Three Decads of Divine Meditations Whereof each one containeth three parts. 1. A History. 2. An Allegory. 3. A Prayer. With a commendation of the private Countrey life. By Alexander Rosse |
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 | Three Decads of Divine Meditations |  |
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND VERTVOVS LADY, THE LADY KINLOSS.
I neuer
drunke of Aganippes Well:
I neuer sleept vpon Parnassus Hill.
Arcas I neuer heard, I haue not seene
Ioues daughters dance in the Pierian greene:
I leaue the Muses and the Delphick rockes
For those that beare green bayes, & weare high sockes.
I write no lofty stile, I'm plain & simple
For why I dwell farre from Apollos Temple.
I neuer sleept vpon Parnassus Hill.
Arcas I neuer heard, I haue not seene
Ioues daughters dance in the Pierian greene:
I leaue the Muses and the Delphick rockes
For those that beare green bayes, & weare high sockes.
I write no lofty stile, I'm plain & simple
For why I dwell farre from Apollos Temple.
Yet Madam, I presume you'l not disdaine
To read these verses though they be but plaine.
For they containe sweet Meditations
And Antydots against tentatious
For you alone I made them, they are yours,
Then read them when you haue some idle houres.
Accept them as a token of that zeale
Which I doe carrie to your Honours weale.
Vnto your Husband, mirror of these times,
By right I should haue offred not these rimes
To whom I owe a greater obligation,
Then euer I did to any of our Nation,
But that I haue reserued greater straines
To him who hath deserued all my paines,
Whose vertues claime far more then now I will
Expresse to you, by this my rurall quill.
Because he hates vaine ostentation,
And I likewise hate assentation.
But to be briefe, according to our powers
My Muse and I, will honour you and yours.
To read these verses though they be but plaine.
For they containe sweet Meditations
And Antydots against tentatious
For you alone I made them, they are yours,
Then read them when you haue some idle houres.
Which I doe carrie to your Honours weale.
Vnto your Husband, mirror of these times,
By right I should haue offred not these rimes
To whom I owe a greater obligation,
Then euer I did to any of our Nation,
But that I haue reserued greater straines
To him who hath deserued all my paines,
Whose vertues claime far more then now I will
Expresse to you, by this my rurall quill.
Because he hates vaine ostentation,
And I likewise hate assentation.
But to be briefe, according to our powers
My Muse and I, will honour you and yours.
Your Honours to command, Alexander Rosse.
Three Decads of Divine Meditations.
1
THE FIRST DECAD.
I. The Riuer of Paradise.
This Garden was refresh'dwith that sweet Riuer,
Which out of Eden sprang,
and which did seuer
His Azure channell in foure christall streames
Which haue from diuers Authors, diuers names.
This Garden is the Church of Christ, and Hee
The Riuer is, which watereth euery tree
Full of spirituall waters, full of graces,
And doth diuide these streames into all places.
From two maine springs this riuer doth proceed
As God from God, as man from womans seed.
O Well of Life, pure Riuer, water mee
With grace, that I may proue a fruitfull tree.
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II. Christ and Adam compared.
The Woman out of Adams side was formed:So was the Church out of Christs sid reformed
Adam did loose a ribbe, but Christ his blood
Hee in a Garden, Christ on a Crosse of wood.
They both were cast vnto a heauy traunce,
Mans side was op'ned, so Christs, but with a Lance.
The Church did cause Christs bitter death & Passion,
As Eua was the cause of mans transgression,
But by a tree man from his honour fell,
Christ by a tree hath daunted death and hell.
My soule Lord is thy wife, for thou did'st take her
Out of thy side, then doe not now forsake her,
Flesh of thy flesh shee is, bone of thy bone,
Thou art her Husband, leaue her not alone.
III. Noahs Doue.
Noah , the doue out of the Arke let fly,To see if that the waters still were high.
But shee could finde no resting for her feete,
Because the earth was yet with waters weate:
With weary wings shee flutters in the aire.
Then to the Arke againe makes her repaire.
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Out of the Arke of Heauen; this is the Doue
That brought the oliue branch, the signe of Peace
And caus'd the waters of Gods wrath to cease.
O Lord my soule like Noahs weary Doue,
Can finde no rest, but in thine Arke aboue:
Thē since she loathes the world, whē thou thinks best
Stretch out thine hand, & take hir to thy rest.
IIII. Noahs Drunkennesse.
After the Floud, Noah was greeu'd and sorry,To see the earth spoyld of her former glory:
He plants a vineyard, and with wine refresh'd,
His heart which was with so much greefe oppress'd
But being drunk he fell a sleepe, the Cham
Vncouer'd in the Tent his Fathers shame,
Noah perceiued that he was made naked:
And cursed Cham as soone as he awaked.
But blessed Sem and Iapheth who did hide,
His shame, which Cham tooke pleasure to deride
When sin had spoyl'd the world, God sent his Son
To plant vnto himselfe a Church, which done,
He dranke the red wine of his Fathers wrath,
Then sleep'd, & on the crosse gaue vp his breath,
The Iewes, his wicked Sons, did laugh and scorne,
To see his body naked, wounded, torne:
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Came straight to Pilat when it was nigh night,
And beg'd his corps: and as it was most meete,
Wash't it, and wrapt it in a linnen Sheete.
But when he did awake, he blessed those,
That honour'd him, and cursed all his foes,
This bitter Cup, Lord, could not passe from thee,
But thou wast forc'd to drinke it vp for mee.
Iniquity like water is drunke vp,
And Kings are drunke with Babels poys'ned Cup.
The Church is drunke with gall and wormewood
& thou hast made proud Rome to drinke her blood
But now Lord bring her, vnto thy Wine seller
Stay her with Flagons, and with new wine fill her:
Giue her of thy best graces a good measure,
And let Rome drinke the dreggs of thy displeasure
V. Isaac offered vp.
Abram vpon the Mount with his owne hands,Must kill his only Son, so God commands:
Isaac did carry wood, the fire is made,
The Child is bound, and on the Altar laid.
Abram pulls out the kniffe and lifts his arme,
To giue the blow, yet Isaac had no harme:
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And by Gods voice, the blow was intercepted.
In stead of Isaac, Abram kills a Ram,
Caught in a bush, but knew not whence it came.
Iesus, Gods onely Sonne, vpon a Hill,
Must suffer death, such was his Fathers will.
He bore the crosse, as Isaac bore the wood,
And did bedew this Altar with his blood,
As God he could not die, as man he suffred,
This is the Ram, which was for Isaac offred.
The Ram was slaine and burned in the fire,
So Christ as man was scorched with Gods Ire.
The same God that from death did Isaac saue,
Did also raise Christ Iesus from the graue.
o' thou whose sacred head with thorns was croun'd
As Abrams Ram amongst the thornes was found:
My heart is barren as the briar or thorne,
Make her of thy good seed bring forth good corne
Lord bind my sins, and on thine Altar lay them,
Pull out thy sword, and in thy mercy slay them.
Make me to offer them with like affection,
As Abram did his Sonne by thy direction.
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VI. Rebeccas Twins.
Rebeccas Twins no sooner were aliue,But in her wombe they did begin to striue.
And whē her time was come that she should bear
Her Twins, the one was redd, and full of haire.
This came out first, and afterward the other,
Who by the heele, held fast his elder brother.
The one was cunning, greedy, fierce and wilde,
The other simple, honest, plaine, and milde.
This was a Shepheard, and dwelt in a Cottage,
And bought the Birthright for a messe of pottage.
Esau seru'd Iacob: for the Edomits,
We know, seru'd David and the Israelits.
The Iews our Elder Brethren were Elected
Before vs, yet they are to vs subiected.
As in Rebeccas wombe so still there are;
Strifes in the Church of Christ, and ciuill warre.
Between rough Esau and his younger Brother,
Strugling within the belly of their Mother.
I meane the Sonnes of God and Satans brood,
These alwayes hunt and persecute the good.
But yet at last, Gods children shall subdue them,
And Christ out of his blessed mouth wil spue them
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So in my heart are twins which always vexe her.
The flesh and spirit are conceiu'd in me,
Though they be twins yet they cannot agree.
The flesh like Esau, is the elder brother,
But yet the Spirit doth best please his mother.
The flesh is rough & red, and hunts for pleasure,
And romes abroad, and's cunning aboue measure.
The mild and simple Spirit is content
To liue here in this world, as in a Tent.
O Lord command the Flesh to serue the Spirit,
Grant him the Birth-right that he may inherit
Thy blessing; lo, he brings thee sauoury meat,
The sins which he hath kill'd: then rise and eat.
Command him to draw nere to thee, & kisse him
And in the name and cloathes of Iesu, blesse him.
VII. Iacobs Ladder.
As Iacob trauel'd towards Haran Towne,He stay'd one night at Luz, and there lay down,
Heauens starry curtain ouer him was spred
His pillow was a Stone, the Earth his bed.
He slept, and thought he saw a Ladder there,
Reaching from earth to heauen in the ayre.
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And God stood on the top himselfe aboue.
Iacob awoake out of his sleepe, and sayd,
How fearefull is this place; and was a frayd,
This can be nothing els (quoth he) but euen,
The very house of God, and gate of Heauen.
He did anoynt the stone on which he lay,
And call'd it Bethel, then he went his way.
Christ is this Ladder, who hath ioyn'd in one,
The Earth and Heauen by his passion.
His foote is on the Earth, in Heauen his head,
Hee's God and man, Emanuell indeed.
As God he is from Heauen without a Mother,
As Man he is of Earth, our elder Brother.
By him from God, Angels to vs descends,
By him to God, Prayers from vs ascends.
He is like wise the Churches corner stone,
It is on him, on whome we rest alone.
O sweet Redeemer of my soule I pray,
Seeing thou art the truth, the Life, the way.
Lead me to Bethel, to that sacred place,
Where I may sleepe all night and see thy face.
Thou art the God of consolation,
Then comfort me in my tentation.
And when the night of death shall ouer take me,
When all my friends and neighbours shall forsake me
Be thou with me, Lord leaue me not alone,
But let me sleepe with Iacob on the stone.
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VIII. Jacobs Wrestling.
When Iacobs people ouer the brooke were gone,He wrestled with a Man that night alone.
And did preuaile, and when it was neere day,
He would not let the Angell goe a way.
Till he had blest him first, which instantly
He did, and touch'd the hallow of his thigh.
And then he named Iacob, Israel,
And Iacob named that place Peniel.
The Sonnes of Iacob in this latter age,
Against the Sonne of God did storme and rage.
They Wrestled with him, and they did preuaile,
And to the Crosse his blessed Corps did naile.
But the third Morning after he was Slaine,
They let him goe, for then he Rose againe.
He blessed Iacobs Sonnes that fear'd his name,
But such as would not, he did wound and lame.
These wrestle with him still, and still they halt.
O Iew, yeeld to thy Lord, confesse thy fault.
Sticke not, so closely to the Lawes dead Letter:
Beleeue the Gospell, for that is much better.
My Soule like Iacob is afraid of Esau,
I meane the Flesh, then comfort her sweet Iesu.
For now she is alone, now it is night:
Shee trauells homeward, let her see thy light,
Thou wrestles with her still, by feares and cares;
And she againe doth wrestle with thee by prayers.
10
Pray to thy Father, that it may not faile.
Weaken her carnall lusts, and make them lame,
Blesse her before thou goe, then change her name.
Marke how she holds, and will not let thee goe,
Vntill thou giue her strength against her foe.
Lord make thy Church a Peniel, or place
Wherein my soule may see thee face to face.
IX. The fiery Bush.
Moses vpon Mount Horeb saw a flameWhich burn'd the Bush, but not consum'd the same.
To which when he drew neere to see the wonder,
From thence he heard the voice of God to thunder.
Moses put off thy shooes, and hide thy face,
I am the Lord, this is a holy place.
He troubled at the splendor of Gods presence,
Straight hid his face, and did him reuerence.
The Church is like this Bush: fire may annoy her
The Crosse I meane, but it can not destroy her.
For why? God dwels in her, hee's her defence,
She needes not then to feare fires violence.
O Lord be thou my helpe and sure protection,
Make me to cast off euery foule affection.
Make me to walke in feare as in thy sight,
And in the midd'st of darkenesse be my light,
When thou with fire shall trie me, I presume,
Although I burne, yet I shall not consume.
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X. The Cloude and firy Pillar.
Fvll forty yeares in feare and pensiuenesse,The people wandred in the Wildernesse,
Vntill they came vnto the holy Land,
Which God did giue them, by his mighty hand;
And all the while, because they knew no way,
Fire was their guide by night, a Cloud by day.
Christ Iesus is a shadowie Cloud to those
That loues him, but a fire vnto his foes.
He is to all the Children of the day
A Cloude to coole and guide them in their way;
Betweene them and the Sun, their great Creator,
He is a Hedge, a Cloude, a Mediator;
But to the Sonnes of darkenesse there's a fire,
And will like chaffe consume them in his ire.
This Cloude was not begot of Sun or showres,
Neither was Christs conception like ours:
But he was formed of the Holy Ghost,
As this Cloud was by God, to guide the Host.
O thou who on Mount Sin in clowdes descended,
And on Mount Oliue in a clowde ascended:
Who rides vpon the Clowdes as in a Waine,
And in the Clowdes will come to vs againe.
Be thou my Clowde, my shelter, and defence,
Against Gods wrath, and Satans violence.
And to that heauenly Canaan be my guide,
Where I with thee for euer may abide.
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The Second Decade.
I. Manna.
When Israel had thought themselues nie lostGod rained Man from heauen vpon the host
With which for fortie yeares he did them feed,
In forme it was like Coliander seede:
And that this wonder might not be forgot,
Some of it was kept in a golden pot.
Christ is this Man: which in a mist did fall
On Mary, for his birth was misticall.
This is a better bread then that white hoare
Which fell vpon the Desart in such store.
He shall not dye that eateth of this bread,
By Faith, but shall be raysed from the dead.
Lord with this Manna feed my soule therefore,
That I may neuer hunger any more.
Then I will not forget this mercy, but
My minde shall keepe it as the Golden Pot.
II. The Rocke.
The Rod of Moses gaue the Rocke a blow,Which caused Christall waters thence to flow.
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A wound, which caused gently thence to glide
Water and Bloud, a double Sacrament
Of Christs last Will and blessed Testament.
I'm faint and foule: then feed Lord & refresh me,
Feede with thy Blood, and with thy water wash me
III. Arons Rod, Sarah, the Virgin Mary.
This withered rod brought forth fruit, leaues, & flowresWithout the help of Sun, or dropping showres
It was as great a wonder that a Maid,
Should beare a Child without Mans helpe and a'de
Sarah though Barren, though her Lord was old,
Yet had a Child at last as God foretolde.
As great a wonder on my soule as these,
Thou can performe O Lord, if so thou please,
Shee is a Maide she is a Withered Rod,
Shee is a Barren Sarah; then O God,
Giue Children, or with Rachel else she dies,
Marke how with Hanna for a Child she cries:
Make her a fruitfull Mother of good actions,
Make her to bud with cleane and sound affections.
IIII. Jericos Walls.
Not men of warre but priests did tumble douwThe lofty walls of this most wretched Towne
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Of Rams-hornes which did beate them to the ground
The preaching of the Gospell is these Hornes,
A silly meanes and which the world scornes.
Yet by it God exhalteth humble ones.
And doth cast downe the mighty from their thrones
When Gods most blessed word began to sound,
Then Satans Kingdome fell flatte to the ground.
Lord let vs heare continually this Trumpet,
Sounding against the Babilonish Strumpet.
Beate downe her lofty walles, and we desire,
That thou wilt burne vp her Towne with fire.
Destroy all those that would this whore adore,
And let their flame ascend for euermore.
V. Gedeons Fleece.
When all the Earth was dry then dew did fallVpon the fleece, but afterward when all,
The Earth was wet with dew, the fleece was dry,
Which is to Iewes and Greekes a mistery.
The Iewes that little fleece was wet at first,
With dew of Grace, but now they are a thirst.
The Gentiles who at first were dry, are now,
Wete with this grace, they know not why nor how
But that it pleased God some for to choose,
Of his free grace, and others to refuse.
O thou whose haire is full of dew, whose locks,
Are wet with night drops watching ouer the flocks
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As thou wast wont with dew high Hermon hill.
Or as proud Babels king with dew was wet
When he was forc'd with Oxen grasse to eate.
Let Iacobs blessing fall vpon her, euen
The fatnesse of the earth and dew of Heauen.
VI. Sampson.
As Sampson went to see his Wife one day,He kills a Ramping Lyon by the way.
His Wife was faire but yet shee was a stranger,
And brought her Husband oftentimes in danger.
And by her meanes the riddle was expounded.
Which Sampson to the Philistims propounded.
Their corne and fruits he burned vp with firebrāds
And breake the cords a sunder from his hands,
And with an Asses iaw bone which he found,
He knockt a thousand of them to the ground.
But this same bone which had so many kill'd
Did vnto thirsty Sampson water yeeld,
He bore away Azzas posts and doore,
And was at last betraied by his whoore:
Who cut off Sampsons haire, and so at length,
He lost his eyes, his liberty, and strength.
But being led to Dagons house, he cries
To God for strength, for to reuenge his eyes.
God heard his prayer, then Sampson laid his hand
Vpon the Posts on which the house did stand:
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He pull'd downe Dagons temple on his foes.
Thus by his glorious death he kill'd far more,
Then he had done in all his life before.
Iesus that blessed Nazarite did tarry
Here with the Church a while, whom he did marry,
He tooke her though a stranger for his Wife,
And for her sake, he did forsake his life.
Death was the Lion which he kill'd by death,
By it he gaue the Church spirituall breath;
From this strong eater, he brought out sweet meat.
The bread of Life for euery soule to eate.
This Riddle to his wife he did impart,
And likewise all the counsels of his heart.
He will with fire all Hereticks deuoure,
Which with false doctrine would his Church de flowre.
The wicked doe account his word, alas,
No better then the Iawbone of an Asse.
Yet this same word doth many thousands kill,
But is to thirsty soules a springing well.
Christ slept a while within deaths gates, but rose,
Againe betimes in despite of his foes.
He bore away deaths mighty posts and doores,
He spoyled principalities and powers.
His followers which then were but aleauen,
Did see him from the Mount, mount vp to Heauen
The Romans ouer the Iews did rule as Lords,
At whose command they bound Christs hands with cords
They cut his haire & head with thornes, and cast,
Him in the prison of the Graue at last.
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But rais'd it vp againe with great renowne.
Which Sampson could not doe: he loos'd the bands
Of cruell death from off his feete and hands.
O happy day wherein that Temple fell,
Which by the waight thereof crush'd death & hell.
The Philistines O Lord my sinnes, doe binde
My soul with cords, loe how they make her grinde.
Here in this body as it were in prison,
They haue pull'd out her eyes of wit and reason.
Lord giue her strength againe, and heare her cryes,
That she may be reuenged for her eyes.
These Philistines to my great griefe and shame,
And to the great dishonour of thy name.
Are met within the Temple of my breast,
Where at my wretched soule they laugh and iest.
Lord shake the pillars of this house, and burie
These wicked sinnes in thy iust wrath and furie.
VII. Dauid and Goliah.
When none of all the people durst encounterWith great Goliah, Dauid did aduenture:
Though younger, though a Sheepheard, though in stature
But little, and effeminate in feature.
Though Eliah dehorts him, yet he feares not,
And for the greatnesse of Goliah cares not.
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And was assured of the Lords protection.
Before he kill'd a Lyon and a Beare.
Then why should he that boasting Giant feare.
Sauls Armour and his Raimeut he refuseth,
And fiue smooth stones out of the brooke he chuseth.
Then runs vnto the Campe and with his sling,
A Stone against the Philistine did fling,
With which he smote the Giant in the head,
Who with that blow fainted, and fell downe dead:
Thus little David without sword or speare,
Did kill the Giant as he did the Beare.
Christ by his Fathers will came downe to see,
His Brethren which lay long in Misery,
Vnder the fearefull slauery of the Deuill,
And knew not who would free them from the euill,
Till Christ the Sheepe-heard, and that little one,
By his Almighty power, and with a Stone,
Had kill'd the Giant, and had set vs free,
And by his death had slaine death on the tree.
Death was the Giants Sword, but Christ indead,
Hath with this Sword cut of the Giants head.
The Iewes our elder Brethren were right sorry,
That Christ by death should get vs life and glory,
What is there done o Iew, was ther not cause
That Christ by death should saue vs from deaths iawes
O Sonne of David! Satan's in the fielde,
Armed against my soule with speare aud sheeld.
Shee's almost brought to desperation,
So greeuous Lord is her tentation,
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You both haue but one father & one mother.
Knocke downe this boasting Gyant to the ground,
Pull out thy sling, giue him his deadly wound.
Cut off his head, and let him rise no more
To vexe my soule as he hath done before.
Then shall my soule acknowledge thee her King,
If thou will kill the Gyant with thy sling.
And shee shall praise thee as it is most meete,
For thou can tread downe Satan vnder feet.
VIII. Eliah.
Eliah from his Queene and Countrey fled,And was by Rauens in the Desart fed.
To God vpon mount Horeb he complain'd,
Of all his wrongs which there he had sustain'd.
To the Sidonian widow God did send him,
And from his raging foes did still defend him:
He raisd the Widdowes sonn, increasd her meale,
And killd the Priests of Baal in his zeale.
By his vncessant prayer he did optaine
From God for three yeares space, and six monthes, raine.
He built an Altar vpon Carmel hill,
And to the Lord a Bullock there did kill.
Fire on the Beast, fire on his Foes descended,
And he on wheeles of fire to heauen ascended:
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His Country men, because they did refuse
To hearken to his voyce; from them he fled
Vnto the Gentiles, and by them was fed.
These were at first black as the Rauen or Crow,
But now by grace, they are made white as snow.
The widowes house Christs church doth represent,
To which this great Prophet for harbour went.
Her children all were dead, but he reuiues them,
And with encrease of graces still releeues them.
Three yeares and six moneths hee did preach with pain,
His words fell on the Iews like drops of rain.
He by his mighty word false Prophets slew,
All heathnish Priests and rites he ouerthrew.
The worke of pure redemption being ended,
On white bright cloudes our Lord to heau'n ascended.
I am a Widow Lord, I am alone,
Come make my soule thy habitation.
Encrease my meale and oyle, O Lord encrease
My faith and loue to thee: grant me thy grace.
Reuiue my Son, my works are dead I know,
Then raise them vp, that they may liue and grow.
Pray to thy Father Lord that he may powre
Vpon my barren heart a heauenly showre.
Cut off false Priests; send fire frō heauen O Christ,
And burne my sinnes, I humbly thee request.
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IX. Gods aparition to Eliah on Mount Horeb.
Eliah on Mount Horeb could not findeThe Lord in fire, earthquake, & whirlewinde:
But in a soft and still voyce him did heare,
And then to God with reuerence drew neere.
Thy Spirit Lord dwels not in violence,
Thou dwells in mercy, mildnesse, innocence.
Lord make me milde, take from me strife & malice
Then dwell in me, my soule shall be thy Palace.
X. Eliahs assumption.
Firie Eliah in fire and whirlewindeWent vp to heauen, but lest his cloake behinde;
So Christ our Lord ascended vp on high,
But left behinde him his mortality.
Lord let my soule on firie wheeles of loue,
And whirlewinde of zeale still mount aboue.
Teach me to shake off care of worldly things,
For thats the cloake which still about me hangs.
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The Third Decade.
I. Elisha's pot of Salt, and Meale. Moses his Rodde.
The bitter waters, and the barren ground,Were by Elisha's Salt made sweet and sound.
So did the same Elisha strangely heale
The noysome Pottadge with a little meale.
So Moses sometimes with a piece of wood,
Did Marahs waters sweeten and make good.
O Lord this Wood, this Salt, this little Flowre,
Doe shew that thou can bring sweet ont of sowre.
This Wood did sweeten Marah; So that Tree,
On which thou diedst, hath giuen life to me.
Lord season my afflictions, heale my fault,
Either with sweet or sowre, with meale or salt.
II. The Sunamites Sonne.
Gehazi from the Mount came downe apace,And laid the Staffe vpon the Infants face.
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The Childe, therefore Elisha must be faine
To come, who ouer the Childe himselfe extends,
And ioynes his mouth to mouth, & hands to hands
Then presently the Childe began to sneeze,
And on the Prophet lifted vp his eyes.
The world was dead in sinne, but thou, O God,
Didst send the Prophets with the Word, thy Rod.
But they could not to the dead Childe restore
Spirituall life, thou camst thy selfe therefore.
Thou kiss'd vs, thou assum'd our stape and feature,
Thou did enioyne thy selfe to our base nature.
Lord ioyne thy hands to mine, ioyne eyes to eyes,
And mouth to mouth, that I from sin may rise.
Neither the staffes nor seruant can giue breath,
To my dead soule, but thou by thy sweet death.
III. The Wise Men and Starre.
Three wisemen came to Bethlem from a farre,They were conducted thither by a Starre.
To Christ Frankincence, Myrh, and Gold they bring
To shew he was both God, and Man, and King.
The Gentiles once farre off do now begin,
To draw neere to the Church, and to come in.
The Church is Bethlem, or the house of bread,
Where Christ the Bread of life is borne indeed.
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But did not shine vpon Ierusalem.
The Gentiles saw it, though thy dwelt so farre,
Yet Iacobs Sons could not see Iacobs Starre.
O wretched Iewes you haue beene euer blind,
You groope at noone, yet Christ you cannot finde,
On you he shin'd, and you could not perceiue him
Yet strangers whom he knew not, did receiue him.
Lord bring me vnto Bethlem and protect me,
And with thy word as with a Starre direct me.
Sweete Babe accept the gifts which here I offer,
To thee out of my heart, my choisest coffer.
Not gold, but loue; not incense, but good actions;
Not Myrrh, but all my mortified affections.
IIII. The touching of Christs garment.
Thousands did press on Christ, both poore & richBut onely one poore woman did him touch.
Her touch was faithfull, but the peoples pressing,
Was carnall, therefore they receiu'd no blessing.
Shee by the faithfull touching of Christs garment,
Was cured of her twelue yeares griefe & torment.
The faithlesse Papists in their carnall masse,
Touch not Christs hem, but rudely on him presse.
Faith, faith is it, which only doth him please,
Lord grant me faith, and then I shall haue ease,
For till I touch, till to my soule thou say,
Be of good cheere; my griefe will not away.
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V. The good Samaritane.
The Priest and Leuite did not helpe the manWhom theeues did wound, but the Samaritan
Who powred in his wounds soft oyle and wine,
Doe thou the like sweet Iesus now to mine.
Spirituall theeues, my mortall sinnes haue hurt me,
Then with thy grace and mercy Lord support me.
For men and Angels neither will nor can
Cure me, but thou O sweet Samaritan.
Powre in my wounds the oyle of thy good Spirit,
And wash them in the new wine of thy merit.
Then binde them vp with loue, and bare my sinne
Vpon thy flesh, then bring me to the Inne,
I meane thy Church; speak to the hoasts thy preachers
That they will be my comforters and teachers;
Till thou returne againe, for then I know
That thou wilt pay the debts which I doe owe.
VI. The lost Sheepe.
The man that hath a hundreth Sheepe, forsakesNinety and nine, to seeke out one that lakes
And goeth after still, vntill he findes
That sheepe, and then reioyceth with his friends.
Christ left his Angels, and without delay
Sought out mankinde, that had gone long astray,
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Which caus'd in heauen & earth great ioy & mirth.
Old Simeon, and Ann, and Mary sung,
And heauens bright roofe with songs of Angels rung.
Sweet Shepheard of my soule I humbly pray,
Seeke out thy sheepe, for shee is gone astray:
Anst bare her on thy shoulders, as sometimes
Thou did thy crosse, bare all her sinnes and crimes.
And through the dangers of this life conduct her,
Be thou her food, and with thy word instruct her.
Then bring her home, & when she is come thither,
Call all thy Saints and Angels straight together.
They are thy friends, make them reioyce and sing
All Halleluiah to their Lord and King.
Who sought me vp & down with griefe and paine,
And did at last finde his lost sheepe againe.
VII. The Prodigall.
Hauing spent all, and being in great want,His former course of life he did recant.
Home he returnes, and his fault confesseth,
His father meetes him, and his sonne embraceth.
The best robe was brought forth at his command,
Shooes for his feete, a gold ring for his hand.
Then sent for musick, and caus'd kill the Calfe,
Which made the elder brother fret and chafe.
The Iewes did murmur at the Gentiles calling,
Therefore the Gentiles rising was their falling.
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Here in a strange place full of whores and theeues;
To spend his heauenly portion they bewitch him,
With which sometime his Father did enrich him.
Loe all is spent, and now he's forc'd to serue
Vnder a Marchant, where he's like to starue:
Satan I meane who feeds him with his swine,
Whose cheere was wont to be oyle, milke, & wine.
For all the dainties of this world are
But husks with Gods chiefe blessings to compare.
My soule then being in this wofull case,
Begins to call to minde his wonted grace.
His fathers house, his cheere, his wealth & treasure,
His hired seruants with their ease and pleasure.
Sweet Father loe thy prodigall returnes
Naked and torne, marke how he sobs & mournes.
He doth confesse the faults that he hath done,
That he's vnworthy to be call'd thy Sonne.
He hath offended heauen, and thee, yet make him
Thy seruant Lord, and doe not now forsake him.
Meete and preuent him with preuenting grace,
And by a kisse make him enioy thy face.
Cloath him with thy best robe of innocence,
And giue him shooes to runne with patience
His race. Put on a Ring and make him free
From sinne, and death, and Satans tyrannie.
Then set him downe, and let his soule be fill'd
With that fat Calfe, which for his sins was kill'd.
Come in O brother Iew, doe not disdaine,
My soule once dead, but now aliue againe.
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VIII. Christs Coat parted.
O thou whose life the wicked Iewes derided,Whose seamlesse Coat by Souldiers was deuided,
Thy church was once a coat without a seame,
But now she is deuided to our shame.
So is that coat of perfect holinesse
Which thou lent me to cloath my nakednesse.
My cruell sinnes to my great griefe and scorne
From my poore soule this blessed coat haue torne.
And now to me it is both shame and torment
To see my naked soule without this garment.
Figge leaues of merits will not hide my sinnes,
Nor yet that coat which Adam had of skinnes.
But I am counsell'd by the Church my mother,
To put on thy faire cloathes deere elder brother.
That I may in thy name, and cloathes, and sauour,
Receiue my Fathers blessing and his fauour.
IX. Christs side pearced.
O Lord thy heart was pearced with a Lance,It was for mine, but not for thine offence.
Pearce then my heart with sorrow for my sin,
And bath it in the blood which thence did spin.
For here is Iacobs Well, there flowes from hence
These waters which can wash my conscience.
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Then let me enter Lord while it is day:
And suffer me with Thomas for to hide
My sinfull hand within thy wounded side.
X. Christ and Mary speaking together.
c. Touch me not Mary. M. Why dear Iesus? why?c. I am not yet ascended vp on high.
Thou comes to touch me with thy carnall hand,
It is not hands but faith that I demand.
But now, thou art ascended, thou art gone
To sit with God thy Father in his Throne.
Permit me then by faith O Iesus sweet,
To touch, and kisse thy wounded hands and feet.
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The commendations of the priuate Country Life.
O hills and dales, woods, groues, and christall springs,The best delight of transitory things.
I more esteeme your Tempe shades and flowers,
Thē Princes Courts, proud townes, & lofty towres.
Heere may the minde talke freely with her Maker.
Shee needes no helpe of Priest or Romish baker.
To bake or make him of a piece of bread,
His body is in Heauen, so saith our Creede.
His spirit euery where that may be seene,
In euery bush, in euery medow greene.
Here may the minde with admiration,
Contemplate euery constellation.
That Heauenly hoste of Starres, theire restlesse motion,
There light, and might vpon the Earth and Ocean.
And higher yet she soares with faiths swift wings,
Aboue all Heauens vnto the King of Kings.
Shee heares not Trumpets sound, nor Cannons roare,
Shee feares not Neptune beating on the shoare.
For those the birds in Parti-coulerd cotes,
Sound in her eares variety of notes.
She scornes the Courtiers life, his sweete perfumes
He clothes, his curled hayre, his shaking plumes,
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Doe more delight her then their painted pride.
Shee needes not walls and forts for her defence,
But shades of trees and peace of conscience.
Heere is not to be found that misery,
Which raignes in Citties, I meane Vsery.
No enuy heere, no wrongs, no vanity,
No treason, slander, pride, nor flattety.
But innocence, truth, and a quiet life,
Are found in woods; in Citties care and strife.
Sound bodies men haue here contented minds,
Which seldome in great Citties any findes.
Heere no corruption doth infect the aire,
Men are content with vnbought simple fare.
With many sinnes great Citties still are tainted,
With many cares rich Marchants are tormented.
But here the harmelesse, carelesse merry Swaine,
Sits singing, whistling, piping on his cane.
By day he leades and guides his silent sheepe,
By night no cares disturbs his quiet sleepe.
Thus liu'd our Fathers in the golden age,
They spent in woods and caues their pilgrimage.
FINIS.
| Three Decads of Divine Meditations | |