like to a fire-wing'd Ball that, flying, sings.

The names of Heau'n and Earth shall yet abide
after their Conflagration; but, they shall
Be chang'd in Qualities, and purifide;
for, both shall be much more Celestiall.

For, loe, the Iudge shall come with flames of fire
in Chariots like a Whirlewinde, and shall burne
On eu'ry side, till all things doe retire
into themselues, and clense them in the turne!

Our Sinnes haue so the Elements defil'd
that they with Fire must needes refined be:

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Nay, more; our sins the Heau'ns themselues haue soild;
then melt they must, from soile to set them free.

Sinne all things subiect made to vanitie;
then must they be dissolu'd, sith in that veyne
They vnrefin'd (that's, most vnpure) doe lye,
that so they may their first pure plight obteine.

For, if the Heau'ns, sinne soiled, must not stand,
much lesse must Man, whom filth doth ouer-flow;
Both must be purg'd before the Iudgement; and
immortall made, to come to Iudgement so.

The Subiects of the High'st are Saints (at least)
if so: then Men vnsanctifide are none:
Then must a Man, in shew; in deede, a Beast,
be made a perfect Man, ere he be one.

The Citizens of Heau'n are (like the Place)
as pure as pretious: for, what enters there
Must be as full of Glory, as of Grace,
else downe it must, with shame, another where.

Then, in this life, how ought we minde our ends,
sith on this life (that's counted but a spanne,)
Eternitie of weale or woe depends,
which ends the Race that formerly we ranne.

One Age doth goe, another comes; and both
Time of their time, at vnawares depriues;

Man's but a Shade, a Vapor, or a Moth,
that straight consumes the Time wherein he liues.

Too like a Torch, whose light and lasting both
answeres his Substance; and the long'st can last,
But while the last drop of his moisture doth
the least sparke of his glory ouercast.

Flesh is but dust, made durt, with bloud transfus'd;
which with a fillop, or lesse force is spoil'd:
And, in the Elements be'ing eft diffus'd,
lies there, like something, next to nothing, soil'd.

The World (like Ice) is slippry, brittle, cold;
and, apt to melt, and quickly shift his Formes;
They stand still falling whom he doth vphold;
and who goes carelesse, curelesse he enormes.

What ere it holds is past; and, that's past cure:
or Present; and, that momentarie is:
Or else it is to come; and, that's vnsure:
then all it holds are nought but falacies.

Yet here (ô griefe) fond Man seekes sure repose;
eu'n here where Nothing rests but in vnrest:
Where most men stand by others ouerthrowes;
and where the worst in life, in state are best.

Where Pleasure paine fore-runs; where life's the brooke
that glides into Lifes Sea, all-swallowing DEATH:

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(Sweete Streames to bitter) where Hels mortall hooke
lies hid to hold, or draw vs vnderneath.

Like Herods glory that's deuour'd of Wormes;
(our constantest companions in the end)
Wher all the smoothest Calmes proue roughest storms,
and all in all to wracke, vnwares, doe bend.

Where Princes Palaces (the prid of Cost)
are but rude Earth, which skill vnperfect formes:
Their Gold but worst Earths Marrow, at the most;
and, all their daintiest Silkes but doung of Wormes.

Riches, but Runnawayes; Fauours, but lyes;
good words, meere winde, that lightly comes & goes:
Where Generation to Corruption hyes;
and all is but a dreame of nought but showes.

Such as the end is, such must be the meane
that tends thereto; Corruption is our end:
Then, all that leades thereto, is most vncleane:
so, in vncleannesse rise we, and descend.

This makes the Heau'ns so oft to drowne in Teares
the Earth, defil'd by our vncleannesse; and
So drown'd, as dead, she beares but dearest yeeres,
or Eares that are as deare as is the Land.

So, with remorse, reuenge to execute;
so, stroke and strike at once; to make vs feele.

Our dissolution, sith so dissolute,
in loue and ire, that stayes and makes to reele.

While our Lifes Twine vpon the heau'nly Spheares
is reel'd vp straite; & Time (whose turnes they cause)
Doth all o'erturne: so, Water all appeares,
which Time to cast downe quickly, still vp-drawes.

Time steales away, as he would giue the slip
to all that breathe; yet, in so stealing, he
Takes all things with him (like a fraughted Shippe)
that he doth hold, when he doth (fearelesse) flee.

Vpon the World he steales, and, with him brings
a world of yeeres, wherewith the World doth weare;
As Men can witnesse, and all earthly Things:
for, now they be but moates to what they were.

Those she produc'd when she was in her youth,
were Ceders to these shrubs: for, she was then
In her full vigour; and gaue greater growth
to all she bare; for, Giants were her Men.

None otherwise then as a Wife in yeeres,
beares none so goodly Children as in youth;
No more this World (now ouer-aged) beares
such as in youth she did, for Grace nor growth.

She Giants brought in youth; but now she ages
she beares but Pigmies, men that scarse appeare;

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Too little to be Pages to their Pages
that first she bare; which shewes her end is neere.

And so say all that strictly doe obserue
Diuine and Humane Writings, and the State
Of all things past and present; which doe serue
for signes and demonstrations of her date.

Within sixe dayes God made the Vniuerse
a thousand yeeres with whom is but a day:
Then it is thought such sixe dayes shall reuerse
his sixe dayes Worke, that moues but, so, to stay.

But, for th'Elect, the foot of this Account
shall be cut off; then, now the end appeares:
For, all the passed yeeres doe neere amount
to those sixe dayes, that make so many yeeres.

The Worlds Parts are decaid (as doth appeare)
Etna, Parnassus and Olympus too
Are not so eminent as erst they were;
and all that's done, seemes quite now to vndoe.

Now swels the Sea, where erst faire Cities stood;
so, where Men walkt, now huge Sea-monsters swim:
And, where the Earth was couer'd with her Floud,
now Citties stand, vnneere the Oceans Brim.

Hils suncke, Flouds dride, the Planets lose their force,
and Plants their vertue; yea, the totall Frame

Of Nature's out of frame: the Sunne in's course
is out of course, with age suncke in the same:

For, since the dayes of Ptolomey it's found
many degrees more nigh the Earth he stoupes:
So, like an aged Drunkard, runneth round,
till flat he fall: for, more and more he droupes.

The Articke and th' Antarticke Poles shall wracke
the Climes they couer: and the Hoast of Heau'n
Shall ioyne their Forces to breake Natures Backe;
and, all confuse to which was Order giu'n.

Th' Astrologers will haue it end, when all
the Starres possesse their first place in their Spheares,
Which Platos yeere they stile: the Hebrew Caball
will haue it but endure sixe thousand yeeres.

Whereto agree Elias Oracles
and many a sacred Saints, of times more late:
Which Seers saw them through the Spectacles
of Heau'n-holpe Ghesses, cleare as most elate!

The World shall last (say they) two thousand yeeres
without the Law: two thousand yeeres within:
Two thousand vnder Grace: and then appeares
the God of Grace, to cleare the World of Sinne.

Then thou that sleep'st (my drowsie Soule) awake;
pray, and be sober; watch, the end is neere:

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Sinnes fruit full ripe, the Kirnels ne'er so black,
and Iustice Sunne beginnes eu'n hot t'appeare.

That there shall be a Iudgement generall
the most beleeue; heau'ns Oracles affirme;
Diuines auerre; the Sybils too; and all
the ancient Poets constantly confirme.

Then shall the Creatures showt, the Angels call,
the Trumpets sound, and all Men, dead, arise:
Then shall the God of IVSTICE sentence all;
yea, be they Pow'rs or Principalities!

This Sentence shall be strict, and shall condemne
the Ill to Hell, where Paine, it selfe, exceedes.
(For, when it meanest is, it's most extreame)
and where the Worme that gnawes the Conscience breedes.

And all, for euer! Euer! that is it,
that makes All most intollerable: for,
It Sense confounds, with griefe; distracts the Wit;
and which selfe-Patience cannot but abhorre.

Which to the Atheist seemes impossible,
that Bodyes so infirme, so soone destroid,
Should euer brooke such Paines immensible,
and not consume; yea, vtterly made voide.

Whereto if it be said, th' Almighty will
at last, raise bodyes from defect so cleare

That (cleared so) they shall continue still;
and all Hels wasting woes, vnworne, shall beare!

Yea, Soules (though incorporeall) shall, the while,
of true materiall Fire be pained still;
How ere it makes our Humane Reason reele,
yet he can doo't, that can doe what he will.

For, they shall deeme they in their Bodies be;
and feele all Torments comprehensible:
For, Soules then Bodies better feele and see
sith by them onely, Flesh is sensible.

As when we dreame, without out Bodies we;
deeme vs within; sith Sense vs not forsakes:
Nay, without Eares and Eyes we heare and see,
more liuely farre, then when our Sense awakes:

So, doe the damn'd suppose they in their Flesh
doe suffer; that but suffer in their Spirit,
Sith Sense in them so liuely is, and fresh,
in entertaining Dolor or Delight.

Which in the Fount of Truth doth cleare appeare:
for, Diues had a Tongue that was enflam'd
As he suppos'd; though but his Soule it were:
but Atheists will not know this till th'are damn'd.

For, they except against Diuinitie,
Religion, Faith; and onely doe appeale

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To Reason, Sense, and fraile Humanitie,
which ne'erthelesse this veiled Truth reueale.

For proofe whereof; the Salamander lyes
and liues in fire, which he desires to touch;
Yea, most is ioyde when most therein he fries;
for, hee's most cold, and cooles the fire as much.

The Adamant; yea, Gold it selfe, if pure,
endures all force of fire, and ne'er doth waste:
Shall Stones and Mettals then, the Fire endure,
and shall mans flesh refinde, in Fire, not last?

A Peacockes flesh, though dead, corrupteth neuer;
(try it who list) and shall it still remaine,
And Mans flesh, made by Death to last for euer,
not last? it shall, though it still liue in paine!

Lime in it selfe hath fire; yet weares it not:
and when it's kill'd, it's quickned; then, shall we
Say Flesh reuiu'd must waste, if still too hot,
when Death, as from his death, from it doth flee?

By Water that doth coole all other Heates,
the Lime is fir'd; but poure some Oyle thereon,
(Though Oyle feedes fire) it neyther burnes, nor sweates,
but rests as cold as any other Stone!

If then the nature of quicke-Lime be such
as Fire to hold, and yet not dye with it;

Why should not flesh immortall, doe as much,
when it's enabled by Pow'r infinite?

Some Salt in Sicily, cast in the fire,
straight melts to Water; and, in Water throwne,
Crackes like Fire: ô! who can then aspire
to know the Cause, that yet was neuer knowne?

Th' Arcadian Asbest, being once enflam'd,
will ne'er be quencht: but, lasts an endlesse flame:
Then why not those that endlesly are damn'd,
being made immortall to endure the same?

And in Epyrus is a Fount, wherein
a Torch may lighted be, and quenched too:
If these things are, and more, more strange haue bin,
why should we thinke but God can stranger doe?

Before Mans fall, he could not dye; for, Death
came by his Fall: Then, cannot that high Pow'r
That fashion'd him of nought, and gaue him Breath,
make him, re-made, eternally endure?

The Wonders which he workes continually,
are not admir'd, sith they familiar be:
For, Admiration's dull'd by frequencie;
else should we wonder at what still we see.

The Face of mankinde wer't not vniforme,
men could not be from beasts discern'd and showne:

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And yet had All, in all respects, one Forme
One from another hardly could be knowne.

Thus, Likenesse with great Difference rests we see;
in one selfe Thing; which for such common are
We ne'er admire them; but we muse when we
see but two Faces like: for, that is rare!

And at the Load-stone we doe wonder lesse,
that naile by naile, doth many nailes vphold,
By touching but the first; yet sith it is
so common, we admire not; as we should.

I might be endlesse in recounting such
most strange Effects, whereof no Cause is knowne:
Then were it madnesse not to grant as much
Pow'r to th' Almightie, and to Natures Crowne.

No: he hath said It, by whose onely WORD
all is that is: and All hath made of nought:
Whose Power is Infinite; which can accord
Repugnancies themselues, but with a Thought!

For, there is nothing that doth argue Pow'r,
but he can doe it: what he cannot doe
Is fraile, inglorious, base, and most impure;
else can he doe it, and vndoe it too!

If Gods Prerogatiue were crusht so close
that he no more then Man had pow'r t'effect;

How were he God? nay, God himselfe he showes
in that his Workes farre passe our Intellect!

Then, let's beleeue, Omnipotence can speake
no Word it cannot doe; how e'er to vs
It seemes impossible: for, we are weake,
and weakly iudge of hard things to discusse.

But, let vs rest on that ne'er-failing WORD,
nay, so put vp our Rest that eu'n our Soules
Yea, all our All may thereby be assur'd,
in so faire Hazard that no Chance controules.

For, should we rest but on those restlesse Stayes
that Reason (betraid by sense) erects, we shall
But rest on that's betrayed, and betrayes:
so, in right sense and Reason, needes must fall.

But say there were no rising after Death:
by vertuous life, what doe or can we lose,
But spend our Time in gaining longer breath:
for, Vertue (Lifes foes) Passions doth repose?

And if there were no Hell to punish sinne,
yet we, in Reason, should not sinne; sith it
Is so obsceane; and thereby nought we winne
but selfe-condemning of our Will and Wit.

But we that doe beleeue we eft shall rise,
haue great aduantage of the rest: for we

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Haue what they haue (though fewer vanities)
and, by our faith, in case farre better be.

For, if there be another Life than this,
wherein all weale or woe we must sustaine;
Then, by Good workes, and Faith, we shall haue blisse:
but faithlesse men all labour for their paine.

For, impious Atheists take more paines for Hell,
tiring themselues with ioyes that vexe their Sp'rits,
Then pious men, still praying in their Cell,
doe take for Heau'n; for, That the Sp'rit delights.

Deare Lord, then so dispose my Wit and Will
that I may rest vpon thy Word, which makes
Me blest; and worke, in rest, thereafter still
with more delight then Sense in pleasure takes.

In sacred Raptures take my Soule to thee;
and, her embrace with kisse of endlesse Peace:
That being so familiar still with mee,
I, at thy Doome, may hopefull be through these.

That though the horror of that day be such
as may all Sense confound with feare, past feare;
Yet may I hope (though yet I feare too much)
thou wilt not damne him whō thou heldst so dear.

Meane while, so binde my Sense with vertues bands,
that it may neuer moue, but as she shall

Loose or restraine it; or, thy sacred Hands;
all whose restraints are free from paine, or fall!

And let that Trump (as with a Saint it did)
still in the Organ of my hearing sound
That shall to Iudgement call both quicke and dead;
that so I euer may be ready found.

For, yet I doe but doate on false Delights,
Delights? alas! that stile they ill sustaine,
Though false be added: for, they vexe the Sp'rits
of all that taste them: so they are but paine.

Vncharme the Charmes then, of these grieuous ioyes,
that still allure my sense of them to taste;
And let my pleasure be in all annoyes,
for, thy deare Loue, vntill I breath my last.

For, were I here to liue as many a yeere,
as yeeres haue moments in extreame annoy;
Yet it vnworthy of Heau'ns glory were,
sith it is infinite in time, and ioy.

But now, by Nature (though it should extend
my life beyond my life) I cannot last,
Longer then one that's making now his end:
for, my best part of life, long since, is past.

My best (said I) ô sname! if so it were,
I should dispaire; or, if I did not so,

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I should be franticke with distracting feare,
that my best time in madnesse did bestow.

But Thou that of the worst canst make the best,
make this my worst time best; my later Age
Make better then my first: for, I detest
to thinke on That so fond, so full of rage.

Let me relapse no more, in word, nor deede,
Relapses more doe vexe me then my sinne:
And yet my sinnes still make my Conscience bleede:
but my Relapses ranckle still therein.

Relaps in sicknesse, fleshes death doth threat;
Relaps in Heresie, the death of Sp'rit;
In Error, it makes falshood hugely great;
and so in sinne it makes it infinite!

In Grace (sweet Sauiour) there is neuer stay,
a Progresse or a Regresse still there is:
But from a Regresse let me euer stray,
although thereby I goe about to blisse.

What bootes it me to day to fight with sinnes,
if I to morrow follow Sathans Flagge?
It is th'vnwearied fighter glory winnes;
the weary, but base Baggage and the Bagge.

Then let the dreadfull day of mine Accounts
be so annext vnto my Heart and Braine,

As if they were one Essence, and the founts
of teares (mine Eyes) still farre out-flow the Maine!

And fixe mine Eyes still on my Mother Earth,
to minde from whence I came, and where I must.
Or else on Heau'n (from whence my Soule had birth)
but looke on no meane Things for them to lust,

Although such Continence be not without
their outward spight, that Vertue inly Hate:
For, when we first, to liue well, goe about,
w'are crost and recrost by the Reprobate.

As thy deare Seruant (walking on the Maine,
vpon thy bidding) fainted (when he saw
A sodaine Gust make rough th'Oceans Plaine)
inuokt thy help, neare sincking through that Flaw.

So, in this World, a Sea of woes and spight,
thou bidst vs come to thee; but as wee hie,
Huge Stormes of troubles threat to sinke vs quite;
then helpewe craue, with feare, at point to dye.

Yet Constant Lord, let me no more relapse,
no more, no more, once more would kill me quite;
Rather then so, let thy fierce Thunder-claps
dash me to dust, so thou receiue my sp'rit:
But let my sp'rit how e'er I dye (deare Lord)
Wade through thy deepest Iudgements on thy Word.