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 |
 |
|
| I. |
| II. | The Second Decade. |
| III. |
 | Three Decads of Divine Meditations |  |
12
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.
13
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
14
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
15
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:
16
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.
17
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.
18
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,
19
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:
20
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.
21
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.
| Three Decads of Divine Meditations | |