Divine Meditations upon Several Subjects Whereunto is annexed, God's Love, and Man's Unworthinesse. With Several Divine Ejaculations. Written by John Quarles |
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To my Muse.
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 | Divine Meditations upon Several Subjects |  |
To my Muse.
Tell
me presumptuous Muse how dar'st thou treat
Upon a Subject so sublime, so great!
Alas how dare thy infancy aspire
So high as Heaven, where the cælestial quire
Of soul-enchanting Angels, howrely sing,
Anthems of Joy to their mellifluous King!
This is a task that invocates the best
And loftiest quils; Heav'ns love must b'exprest
With wanton language: he that shall presume
To labour in this worke, must first perfume
His Soul With true Divinity, and breathe
Celestial ayres, that Readers may perceive
Their Authour labours with a serious heart
T'embalm his actions with divinest art;
This is a field whose spacious bounds extend
Themselves to infinite; who strives to end
Shall still begin, and having once begun
This pleasing progress, must not cease to run
Untill he stops in Heaven, there lyes the gain,
Who runs with Faith is certain to obtain.
Upon a Subject so sublime, so great!
Alas how dare thy infancy aspire
So high as Heaven, where the cælestial quire
Of soul-enchanting Angels, howrely sing,
Anthems of Joy to their mellifluous King!
This is a task that invocates the best
And loftiest quils; Heav'ns love must b'exprest
With wanton language: he that shall presume
To labour in this worke, must first perfume
His Soul With true Divinity, and breathe
Celestial ayres, that Readers may perceive
Their Authour labours with a serious heart
T'embalm his actions with divinest art;
This is a field whose spacious bounds extend
Themselves to infinite; who strives to end
Shall still begin, and having once begun
This pleasing progress, must not cease to run
Untill he stops in Heaven, there lyes the gain,
Who runs with Faith is certain to obtain.
If then my Muse, thou canst divinely mount
This Sacred Stage, thou needst not fear t'account
Thy actions prosperous, strive thou to stand
Guarded with Faith, and Heav'n will lend a hand
To prop thee up, his power will infuse
Sufficient matter for an active Muse
To work upon, his wisdome will direct
Thy painfull hand, his mercies will correct
Thy rambling thoughts, and teach thee to proclaim
Th'unsumm'd up glories of his Royall Name;
Abandon earth, and bid vain thoughts adieu
Thou canst not serve thy God and Mammon too;
Rouse then, and let thy well-prun'd Eagles Wings
Mount thee aloft, let not terrestiall things
Disturb thy resolutions, let them all
Evade thy minde; thy thoughts must grow too tall
For such low toies: stirre up thy zealous fire,
And what thou canst not well expresse, admire.
This Sacred Stage, thou needst not fear t'account
Guarded with Faith, and Heav'n will lend a hand
To prop thee up, his power will infuse
Sufficient matter for an active Muse
To work upon, his wisdome will direct
Thy painfull hand, his mercies will correct
Thy rambling thoughts, and teach thee to proclaim
Th'unsumm'd up glories of his Royall Name;
Abandon earth, and bid vain thoughts adieu
Thou canst not serve thy God and Mammon too;
Rouse then, and let thy well-prun'd Eagles Wings
Mount thee aloft, let not terrestiall things
Disturb thy resolutions, let them all
Evade thy minde; thy thoughts must grow too tall
For such low toies: stirre up thy zealous fire,
And what thou canst not well expresse, admire.
| Divine Meditations upon Several Subjects | |