The poems of George Daniel :: :: University of Virginia Library

The poems of George Daniel

... From the original mss. in the British Museum: Hitherto unprinted. Edited, with introduction, notes, and illustrations, portrait, &c. By the Rev. Alexander B. Grosart: In four volumes

Daniel, George (1616-1657)

VOL. I.

II.

VOL. II.

III, IV.

VOL. III. VOL. IV.

Eclesiasticus.

TRINARCHODIA

The severall Raignes of Richard the Second Henrie the Fourth, & Henrie the Fifth

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III, IV. VOL. III. VOL. IV.

Eclesiasticus.

XIII. Chap. xiii.

Hee that doth handle Pitch cannot be free,
But pertake of its foulenes; neither hee
Whose Intimate is proud, & of a mind
Haughty & scornfull, but will be enclin'd
Or possest with it wholly. Never seeke
A burthen 'bove thy Power; doe not recke
Thy selfe the wiser, to b' Associate
With those who are beyond thee in Estate;
For with what safety doe those Vessells stand,
The Chaldron & a pot of Earth? A hand
By accident but stirring Each to Each,
Needs must the Brittle suffer in the Breach.

The Rich man he has done an Iniurie,
Yet stands vpon his Act Imperiouslie,
And threatens more; but the Poore is wrong'd
And yet he Supplicates to be atton'd.

If vsefull to thy great freind, thou art his,
But if vnnecessary, hee'le despise
Thy very Name; hee'le feast it at thy Table,
And take thy Spoile; but when thou art not able

To subsist longer, 'twill not be his care,
To pitty or give comfort or repaire;
If he have need, oh! then he smooth's his brow,
Hee fawn's & smiles, and askes thee, what want'st thou?
Promises mountaines, brings thee to his feast,
And doth subvert thy Reason, in thy Tast;
Till twice or thrice, or till at least th' art worne
In his occasions; then thou art his Scorne;
Hee knowes thee not, will shun thee on his way,
And shake his Head, scorning what thou dost Say.

Beware the words of Greatnes, lest thou fall
Ignorant of their plots; or, if thou shall
Suffer the Court of Greatnes, and be prest
With many Invitations, as his Gvest;
Keepe at thy Guard of distance, and the more
He shall Importune what he sought before;
Press not vpon him, lest thou be his Scorne,
Nor stand too distant, least thou be forlorne:
Seeke not with him to vse the libertie
Of Speech, nor have too much Credulitie
Vnto his many words; for wth the vaine
Emptines of much Speech hee'le entertaine
And hold thee Captive; or, as nothing were,
Sift from thee what thou knowst, wth a Cheere,
Intending honesty, and search thy Heart
Thorough wth Smiles; then leaue thee where thou art,
In the thick chase of Ignorance, that while
Hee takes advantage, and doth seeke to Spoile

Thee in thy owne; and at another Day,
Thou art the Author of what he shall Say.

Be Circumspect; for 'tis an anxious way,
And let thy Soule listen to what I say:
“While thou hast Life, love him, the gratious giver,
“And Invocate salvation thence for ever.
Beasts seeke and love in kind; & Amitie
Cometh to Men from their Proximitie.
All Creatures Ioy in Kind, & Man wth Man;
For what Alliance, what relation
Hath the gant Wolfe wth the Innocent Lamb?
Soe Sinners wth the Righteous the same;
What 'twixt those ferals of Societie,
Hiena and the Dog? or what can be
Betwixt the Rich & Poore? As the wild Asse
Stands but a Prey in the great Wildernesse,
To surly Lyons; soe the Rich devour
The Innocent, & tread vpon the Poore.
As the Proud Man the humble soule doth hate,
Soe doth the Rich the needie Execrate.
A Rich Man, though in something he decline,
Has freinds t' assist, but the poore in vaine
May expect the ayde of freinds; for he has none.
A Rich man taxéd, he has every one
Readie to vindicate him; he dare say
Forbidden things, and haughtily display
His words to Treason; yet hee's Iustified.
The poore, he Slipt, & every tongue could chide,

And give a sharpe reproofe. How often has
Hee vtter'd wisedome? yet could gaine noe place.
All Men are silent to a rich Man's voice,
And they extoll his wisedome to the Skyes;
But if a poore Man speake (oh, abiect state!
And in opinion, how vnfortunate!)
Every Man darts at him in Spight, and say
What fellow's this? and if he stumble, they
Rush to his overthrow. Good, doubtles, are
Riches to those, (if such?) as doe not share
In Evill that attends it. What disgrace
Doe Sinners put vpon a poore Man's case!

The disposition of the heart is read
Vpon the forehead; for the heart is glad,
Lends a bright aspect, and doth give the Eye
Language t' Express a Man's Prosperitie.
The sence of hidden Misteries to find,
Is difficult, and to a Troublous Mind.

XIV. Chap. xiv.

Thrice happie he who has not beene betray'd
To sin by vanitie, in what he said;
Whose Soule is Innocent, whose Conscience
Doth truly Iustifie; whose Confidence
Is fixt in his Creator. How vnmeet
And vnproportionable is the sweet
Fruition of much treasure to a Mind
Penurious and Enviously enclin'd!
The vniust vsurer shall have an heir

To lavish out the wealth he bought soe deare,
Still vex't in the sad Mortgage. Vnto whom
Can he be freind, who to himselfe is none?
“Slaveing his Soule, & euen his wealth shall be
“(Though hap'ly fullnes) noe felicitie.

There is none worse then he, whose ranc'rous Spleene
Falls on himselfe, the gverdon of his Sin;
For what he doth of Good (if good at all
May rise from Sin) 'tis preiudiciall
To him the more, being against his will;
And he, i' th' end, shall know his good was ill.
The Envious Man hath a Malignant Eye,
Despiseth others, turnes his face awrye,
In a detracting Scorne. What mountaines can
Of vnsumm'd Treasure satisfie the Man
Of Avarice? an obiect, 'bove Expence
Is not sufficient for his outward Sence
To fixe vpon; till ev'n his Soule shall be
Wither'd and drie, in his Iniquitie.
A Wicked Eye doth grudge his bread to Men,
And gives a faint, if any Entertaine.
My son Attend:
According to thy Power be thy owne ayde,
And paye thy vowes which thou to God hast made;
For thinke 't must be, & thou not knowest how soone,
The houre of Death, when thy flesh shall goe downe
Into the Pit; and thou art ignorant,
What shall be sentence there. Be adiuvant,
When it is acceptable, to thy freind,

When thou yet art; and before thou discend,
Let the Poore have an Almes. Oh! doe not thou
Neglect the good day, but when Time is, now,
Take all occasion that thy workes may be
Thy owne availe; for can Eternitie
Be here at all? Shall't thou not one day fall?
(Ah dismall Day) and leaue thy store of All
Vnto another? And then shall he not
Devide thy sweat and Travell by a Lot?

Give and Receiue, & let thy soule be blest
In thy good Deeds, ere yet thou goe to Rest;
For in the Grave they End. All flesh shall be
Old as a garment; for 'tis the decree
(Irrevocable sentence) which heaven hath
Ordain'd for ever, Thou shalt Dye the Death.

“As on a Tree, the verdant Leaves Dispred,
“Some Spring and flourish, some are witheréd
“And fall to nothing; soe Mortalitie
“Hath revolutions: now subsisteth he
“In Excellence and strength, but cannot long;
“He dyes, another comes, as ffaire, as strong:
“Thus Ages passe; and everie Action
“Decays in Time, as he, the Actor's gone.

Happie then Hee, who doth Contemplate things
Of Wisedome, and adds to his Reason Wings
(Strong Wings) of faith, to attaine Misteries
Of Sacred Knowledge. He that in her waies.
Doth rectifie his heart, shall seeke her Light
Through Ambages, as one that lyes in waite.

Be curious in her search,—try every way,
Prye through the windowes, at the Doore stay.
Hee that doth truly seeke her, with Attent
And serious Care, shall flourish in a Tent
Adioyning her bright Mansion; and shall rest
His head vpon a Couch, for ever blest;
His Children shall surviue vnder her sheild,
And lodge in the Coole Shade her branches yeild;
In her shall he be blest, and leave his Name
Exemplar to the World, Glory to ffame.

XV. Chap. xv.

“Workes are the perfect Index to a Mind;
He that fears God will ever be inclin'd
To performe Acts of Mercy; and the Iust
Shall attaine Knowledges. As to the lost
Son of her Wombe, a Mother runs wth Ioy,
Soe will she meet him; or as lovingly
As doth the virgin Bride, whose Chaster Eye
ffix't with her thoughts, hates all varietye.
The Bread of Vnderstanding shall be 's food,
And he shall drink, drawne from the precious flood
Of Wisedome, flowing Cups; in a firme Rocke
She will support him, 'gainst the thund'ring shock
Of Malice; he shall trust to her, and she shall be
A safe-guard; give him Dignitie,
'Bove other Men; and teach him what to say,
When Euerie Eare gapes in a solemne Day.
His Browes shall beare a Ioyfull Diadem,

And he surviue in an Immortall ffame.
But not the Sinner thus: for he shall ne're
(Much less Possesse her) stand in veiw to see her;
For (ah) how distant shee! How far remote
From Pride is she, and strangers know her not.
For in the Mouth of Sin, 't doth not accord
With Wisedome,—she proceeding from the Lord.
For Man in Wisedome speaketh sentences
Tending to goodnes, which the Lord will blesse.

“Accuse not God as Author of thy Sin,
“'Tis hatefull to his Soule; say not agin
“He did subvert thy frailtie; for noe vse
“Standeth the sinfull-Man to, in his house;
Hee sin despiseth, and he loves it not,—
“The Man that feares his Maker as he ought.

“God at the first made Man, & did Commit
“Him to his Counsell, Reason, Will, and Witt;
“To walke in his waies of Truth, at his owne will;
“To Chuse or this, or that, or good, or ill.
“Loe he hath giv'n thee freedome to thy Choice;
“Water or ffire, take thy owne advice:
“Soe Life and Death are thine alike, and shall
“Be at thy likeing given; for beyond All,
“The Wisdome is of God; his power as great;
“And seeing all things from his glorious Seat,
“To Such as feare him hath a tender Eye.
“He knowes the workes of Men, the privacye
“Of every heart. Sin is not by his will;
“He nor Commands it, nor allowes of ill.

XVI. Chap. xvi.

Desire not many Children; if they be
Vngodly, thinke it noe felicitie
To have such store; for some are only giv'n,
True blessings, when they feare the Lord of Heauen:
Let not thy hopes live in them; better farre
Is one Son Iust then Multitudes wch are
Froward and sinfull. Better 'tis to Die
Summed in himselfe, then leave a Progenie
Of Wickednes: for one of Wisedome shall
Populate Nations, but the Wicked fall
To Nothing suddenly; Ev'n these, my Eyes,
Have seene such things; but greater far then these,
Our Fathers have reported. In the Congresse
Of Sinners, fire shall flame & never cease.
Wrath shall Devour the haughty Nation,
As ruthles fire. Those Men of high renowne,
Giants in Ages past, who fell away
In folly of their owne strength, they, ev'n they,
Have knowne his fury: neither was againe
That City Spar'd, where Lot did entertaine
Two Angells; but aboundant vengeance was,
In ffire and Brimstone, rainéd on the Place,
The City Sodome. His vnrelenting Eye
Did see the wicked fall away and Dye;
That mighty hoast, (sixe hundred Thousand Men)
Despising Heauen, summonéd to profane
The power of God; yet they haue felt his wrath.

And if but one in thousands of a faith
Repugnant, he shall not for ever be
Vnpunishéd; for these are, Equally
“In him, Mercy & Wrath: he can forgiue
“Beyond all Crime; but if the sinner live
“Obstinate in Offence, his Clemencie
“Is then reverst; he thunders, & they die.
“Both equall in him, and both Infinite,
“Rewarding Men, as they doe wrong or right.

The Man of Rapine shall not have his prize
Secure for euer; but the Iniuries
Which he did, Whilome, shall be iudgéd now:
The Righteous, contrarie, shall one day know
Reward for all his suff'rings: ev'n the least
Of Charitie shall have reward; for Blest
“Or Reprobate, God finds Mortalitie
“In their good-workes, or their Iniquitie.
Hee made obdure the heart of yt proud King
Pharoh, that his more Glory thence might Spring,
To all the World, with terror seen and knowne;
Vnseene by him, unknowne by him alone.
Full in his Mercy t' euery liveing thing,
He did his Light, from shades of darknes bring.

Say not, oh say not thou! I will obscure,
In desart place, my selfe, and be secure
From vengeance. Shall God remember mee
From Heaven? Poore Atome of Mortalitye!
Shall I (noe I will 'scape) amongst soe many
Be mark't for Iustice? & from his Eyes can I

Not slip away? In such a throng of Soules
Mine is not seene to. Thus the voice of Fooles!
But, loe! the Heauens, and those Imperiall Skyes,
The Sea, the Earth, and all that therein is,
Shall tremble when he cometh; Mountains Shall,
And Hills Inferior, the foundations all
Of Earth, be rent with horror, when his Eye
Shall fix vpon them. Noe heart Worthylye
Can conceiue these things. Who of humane birth
Can apprehend his waies? or who set forth?
'Tis as a Tempest wch Man cannot see;
For his workes most are in obscuritie.
Who can (meer Dust and Ashes) set to Light
His workes of Iustice? or sustaine the waight,
Who can, the strongest? for his Covenant
Is a farre off, beyond the Arrogant
Designe of Mortalls; the exact probation
Of vertue knowne is in the Consamation.

Hee that wants Knowledge will be busied
In triviall things, and the foole, Misled,
Runs headlong on. My Son, heare what I Say;
Give Serious Attention, let thy heart weigh
And prize my words; I will give documents
Of great availe, and to the diligent
Propose an exact lesson. See from first
The workes of God in Iudgment are rehearst;
And from the Instant of Creation,
He gave the parts their disposition.

Hee did adorne his workes; and in his hand,
Eternally doe their beginnings stand;
They flourish ever, by the breath of heaven;
They never sweat to live, but have it given,
Without or toyle, or Travell; none of them
Disturbeth other; they are still the same;
They grudge not Heaven's decree. After this done,
The Great Creator graciously look't downe
Vpon the Earth, and by his Powerfull breath,
Hee gave an Ample Blessing; coveréd hath
Her face with liveing Creatures, from Earth borne,
And shall (soe God ordain's) to earth returne.

XVII. Chap. xvii.

From Earth, God forméd Man, and shall Convert
Him into Earth againe; his Life is Short,
Haply but a few dayes; he gave him power
Over all things, which were on Earth before;
He gave him strength in Bodie, as in Mind:
Form'd him to his owne Image; all the Kind
Of Birds & Beasts in his Dominion,
Or what soe els, to fall to him alone.
He gave him perfect vse of every sence,
And Reason, beyond All, for Excellence;
Discourse t' express himselfe; he did impart
Councell to him, & Eyes & Eares; a heart
To vnderstand; which heart he then did fill
With Knowledge; shew'd them what was good, what ill.
He set his Eye vpon their hearts, that he

Might more Illustrate soe, & dignifie
His workes vnto them; that to them 't might be
Perpetuall glorie, and a Memorie
For Ever, of his Power; & they, the Choice,
Shall praise his Name for Ever, with a voice
Of gladnes. Knowledge he to them doth give;
And for an Heritage, the Law of Life.
He made a Covenant with them for ever;
Shewed them his Iudgments; did, in like, discover
The greatnes of his glorie to their Eyes;
And with their Eares they heard his glorious voice,
Instructing thus: Beware oppression
And all Iniustice. He gave euery Man
A rule of Charitie; vnto his sight
Their waies are open, secrets stand in Light.

Man, in the blossome is addict to Sin,
Nor can they make for stony hearts agin,
Their hearts of flesh. To every Nation he
Has given a Ruler, but as his owne ffee,
He hath reseru'd his Chosen, Israel:
These there he Blesseth, ev'n there will he dwell.
Perspicuous as the sun in his full shine,
All humane Actions are to him; his Eyne
Are fixt vpon their waies; nothing of wrong
Is hid to him; the Crimes that doe belong
To all Mortalitie, what Man has done,
Hee knowes & sees; but in Compassion,
Hee being Infinite, Ineffable,
And looking downe vpon the Despicable

And worthless thing call'd Man, wth tender Eye,
Doth know his Creature; & his Miserie
Doth move remorse in him; of greater worth
Then the broad Engine, which displaied forth,
Argueth Dignitie. To God shall be
Pure Almes, the seales of perfect Charitie.
Neare as the Apple of the Eye, and Deare
To God, the goode-Workes doth, of Man, appeare.
His Sons and Daughters shall not fall away;
But for the good-workes done, God shall repay
Abundant Blessing. To the penitent
He will be gracious; and the Patient
Shall not for ever suffer. Oh! returne,
Turne to the Lord, forsake thy sins, and mourne
The folly of thy dayes; address thy praier
To him alone, and rectifie, with Care,
The remnant of thy Life. Oh! turne agin
To the Most High, & turne away from Sin:
For he will bring thee from Cimmerian shade
Of Error, where thou wast envelopéd,
To the bright Raies of Knowledge, & of Ioy;
Therfore detest sin. Who, to the Most High,
Involvéd in the womb of Earth, shall sing
A Song of Praise? there being noe such thing
In that Sad Mansion: Therfore, now alive,
While now Time is, let prompt desires giue
Expressions to his Praise. In what you doe,
How doth the Lord his loueing kindnes show
To humane frailtie! hath Compassion

To their offences; for perfection
The Mortall is not: Imortalitie
Is only perfect. What can the strong Eye
See brighter then the Sun? Yet in God's Sight
It is but Dim. How then those Acts of Night,
Those Horrid Crimes of Mortalls Shall appeare
Vgly and Monstrous, vile, deform'd, vncleare?
Hee veiwes the Host of Heaven; Man, dust & Earth,
Hee knowes to be fraile, ever from his Birth.

XVIII. Chap. xviii.

Hee who was ever first, made every thing;
Hee only Iust is; He's the invict King,
Who guides the vniverse: What Man shall dare
To speake his Power? Who can his Acts declare?
How farre beyond the Tongue of flesh to say
His Glories? or his Mercies to display?
Great in his workes, vnspeakeable; and Man
May not impaire or Derogate; nor can
He (Blamelesse) amplifie; for 'tis inscrute:
His power, 'bove reach of Mortall to find out;
When Man has done, then doth he but begin;
And when he leaves, ten thousand doubts come in,
To oppose his resolves. What, what is Man?
Or to what vse ordain'd? what good can
In him at all be? What's his good? what ill?
Vncertaine date of Mortalls, wch but will
Allow at most (and ah how many feares
Crosses and Dangers waite!) a hundred yeares:

As to the boundless waters of the Sea,
One Drop; or as to th' Sands Infinitie,
A Peeble is; soe (if it soe much be)
A thousand years are to Eternitie.

Therfore God Patient is, & doth dispence
Aboundant Mercy in his præscience.
He saw Man's frailtie, did Commiserate
His Miserie. Man but forbears to hate
(If soe) his Neighbour, and 'tis Charitie,
He thinkes, Sufficient. If our God should be
Rigorous to Mankind, who, what flesh could stand?
But as in all, soe Mercy at his hand
Is Infinite; to All as vnto one,
(If they implore,) without Distinction;
He doth rebuke, Correct, & Teach, as doth
(But with a Heauenly care) the Sheepheard (loath
To see) his straying flocks revert their course
To his owne Downes; soe Hee, he hath remorse
Vnto the Humble; loves the Penitent,
And those who in his worke are diligent.

Let not thy Manners blemish thy good Deeds;
Give gladly of thy store to him that needs,
Without a Taunt. Doth not the dew allay
The violence of Heat? soe alsoe may
A word remunerate, & sometimes more
Then will thy gift; hap'ly then all thy store:
I, 'tis of value more; but Equall these
Proceede from Iustice; only fooles not Cease

T' vpbraid Povertie; & the froward Eye
Of Envie grudgeth his owne Charitie.

Know ere thou Speake; & take the Cordiall
To prevent Sicknes; In-antidotall
Protraction, makes it; Ere the Day be yet
Of Iudgment, trye thy Soule & open it;
That in the Day, the Day of visitation,
God may looke on thee wth Propitiation.

Be ever humble, lest at vnaware
Sicknes surprise thee; let noe Time deferr
Thy Penitence: Let, let noe vaine delay
Hinder thy vow, wch thou hast yet to pay.
Labour, while 'tis now Day; doe not Suspend
Thy Reformation to the Last, thy End.
Pray, but prepare thy selfe readie to Pray;
Precogitate thy vowes; & doe not Say
“From a fantastick humor, what will rise;
“Such vaine Hypocrisies, doth God despise.

“Thinke (in securitie,) the Day will come
“Of wrath, when thou shalt vndergoe the doome
“Of Heaven. Remember, sated, there may be
“A Time of Hunger. In prosperitie
“Forget not penurie; for, (ah) how soone,
Ere morneing-Sun attaine the height of Noone,
Strange alterations! but the shortest thought
Of Time sufficient is, when God has brought
His Power to Act. A wise Man will observe
A rule of Order, Time, and still preserve

His Soule vnspotted, in the Day of Sin;
But fooles Consider neither how nor when.
A Wise Man taketh Wisedome from the tongue
Of other Men; and gives, as doth belong,
Glory to him, & praise to what he said;
Allowes Equallityes, and therby, made
In himselfe stronger, can now vtter things,
High things, of Wisedome. Curbe the wandrings
Of thy vnbridled will; let thy desires
Fall to thy Nobler Reason, which aspires,
Nere to perfection. If thy Soul, vncurb'd,
Run in thy follies, solace vndisturb'd,
Vnder the shade, vnder the spreading shade,
Of fond affections; then thou art betray'd,
A Scorne to such as hate thee. Never be
A Skillfull Glutton; let not Luxurie
Soe farre inthrall thee, to preiudicate
Thee by the Wasting of thy owne Estate.
'Tis too too costly fin! Oh, Moderate
That sensuall folly when 'tis not too late;
Lest to thy selfe thou fall, & falling, Dye,
And Dye, forgotten but to Infamye.

XIX. Chap. xix.

Hee who doth earne his liveing in his Sweat,
And is a Drunkard, certaine shall not get
Riches at all; and he who small things shall
Not value, will even by those littles fall.
Wine, and the allurements of the weaker Sex

Subvert the Wisest; but he who doth prefix
A Ioy in sinfull Woemen, to his thought,
He shall be Reprobate, & fall to nought;
He shall be worne with ranke Infirmities,
Corrupt, and made Exemplar to the Eyes
Of other Men; Contagion in his Breath;
Fear waits him liveing, Horror at his Death.
The Credulous, the Easie Credulous,
Is of a wauering soule, & what he does
Of Sin, is 'gainst his owne soule. Who delights
In wickedness shall fall; but the vpright,
Whose soule despiseth pleasure, he shall be
Crown'd in his daies, with true felicitye.
“He that can curbe and Moderate his tongue
“Shall live in Peace, & from contention
“Be still exempt. Doe not at all rehearse
“What thou hast heard from others, & thy fears
“Shall neuer multiply; Whether it be
“Vnto thy bosome freind, or Enimie,
“Descant not vpon others, nor reveale
“His Life, or Manners, to detract at all;
“For he will heare it, and to thy disgrace
“(Soe times may vary) he will read thy Case.
“If thou hast heard of ought 'gainst any Man,
“Let it Dye with thee, vtter 't not againe.

A Foole is full, and laboureth with a word,
As Woemen that bring forth; even as a sword
Or Dart infixéd, Mortall, it shall rest
A Torment to the Foole in his owne Breast.

“Advise thy freind, it may prevent his Crime,
“And rectifie his life; admonish him,
“Hap'ly he yet not said it; or it may
“Prevent to Itterate what he did say;
“Still be a freind and giue thy freind advise;
“ffor many times a slander may arise.
“Trust not to every Rumor; he may be
“Belied in Malice, wrong'd iniuriouslye.
“The tongue may wander often, when the heart
“Is innocent, not guilty to a part.
“For who? what Man of Earth can vindicate
“What he hath Spoken? Whose Tongue neuer yet
“Hath beene Irregular? Reprove, but Spare
“To threaten any Man; and let thy Care
“Be to the law of God; to feare him right
Is the first Step of entrance to his Sight:
For this is Wisedome; This shall gaine his Love.
The Notion of his Law doth make Man move
In the bright Sphœre of Life; & happie they
Who not transgress his Law, but doe and say
Things to his pleasure congrous; they shall be
Blest in the fruit of Immortalitie.
The feare of God is fullnes; in it, is
The Law performéd. If a servant rise
Obstinate to his Master, and denys
To performe his Commands, yet, happilye
Vpon a second thought, doe it, shall not
The Master frowne, & haue a troubled thought?
Wicked Experience neuer maketh wise;

Nor to be frequent at the Priuacies
Of Sinfull Counsell shall a Man attaine
Discretion. There is a Sin shall gaine
A Curse for ever; and there is a foole
Defective to the point; yet ev'n that foole,
If he feare God, is better, ten times better,
Then a Wise Man, if he transgress the letter
Of God's Eternall Law. There is a Witt
Of Subtletie, pregnant & Exquisite,
Which Sinners have; in like, there is one Wise,
Whose Life is Iust. There is, who hangs his Eyes,
Seeminge disconsolate and penitent,
But his heart nothing less; his browes are bent
In Sullen wrinkles, & can faine him Deafe
To all thou saiest; yet, ere thou perceiue,
Hee will lay hold on thee, and though he be
Not able then to doe thee Iniurie,
Yet at the Time he shall. A Man may be
Knowne by his looke, & he of Prudencie
Is by the Face discoueréd. The Attire
How it is fitted, and the riseing higher
Of foolish Passion, and the outward Iest;
These please the Man, & these express him best.

XX. Chap. xx.

There is Rebuke; but 'tis beyond Rebuke,
Which turnes to Wrath; advice should neuer looke
With angry Eyes. There is who can containe,
And he is Wise. 'Tis better to be plaine

And give a faire reproofe, then to Maligne.
He that Confesseth Sin shall have a Digne
And full Reward; he shall not Suffer in
His guilt, nor fall beneath the weight of Sin.
As when an Eunuch burnes to satisfie
His Lusts in wrack of some virginitie;
Soe, soe Imperfect, doth that Iudgment stand
When will pronounceth, ffury doth Cōmand.

How good a thing 'tis to be Penitent
After reproofe! soe shalt thou not assent
To Sin of Coustome. Some are slow to Speake,
And provéd Wise; Another, he will breake
Madly at all, e'ne to his owne Disgrace;
And some Man silent is, because he has
Not vnderstanding; and another, he
Stayes till he find fitt oportunitie;
Soe will the truly wise; but Idle heads
Observe noe time, but as blind folly leads.
The Babler is a Treacher to his Soule,
And he whose vaine Ambition takes the sole
Seat to himselfe of Honour, shall not be
Secure in what he has. How happilye
Designes of mischiefe prosper! but the Thing
Found (a clear Treasure) doth not alwaies bring
Its benefit entire; there may accrue
A triple Damage in accounts of Due.
Not everie guift behoofefull, some there are
Repayed double. Some man doth impaire
His proper Glorie in a faire pretence,

But 'tis to gaine his name more excellence;
Another, he pure in humilitye,
Whose reall vertue gaines him Dignitie.
Some Man for Small, doth purchase much & boast
His happie pennyworth, ere he know the Cost,
To be repaied seven times. A wise man shall
In his Discourse, gaine the Applause of All;
But the vaine follies of the ignorant
Shall be his Shame for ever. Doe not want
Profitt in a foole's guift. Let not the Strong
Ret'ricke of Envie, press a bounty on
Thy Easie Nature; for his petty thing
Engageth thee, and doth not seldome bring
Seavenfold encrease; in broken sentences
He will vpbraid thee, for his Courtesies;
His Mouth glowes as a fire, he will, today,
Lend voluntary, but he calls to pay
The Morrow after, to thy preiudice:
But such a Man is hatefull to the Eyes
Of God & Man. The foole shall have noe freind;
His goods availe him not, for he doth Spend
His bread to Schycophants: How oft! how oft!
And by how many shall his name be Scoft!
For though he live in an aboundant Store,
He wants the vse, & therfore is but poore.
Safer to fall precipitate among
Disordered stones, then wander with the Tongue;
Soe wander the vnwise. A precept shall
(If spoken by a foole) to nothing fall;

For he considers neither Time nor Place,
How it may come for Honour or Disgrace.
Poverty hinders, want wth holds from Sin,
Els the desire is good to many Men;
Yet such (ev'n for their wishes) when alone
Shall have vnquiet Soules. Another one
In his owne folly hurts his Soule, to be
Familiar with the great ones. Courtesie
Inviteth some to promise to a freind;
Failing in which he gaineth at the End
An Enimie. How shamefull is a Lye
With any Man, yet is it frequently
In a foole's Mouth. Better of the two ills
A Thrift is, then a Man who daylie fills
His Lips with falshood; but the portion
Shall be to both, Death & Destruction.
A Lyar is vniust of Soule, and beares
His shame still with him, but the wise man reares
Trophies of Honour to himselfe, in what
He vtteréd, and pleaseth men of State.
The carefull husband seldome wanteth bread,
But ioyes himselfe in the encrease he had,
From gratefull Soyle. He that doth live vpright
Shall be exalted. He who doth delight
Great Men, shall mittigate his owne offence.
Rewards & Guifts obscure the nimble Sence
Of the most Wise, & binds the rageing Iawes
Of Iustice, though to violate the Lawes.

Wisedome conceal'd & Treasure vnder barres
What profit is in either? It appears
More worthy in the Ignorant to be
Silent, then when a sound abilitie
Warrants Expression. Patience shall be crown'd,
But him of stubborne Soule will God confound.

XXI. Chap. xxi.

Hast thou beene thralléd to the bonds of Sin?
Quit thy Captivities; serve not agin
Soe hard a Bondage, but repent in Time
Which was mispent, that for thy former Crime
Thou maiest remitted be; fly, fly away
From Sin, as from a Serpent; if thou stay
Too neare, it will devoure thee as the Iawes
Of hungry Lyons, prompted by their Mawes;
Such are the Tooth of Sin, strong to devour
The Soules of Men, with an insatiate woure.
Sin is a two-Edg'd Sword, which gives a wound
Mortall to Death, and cannot be made sound.
Contention is a Canker which doth wast
The greatest store. The haughty shall not last
For ever glorious; but the poore man's Praier
Shall have accesse to the Eternall Eare;
He shall avenge his cause. Who doth despise
Reproofe or Councell standeth in his dies;
But he whose Soule is season'd wth a feare
Of holy Things, his Conscience shall be cleare

And vpright ever. The proud Orator
And Subtle-Tongu'd Man, may be knowne a-farre
Vpon his Tiptoes; but the truly Wise
Sees when he falleth. He whose buildings rise
From others' ruines, laboureth as doth he
Who gathers stones his sepulture to be.

The Assembly of the wicked are as flax
Wrappéd together; and their End shall wax
As an vnquenchéd fire. How plaine, how smooth
Seemeth the way of Sinners, as he doth
Repair it! but, alas, 'twill not prevaile!
'Twas but Hypocrisie; the End is Hell,
Horror, & Torment. He can governe best
His Life & Manners, who doth only rest
To the Eternall Word; for holy feare
Encreaseth Wisedome. He can never beare
The yoke of Discipline who is not wise.
There is an vntaught Wisedome whence shall rise
The gall of Bitternes: but he shall be
The truly wise, encreast aboundantlye
In Knowledges like swelling Torrents; and
His Councells permanent shall ever stand,
Like a pure Spring of Life; as an vnsound
And Leakeing vessell shall the foole be found;
Ev'n to his heart, vncapable and weake
To apprehend the sayings wife men Speake.

A wise Man will allow another's word
Of Truth & wisedome; praise it, & afford
What ere he can t' encrease it; but the foole,

He values nought, detracts, and gives a Scoule,
In Scorne of Wisedome; he allowes nought good
But what he Spoke, & Noe Man vnderstood.

How tedious is the Tongue of Ignorance,
And hard to bear! but there is Excellence
In what the wise man vtters; how intent
The People are! how throng they to frequent
The place where he shall Speake! & treasure all
He spoken has, that not a word shall fall.
As is a house laied in her Ruines low,
Wisedome vnto a foole is ev'n soe;
And what he knowes, (if he know ought at all)
He vtters without order, as 't shall fall.

As fetters to the feet, or stricter bonds,
Clapt furiously, & Ioynted to the hands,
Soe to a foole Instruction is; a foole
Will stretch his Lungs, & let his Passion roule
In the rude garbe of Laughter, when he Speaks;
But the Wise Man discoursing, hardly breaks
A Simile in Secret. Learning doth adorne
A wise Man more then all the Iewells worne
By Princes at a Tryvmph. The rash foot
Of folly presses in to Strangers, but
A wise man knowes to visit, and will be
Strict to his honour; the vntaught will see
At every Chink or Crannie to the house,
But the well educate will not doe thus.
Illiterate folly listens at the doore,
But the wise Man will scorne soe poore

An Act, foe worthles of him; he will be
Troubled to thinke of such Indignitye.
A forward tongue will please to vtter things
Impertinent, but (loe) the Wise Man brings
His words to purpose. In their Mouth the heart
Of fooles is ever, but a Wise Man's Art
Ioynes to heart his Mouth. Vngodly Men,
When they Curse Satan, vtter it agen
To their owne Soules. The Mouth of bitternes
And black detraction spitteth filthines
Vpon his owne Soule, lives Contemn'd by all,
And curséd to himselfe; But he who shall
Be slow to Speak, & of a perfect Mind,
Hee shall be praiséd; He shall honour find.

XXII. Chap. xxii.

What profit hath the sluggard but disgrace,
The stones of Scorne fall heavy on his face;
He shall be soiled in the vnsavory Slime
ffrom Dunghills gather'd; all Men yerne at him.

Children are blessings; but if ill, the worst
Of Miseries, to make a Father curst.
That Woeman brings a Dower Sufficient
Who bringeth Wisedome, the best Ornament.
Impudence is not proper to the Sex,
Nor Acts of boldness less; these shall perplex
The Soule, & stand the Iear of Infamie,
To Father, & to Husband Equallie;

Her Name shall be disgrace, & ev'n her freind,
Her nearest freinds, shall hate her, in her end.

As Sprightly Musiqe to the Sable Hearse
When Hearts are Sad, ev'n soe the Tale appears,
Vnaptly vtter'd: Wisedome doth direct
Words to the Season, with a due respect.
He that would teach the foole, his labour's lost
As he that glews a pottsherd, broke to dust;
Or he who calls a Man bound in the strong
Fetters of Sleep, to listen to his Tongue.

The vertue of a Child shall put away
The Infamye of Parents; but if they
Be haughty & vntaught, they are disgrace
(If Nobly borne) ev'n to the Noblest race.
As he who tells grave counsells, secret things,
To one asleep, soe laboureth he who Sings
To a rude Eare; for when the Tale is done
He askes the Matter, as if not begun.

“Weep for the Dead, for he hath lost the light;
“Weep for the foole, he vnderstands not right.
“Vnto the Dead let not thy greife be much,
“For he has gain'd his rest: but Life is such
“Vnto the foole, soe poore, soe deplorable,
“His Death is happines & profitable.
“Exequies to the Dead will but require
“Seaven daies; but for the foole, till he expire:
“His state is lamentable. Doe not partake
In conference with ffolly, neither make
Thy visits to the Ignorant, least thou

Be priuie to his Sin. Depart & goe
Far from his Dwellings; soe thou shalt have rest,
Nor shall the Noise of follie thee Molest.
What is soe Dull? what heavier then lead?
Only the foole is ev'n as Dull, as Dead.
Sand, Salt, & Iron, better are sustain'd
Then the vnwise, or him who hath profan'd
The Eternall God-head. As the ioynt doth make
The Building strong, of Timber, 'bove all Shake
Of violence to move it; Soe the heart
Which firmed is by what the Wise impart,
Fear cannot daunt: as Reeds vpon a Hill,
Or Cimment vnpreparéd, never will
A surly Storme resist, noe more a foole,—
Whose heart surmiseth dangers,—have the rule
Of his owne Passions, but gives way to fear,
And often falls in thought of what they were.

Who wounds the Eye brings tears, & likewise he
Who pricks the Heart brings forth the secresie.
A stone directed to 'em, feares the Birds;
Soe bitter Speeches violate the Cords,
The Cords of Amitie. If Madly rash,
Thou drewest a Sword against thy freind, to quash
His very Life, fear not to be atton'd,
And restored to his bosome. Hast thou Conn'd
What Envy can Imagine, Malice Speake,
Perfectly to thy lesson? & soe breake
To Scandall him? fear not, Implacable
Freindship can never be, vnless thou bable

Vniust reproaches, scornefull taunts, or be
Haughtie, beyond familiaritie;
Reveale his Counsells, or betray his Thought:
These beyond freindship are; & but these Nought.
Be firme, in the low Ebb of Povertie,
Vnto thy freind, that in Prosperitie
Thou maiest reioyce wth him; let not the Tide
Of Tribulation move thee from his side,
That thou maiest be with him, (& soe the more
As once in trouble) partner, now in store;
For Povertie is not Contemptible
In every Man; nor good, nor admirable,
Is a foole for his Riches. As doe rise
Vapours & Smoake before the fire flies;
Soe scornes, derisions, and opprobious words,
Presage some busines for blood-thirsty Swords.

I will defend the honor of my freind
As my owne safetie; nor will I discend
From him at all, although I suffer, I,
In him will vndergoe all Iniurie;
Let such as know it shun him; who shall keep
A Guard vpon my Mouth? or seal my Lipp
With Wisedome's Signet? that I suddenlye
Fall not by them nor my tongue mee destroy.

XXIII. Chap. xxiii.

O King of Heaven, whose Paternall care
Doth governe & direct the whole affaire
Of my Mortalitie; doe not desert

Mee to their Counsailes, neither let my heart
Assent to them. Who? who will rectifie
My cogitations? Who will Amplifie
My heart to Wisedome? that I never Speake
To give offence, that ffollies doe not breake,
That Sins abound not, that I doe not fall
Before my Enimie, who proudly shall
Insult vpon my weakenes;—hee whose heart
Contemneth thee. Oh! thou which ever art
My Father, and the God of all my Strength,
Leave mee not to their wills; quit mee at length
From the proud hands of ffollie; D'sdainfull Eyes
Give mee not (Lord), nor let proud thoughts arise
Wth in my bosome; all the loose affects
Of Lust & Pleasure, or what flesh respects
To Sensuality, Disperse as Dust.
O let mee never fall to my owne Lust;
Give me an humble heart, a prompt desire
To doe thy will; let Vanitie expire.
Heare, O you Children! listen to the Tongue
Of Truth, Zealous to give Instruction;
He who preserveth it, shall never fall
In folly of his Mouth; nor ever shall
His Life be Infamous. By his owne Lipps
The Sinner falls, & the Detractor Slipps
To Death, in his owne words; let not thy Mouth
Affirme by Swearing, matters of vntruth,
For in it many falls are; doe not make
Thy words more Efficacious to take

The holy One to record; doe not call
To witnes heaven nor Earth; swear not at all.
For as a servant often punishéd
Must beare a Scar, Soe who accoustoméd
His mouth to Oathes & Imprecations,
Shall not be Innocent. A Man who grones
In the Assidual Coustome to profane,
Shall be repleat with Sin; the Plague shall raigne
Within his walls, & when he shall offend,
Hee shall be gvilty, if he not repent;
The Sin is Double if he Swear in vaine;
Hee shall not be vnpunish't, but remaine
In roofes contagious. There is another Sin
To Death; God grant that it be never seene
In Iacob's Heritage; but they will shun,
Who feare the Lord, such profanation;
Vtter not foolish things wth a sweet tongue,
It gives to Sin pregnant occasion.

In seat of Honour, be not swolne too high
To forget Parents, lest th' Eternall Eye
Forget thee in their Sight; & the abuse
Of Place betray the foole beyond excuse;
Plung'd in despair, wishing thou hadst not beene,
Curseing the Day thy face was ever seene.
The Man of Scorne & of a bitter Tongue
Will never (though his Time were twice as long)
Be from his Sin reducted. There are two
Two sorts of Men Sinfull, and boldly goe

The beaten path; the Third produceth ire,
And selfe-perdition, as a glowing fire;
The insatiate Soule burnes till he shall Devour
Those who (vnluckie) fall into his Power.

Hee who adicts himselfe to wantonnes
Raiseth a fire, by frailetie of his flesh,
Gladding his thoughts, in all varietie;
Nor will he leave his Sin till he shall Die:

“Hee who doth violate the Sacred Vow
“Of wedlocke, thus surmiseing, who, ah, who,
“Shall see my Acts? am I not hemméd about
“With Clouds of Darkenes? can the Eye find out
“My Crime, Secur'd by a mighty wall
“As Diamond Solid, where all Sence must fall
“With repercussion, impenetrable?
“How may I wanton here? Tush! 'tis a bable
“And too too feminine to admit feare;
“Whom should I feare? Mortall not see mee here;
“Nor can suspect my loosenes, heauen's bright Eye;
“Bright as the Sun-beames, if wee multiplye
“Ten thousand times; yet brighter all his Crime,
“And in Securitie Discover him.

“Who sees the waies of all Men viewes the Deep
“And the Interior parts, how all things Sleep
“In humane breast; He who ere Time was, yet
“Knew all things, and now Modellizéd fitt,
“Sees with a carefull Eye; shall man b' exempt
“And seclude from his Knowledge? his Attempt
“Of Sin, for ever Safe? Noe, loe that Man

“Shall suffer; to the World shall madly run
As an vnbridled Colt, and fly for feare
When ere he thinkes he falls vnto the Snare;
Scornéd by Men, & in himselfe Deiect,
Because he did the Law of God neglect.

And soe th' adultrous woman; for she first
Hath disobeyed the Law, in that accurst;
Againe, she has, (to Bastardize his heires
And wrong Succession, for all his cares,
To bring a Bratt begot in Spurious Sin
From Stranger's loynes,) a foule offender bin,
Against her Husband; thirdly, to her selfe,
To wracke her Soule vpon the vgly Shelfe
Of black Adulterie; to prostitute
A sinfull Bodie for a shamefull fruite;
The People shall detect her, and her Sins
Shall suffer strict examinations;
Her Children shall not prosper, neither may't
Be that a Branch from her can propagate;
She shall Survive in a bespotted Name,
And Time shall never Raze her Sin nor Shame;
Only the Iust shall know the Benefitt
To feare the Lord; that nothing is more sweet,
Then to observe the Law; it is a Glorie
To feare God, whose guift is not Transitorye.

XXIV. Chap. xxiv.

Wisedome shall praise her-selfe in the hot Croud
Of People; she will lift her voice aloud;

She, in the Church of God shall Speake, and be
Inspir'd from Heaven; they shall Dignifie,
Ev'n they, the vulgar, what she did respire;
And Holy Men shall at her words admire:
She shall be precious with the Elect, & they
Who Blesséd are, shall Bless her; She shall Say

I did proceed from Heaven's Eternall Mouth,
Before all Creatures, and the Light which show'th
For ever radiant, in the heaven did Spring
From mee: as a Cloud overshadowing
The Earth, soe was I; my bright Mansion
Is in the height, and my Imperiall Throne,
Is in the Pillar of a Cloud; but I,
None has surround the Compasse of the Skye,
Nor walkt in the Abisse; I have alone
Ore Sea and Earth got the Possession;
Nations Submit; and by my vertuall Power
I have deprest the Haughtie, & the lower;
Thus sought I rest, and an Inheritance;
Soe the Creator (who doth all Dispence)
Gave me a Lawe, and rested in my Place,
My Place of Sanctitye; and thus he saies;
Inhabit Iacob, Live in Israel
And to my Chosen ioyne thy selfe, & dwell;
I was, ere yet the world in Embrion lay,
From all Eternitie, nor can decay;
I, I have serv'd him, in the Holy place,
Therfore in Sion I establish't was;
Hee gave repose to me, wth in the Mure

Of my Deare Citie; my Invictive Power
Was in Ierusalem; I fastned here,
In a great People; ev'n in the Deare
Inheritance of God; I am now set high,
Like on Mount Libanus, the Cedar Tree;
And as a Cypresse on the holy Mount,
Or like a Palme Tree, nourisht by a fount,
Am I Exalted; and I flourish Soe,
As doth a Rose-Plant set in Ierico;
As a faire Olive tree in a sweet feild,
Or a Plane Tree, to wch the Waters yeild
Prolificke strength; Soe, even Soe, am I
Exalted, even as great, as faire, as high;
I smel'd as Cinnamon, but sweeter farre
Then Aramaticke Balmes or Spices were;
I gave an odour as the Mirrhe prepar'd;
As Galbanum, Onix, or the richer Nard;
I have enricht my habitation
With fumes, as Incense; & my breath has gone
Fresh, as the bleeding Balme; Dispreden farr,
Farre as the Terebinth, my branches are,
And are the boughes of Honour; as the vine,
I propagated, have produc'd as fine
And rich a fruit, as fragrant to the Tast,
And my fflowers are (beyond the Vulgar plac't)
The Buds of Honour; I the Mother am
Of Amiable Love, & from mee came
Feare, Knowledge, Hope; in Mee alone, in Mee,
Doth stand the Grace of Life and veritie;

In Mee the hope of Sacred Things doth rest;
Come vnto Mee, if you would be possest,
And sate you with my fruites; my Memory
Is pleasant as the Honey, & my ffee
Is Sweeter then Virgin-Combes; it shall endure
The Memorie of Mee, for evermore;
They that Eate Mee shall more desire to Eate,
And they that Drinke Mee shall not Moderate
The heat of Thirst; who doth my words attend
Shall never fall by an vntimely End;
They that by Mee Worke, Sin not, nor shall they
Who publish Mee, fall over to decaye.

All these things vtter'd, stand as the bright Booke
Of Life, the Covenant wch God hath Spoke;
The Notion of the Truth, & the Strict Law
Moses Cōmanded, for a lasting law,
Vnto the house of Iacob; & the Deale
Of promises 'longing to Israel.

From Ishai's son, he did from Time ordaine
A Mighty King, that should for ever raigne;
He filleth all things with his wisedome, as
Phison, or Swelling Tygris, in the dayes
Of the new fruites; he maketh Knowledge rise
As the sweet streames of flowerie Euphrates;
Of Iordan's waters, in the Harvest-Time;
He doth reveale & make his Doctrine shine,
Of Knowledge, as the Light; & opulent
As Gehon, in the season of the vint.
The first Man never knew her perfectlye,

Nor shall the last attain't with Industrye;
For she is full as the vnbounded Sea,
And Intricate as paths of water be.

I, wisedome, haue giv'n Rivers where to glide,
I am a sluce of Waters, and I tide,
Ev'n as a River; I have Issuéd,
From Paradice, as waters from their head;
I said I will water my hopefull Plant,
And give my Meadowes Deaw, when they shall want;
And (loe) my brooke, now like a River ran,
My River swell'd to a vast Ocean.
I make my Doctrine shine, as doth the Light
Of the faire Orient, when she leaves the Night;
And Spreden far, I will the Centre view,
And places such as yet none ever knew;
I will behold all such as be asleepe,
And will illumine such as live & keepe
A trust to Heaven; yet, yet will I powre out
Doctrine; as Prophecie, to those who sought
Wisedome, I leave it; to perpetuall Ages,
I give it; loe then, to my selfe, but Equallye
To those that seeke Truth, in Posteritye.

XXV. Chap. xxv.

In those things have I pleasure, Consonant
To God & Man; Peace & a firme consent
'Mongst brothers; Love of Neighbours; & the yoke
Of Marriage kept Inviolate, not Broke,
By foule Dissention; likewise I abhorre,

In Soule, Three sorts of other Men: the Poore
Haughtie & Proud; the rich man who doth Speake
Frequent vntruthes; the Old Man, old & weake,
To love his Sin. If thou hast gather'd ought
In thy young yeares, Old, canst thou hope for ought?

How seemly is it in the Reverend haire
To give Instruction! Oh! how goodly faire
Is Counsell from Grave Men! How sweet a thing
To Eld is Wisedome! What doth Knowledge bring
To Men of honour? The Crowne to profit Age
Is full Experience, & the heritage
They leave behind; their honour & their boast
Is in the feare of God, t' adorne them most.

Nine thinges my soul hath iudgéd happie, and
The Tenth I will pronounce: 'tis this, A Man
That in his dayes hath Comfort in his Son
And sees his foes fall to Confusion.

Happie, and more then thrice, who doth reside
Secure in vertue of a Modest Bride;
Whose tongue offended never; who did Crouch
Never to any worthles of soe much.
Happie is he who finds a Loyall freind,
And he who speakes to Men that will attend.
How is he great that wisedome doth attaine!
Yet none more great then he whose thoughts retain
A Dread of Heaven; Splendrous, & in a height
Transcending all bright Iustice hath him sitt;
Blesséd then he, blesséd beyond compare,
Whose Soule is seasonéd wth a holy feare.

The feare of God doth first Initiate
Man to his love, & ffaith doth procreate
From his faire root. Of all, the greatest greif
Is of the heart; of Malice, 'tis the Cheife,
Wch raignes in woeman; give me Discontent
Any, but of the Heart; let Spleen be bent,
On mee by any, but (that more then Spleen)
The Malice of the weake & Feminine.
Any assault, save the assault of those
Who hate mee, any vengeance but of ffoes;
Noe head more wicked, more pernicious,
Then of a Serpent, more obnoxious;
Noe Anger then a Woeman's. Better far
Dwell with a Lyon, or where Dragons are,
Then with a perverse woeman; for her Sin
Changeth her face, & foiles her Count'nance in
A Despicable forme; as the sterne Beare,
Her husband sigheth, ere he be aware,
Conversing with his Neighbours: other Sin
Is poore & nothing to the feminine.

As an Asscent straw'd wth a slippery greet
Is Irksome to infirme & Agéd feet;
Soe a much-talking Woeman to the Mind
Of him whose thoughts are fix'd or will inclin'd.
Fall not to Beautie, nor the outward face;
Woeman, if Sinfull, sinneth to Excess.

A Woeman suffer'd, doth depress the heart,
Deiects the Eyes, & makes the mind to smart;

Benummes the hands, Enfeebleth the knees,
And not regards her husband's Miseries.

From Woeman Sin first came; in her All Die.
Give Issue to thy waters none, though high,
Noe not a little, nor at all allow
Freedome to an ill woeman; If she know
Not her Obedience in the publick Eye
Of all the World, & of thy Enimie,
Shee will Supplant thee; cutt her from thy Side,
Least she more wrong thee & thy wrongs deride.

XXVI. Chap. xxvi.

Happie the man who has a vertuous wife;
Double his yeares shall be, to bless his Life.
An honest Woeman is the Husband's Ioy,
Crowninge his Dayes with all felicitie;
A Dower Inestimable, wch shall be given
Only to such as feare the God of Heauen.
Be ffortune as it will, it cannot varie
His resolutions, he shall ever carry
A Face erected. Three things, to my heart,
Are terrible, and my Eyes revert
Against the Fourth: Treason in Citties bred,
A Publick Mutinie, and falshood made
The accusation; these are beyond Death.
A Woeman Iealous to her husband's faith
Is an affliction; by her hastie feares
Prompted, her tongue will speak it to all Eares.
A froward Woeman is like to a yoke

Of Sullen Oxen, each from other broke;
To him that hath her, as a Scorpion.

A Drunken Woeman & vncivill one
Is as a Curse, a Shame, she cannot hide
Her filthines; The Eyes and the Eye-lid,
Denote a Woeman's lewdnes. Naturallye,
If not thy Daughter be of Modestie,
Have a strict rule vpon her, least she may
In too much freedome, cast herselfe away;
Take heed to her whose Impudence doth speake
In her Eyes' Glasse; nor wonder if she breake
To give offence; as one, that by the way
Thirsteth, soe she will ope her mouth & stay
To drinke of every water; she will sitt
With open Quiver, for all Arrowes fitt.

A vertuous woeman doth Consolidate
Her husband, & her wisedome is as ffat
Vnto his Bones; a Woeman loveing Peace
And of an humble Spirit, is increase
From Heaven's full hand, beyond Comparison
Of value, if she have Instruction.
She whose desires are fixt in Modestie
Is double honour, & noe Wealth can be
Equall vnto her vertue; as the Sun,
When it ariseth to our Horizon,
In the high Court of Heaven; & not less Cleare,
Doth a good Woeman in her house appeare.
As the bright Lamp, which pious hands did fix,
To burne vpon the Holy Candlestickes;

Soe goodly is the beautie of the Face
In a ripe Age. As on a Silver base,
Rich Golden Columnes stand, Soe wth a Mind
Vntainted, ffeet of Innocence wee find.
The strong foundations layd vpon a Rocke,
Perpetuall are 'bove wind or Thunder's shocke;
Soe fixt doth vertue stand, & soe Immute,
With her whose thoughts are truly resolute.

My Son, be Continent; let not thy blood
Mixe shamefully, for an ignoble brood;
Let thy ffeilds flourish in vnborrowed Seed,
Trusting to thy owne worth; Soe shalt thou, Dead,
Survive wth Glorye, in a goodly race
Of Sons, to Image thee without disgrace.

Woeman (whose vertue is but Modestie)
Immodest, nothing viler; filthier she
Then scornéd ordure; but, whose Chaster brow,
Ne're fixt beyond the limits of her vow,
She stands her Sexe's honour, most her owne;
Adornes her Husband, wh a Splendent Crowne:
A Crowne of Ioy, a Crowne of full content,
To Speake him happie, & her Excellent.

A Sinfull Woeman is but Iustly given
A Yoke-fellow to him who scorneth Heauen;
But as a Blessing, from a blesséd hand,
She given is, whose vertues countermand
The loose Suggests of frailtie; in offence
A Wicked Woeman falls to Impudence.
The Modest, she whose Either Eye can Speake

Her Innocence, is ignorant to breake
A Syllable, or entertaine a Thought
Dissonant to the reverence she ought;
Her Husband is her Oracle, whose will
Stands alwaies to her reason; but in ill
Then she may safely Cancell & make void
Her vow to Man, wch is not Dissobeyed
In Observance of a stricter vow;
Thus she revolts, els never can allow
Soe much as thought to argue; & her Name,
In her Obedience, shall Survive to ffame,
Of precious worth; & to the gravest Eyes,
Her sweet Demeanour shall confirme her wise.

But she whose fancy hurryes her beyond
Her zeale to vertue, & infects her mind
With the black Sperme of Contradiction,
Preferring humour 'bove Affection;
She shall be Infamous, & every Eare
Will tingle at the Memorye of her.
A Clamant Woeman, or of many words,
Let her oppose against the thirsty Swords
Of threat'ning Enemies, for he, the Man
Resident with her, in his Spirit can
Not be at Peace; but Spend his tedious years
In doubts, Dissentions, & vnheard of feares.

My heart is troubled, & I can lament
Two things; the third makes me Impatient:
A Man whose actions merited iust Praise,
Suffer in want; the Disrespect to wise

And learnéd Men; & he who retroverts
To Sin againe; such to their owne deserts,
God marks for vengeance. To my tim'rous Soule,
These appeare Difficult; a man to hold
In the affaires of Trade & Merchandize
His will vncorrupt, & his Soule from vice;
The Newes-full Host to order soe his waies
He may be Iustified in what he Says.

XXVII. Chap. xxvii.

Many have Sinned, for empty hopes, to find
A triviall profit makes another blind;
Men rivet Sin in bargaine, as a Naile
Wth hammers, beaten fast into a Wall.
Vnless a Man be carefull to Live Iust,
His house will Drop away, & Dye in Dust;
As doth a Seive scatter the purer graine,
And can but only Orts' and Chaffe retaine;
Soe humane follies, openlye are seene,
When the black dregs, Embosom'd are within;
As fire proves the Clay, Soe words declare
The inward Soule, & seale Men what they are.
A well-drest Tree will bring an Early fruite,
And a full Soule cannot be Ever Mute.

Let not thy Tongue run in a forward praise
Of any Man, ignorant of his waies
And stranger to his words; if he impart
Wisedome in words, it may informe desert,

To thy opinion; for in this doth rest,
The only valid and Convinceing Test.

Thou shalt acquire Iustice, in the pursuit,
And put her on, as a vest, fairely wrought;
Thou shalt inhabite, in her glorious Tent;
She will be a Defence and Ornament,
To thee for ever; thou shalt stand Immute,
Beleagver'd round, with horrors, feare, & Doubt.

Birds keep in kind, & soe doth Truth resound
With glory to his Name, where she is found;
As waits the Næmean Lyon for his Pray,
Soe Sin attends the Sinner to betray.

Wisedome the words of holy Men doth Crowne,
But ffooles are variable as the Moone;
Ramble not thou with Idle Company,
But shunne their Meetings; vse wth frequencye
The learnéd Synods; what ffooles haue exprest
Provokes the Soule, they make their Sin, their Iest.

He, who to strengthen his discourse, can Mint
Flagitious Oathes, & vtter Confident,
In the bright Face of heaven, his Blasphemies,
With horror makes affrighted haire to rise;
Confounding Sence in his Contentions,
With Itterated Imprecations;
Murder attends the variance of the Proud;
Their words are quarrells, and their language loud.

He who reveales a trust, forfeits his Name,
Dyes vnbefreinded, & survives with Shame.
Be reall to thy freind, & let thy love

Fix thee not in the power of sate to move;
For know, if thou a part of Trust disclose
'Bove recantation, then he iustly goes;
For not a Man can greater harme inttend
An Enemie, than thou hast done thy freind.
As the vnwary hand, wch did containe
The late-tooke Bird, & let her goe againe,
Soe if thy rashnes violate his Trust,
He goes away, & is for ever lost;
Bootless to follow him, escapéd farre,
Tim'rous as the Roe broke from the Snare;
For he is thrill'd wth a Mortiferous Dart,
A Twi-forkt Iavelin doth divide his heart.

Wounds, by an Artfull hand may be made sound,
And Anger vnadvis'd may be atton'd;
But he who blabs the secrett of a freind,
Shame be his Portion, & despaire his end.
He that hath busie Eyes, his heart doth plott
Strange mischeifes; he yt knowes him will haue nought
With him at all to doe; for what he saies
Is but a glosse t' exuberate thy praise,
To thy owne Eares; but when he sees the Time,
He will vnsay, & make thy vertue Crime.
Many things have I hated, but none more
Then such a Man, for God doth him abhorre,

A stone sent vpright from a Synewie Arme,
Falls, as it went, vnto the Slinger's harme;
And he that striketh with the Cutting brond
Of fraud, doth not him selfe escape the wound,

In the deep pit wch he did whilome delve
For other's Ruine, shall he fall himselfe;
The stone wch he with a malitious heart
Laied for his Neighbour, shall himselfe subvert;
And the strong gen he for another sett,
Shall be a Snare t' entangle his owne ffeet.
Who worketh evill, it shall be his lot,
And he from whence & how it comes ignote.
Vncivill Speeches hang vpon the Tongue
Of a Proud Man, but vengeance staies not long;
They who their Soules madly Exhilirate,
To see the Iust Suffer in wayward ffate,
Shall not escape; Envy & wrath can neither
Be innocent; Sinners have both together.

XXVIII. Chap. xxviii.

Who thirsteth for revenge, shall vengeance find;
His Sin remaineth, to th' Almighty's mind.
Forgive thy Neigbour if he ill have done,
Soe God to thee will have Compassion;
How can Man blushles aske, or at all say't,
Forgive mee Lord! Who doth his neighbour hate?
To Man, his Equall by Creation,
Hee will not have the least Compassion;
And shall he aske?—by what vnknowne pretence,—
From Heaven, remission for his owne offence?
If he, but Mortall, doe his Neighbour hate,
Who shall to heaven, for his Sinnes mediate?

Forbeare dissention, Contemplate thy End;
Nor let thy Anger make thy Wishes tend
To a sinister path, in preiudice
Of a Man's life or fortunes; Take advice
From the Eternall Word, soe shall not thou
Burne inwardly, nor have a froward Brow
Against thy neighbour; weigh God's ordinance,
And thinke another's Sin his Ignorance.

Forbeare dissention, and thou shalt Decline
From many Sins, and mitigate thy Crime;
For Anger only Seeketh Variance.
Perfidious Sinners breed a Difference
'Mongst freinds, & sow the Seeds of dire debate
In quiet feilds, with Men who know not hate.

As is the ffuell, soe the ffire doth rise,
And as he is in State or Dignities,
Soe Man is Angry: as he growes in Store
Hee swells in Anger, and offendeth more.

A suddaine fury & rash-vtter'd words
Kindle a ffire; and inconsiderate Swords
Easilye brings bloodshed, but the fraudulent
And froward Tongve has Death Concomitant.
The Sparke shall fflame, or vtterly Expire
At thy owne likeing; Blow, 't will be a ffire;
Suppress it now, and Quench it ere it rise
Into a flame, how Easilie it Dies!
“Abhorr the Mouth of Slander & the Tongve
“Of ffraud, for such have brought Destruction
“To Brothers: Many men are dispossest

“Of their Inheritance; Citties Suppres't;
“Extirp't Nobility, and laid in Dust
“Even with their Walls, the honours they could boast;
“Not Kings are free, Envy can strike the Throne
“Of Monarchs, and Subvert a Nation;
“What can it not? even vertue 'twill defame
“And Spew detraction on a Spotless Name.

Who wanders in her waies shall never spend
One houre of Ioy, but see a hatefull End.
A rod will raise the flesh, but words hurt more,
Grindinge the Bones, and makes the Entrailes Sore.
“Many have fal'ne, by the hand of ffate,
“Or to an Arme Victorious, or the Hate
“Of his Vowed Enimie, whose ffurie hath
“Noe Satisfaction, but in Blood and Death;
“Many have perish't thus, but Envie's word,
“By Oddes, outvies the slaughter of the Sword.
Thrice happie he, exempt from envy's Breath,
Who never fell the obiect of her wrath;
And happie he, who never yet knew how
To brave the Yoke, or did the fetters know.
As Iron is the Yoke, to Gall the Necke
The Gives are Brasse, and difficult to breake;
The Death is Death Eternall, Hell may be
Accounted Blisse, to its Eternitie;
The Iust Man shall not know it, nor receive
Warmth from her flames, in all he has to live,
But stubborne Sinners to her waies shall turne,
Shall kisse her flame, and in her furnace burne.

As the fierce Lyon from his cunning ward,
It shall Surprise him; as the Vorant Pard,
It shall destroy them. Circumdate thy land
With hedge of thorne, & let thy reason stand
A barre vnto thy Mouth, thy store of all
Treasure together; and let noe word fall
To losse but trye it; curbe thy forward tongue,
Lest falling soe, thou suffer in the strong
Devices of thy ffoe, even to the Death,
Past all recure, to his inveterate wrath.

XXIX. Chap. xxix.

Hee that doth lend his Neighbour of his Store,
Doth a good worke; and he that hath the Power
Over himselfe, and Masters soe his will
As Truth directs, he shall be perfect still.
Supply thy neighbour's wants, when ere they 'fall,
And keepe thy Day of payment without Call.
Observe thy word, be reall to thy freind,
That in thy need thou maiest like favour find;
Some, what they Borrow, value not the lest
Of proper Substance, but a Clear acquist;
Till they obtaine, their words are smooth as Oyle,
They can frame Langvage, and put in a smile,
To insinuate the more; and kisses pay
Vpon the hands: none soe submisse as they;
But when the Day now comes they should restore,
They vrge delayes, they can nor will the more,
Till such a time; and when that Time is come,

They or pay none, or paye but halfe the Summe,
Although in State; and that they count their owne;
But if the whole be prest they pay or none,
Or if they Doe, rude Clamours, Cursings loud,
Mingle incessantly; pay ill for good.

This a maine Obstacle, I oft have knowne,
To Mercye in this kind, lest of their owne
They might defrauded be; not but they would
Gladly have Spar'd it to their neighbour's good.

Yet be thou gracious, & Commiserate
Wthout delay, the humble in Estate;
Because Heaven bids it, give the poore releife,
And be not haughty, to incense his greife;
Value not money, but forgoe thy treasure,
To Doe thy Brother or thy Freind a Pleasure;
And let it not be vseless in thy Chest,
To thy owne preiudice; thy Interest
Shall Double be, if, as Heaven bids, thou give;
Soe shalt thou, Crown'd with Plenty, ever live.

Let not the Sun be privy to thy Almes;
That thou maiest ride vpon the gentle calmes
Laid vp in heaven's bright Caskett, 'bove the Seisure
Of vniust violence; where they're repaid
Wth treble Interest, and satisfyed,
For every Drachma'; they shall rise
As rampires to withstand thy Enemies.
The Target of a Gyant is not proofe,
His weapons worthless are; this shall beare off

Ten thousand Iavelins, & more wound thy ffoes
Then the Keene Sword with strong-redoubled blowes.

The Iust man will engage his owne estate
To his freind's wants, but Sinners follow ffate:
Doe not forget him who was once thy bond:
His Name, his ffortunes, & his Life, he pawn'd
For thy Recoverie; Soe the wicked live,
Ingratefull for the good they did receiue;
They nor remember love, in that Degree,
Nor can be drawne in for Securitie,
With any freind; some, happily, will say
It shall be paid, who never meanes to pay.

Yet know wth all, how vast Estates have beene
Wasted; how long & good discents have seene
A Period to their honours; & their boast,
Their house & heritage, for ever lost,
By rash Credulitie, & the vaine Court
Of strangers, only strong in their support.
A wicked Man shall fall to every bond,
And busie heads in their owne doubts are drown'd.
Help every Man, but let thy freind Command,
Thy very vttmost; stretch a readie hand
T' vphold him tott'ring; but wth all be wise;
See, thou fall not to make thy neigbour rise.
These are the necessaries which bested
Cheifly a Life: water to Drinke & Bread
For ffood & sustenance, Raiment to hide
The Nakednes, & place where to bide.

How sweetly doth the Poore Man spend his Dayes
In a low Cell! wth what Content, what peace!
Hee seeth & looketh at the Royall Throne
With admiration; but he likes his owne
Vnwearied State; he can heare a story
Of State or Greatnes, and allow the Glory,
His wonder; he may tast, perhaps, the Cates
Wch store the boards of wanton Potentates;
But has a Ioy, wch greatnes seldome knowes,
In his owne Cottage; his vntroubled browes
Can rest Secure, vpon a bed of Hay,
And please his Appetite, even as to Day
The same to Morrow; homelye Nourishment
But wholesome ffood, full in a true Content.

And soe Content thy selfe wth thy Estate,
Little or much, least thou incurre the hate
And scorne of Men; Oh! 'tis a Miserie
(Not Povertie,) but scornéd Beggerie.

What Taunts, what Calumnies, from every Tongue,
Fall there; nor canst thou vindicate thy wrong
To stranger Eares; thou shalt be revil'd
By every tongue, even by the ffoster'd Child
Of thy owne Charity; he, he shall say,
Wait on my Table, give my ffreind here way,
Thou abiect groome; my Brother comes to-night,
Depart my house! These Scornes will vex the Spright
Of the most wise, and make his entrailes burne,
To Sowe soe ill; for Love to gather Scorne.

XXX. Chap. xxx.

Hee that doth love his Son with true affection,
And hopes for ioy, will give him oft correction;
The Severe ffather shall a Comfort find
In his son's Manners; strict, but not vnkind;
Who adds to Nature's Strength, the helpes of Art,
With letters & Instruction, greives the heart
Of Enemies, but gives a full content
To freinds, in his son's government;
Who, though his Father Die, he soe shall live
The World will say, he doth in him survive;
His ffather liveing had a ioy in him,
And Dy'd content to leaue soe faire a stem;
Who shall oppose his Enimies, & meet
His ffreinds with Equall Love & noe Deceit.

Hee whose indulgence carries him beyond
The care & rule he ought, hath partly ioyn'd
Himselfe an Accessarie to the Crime
His Son Committeth, in forbearing him.

As an vnmanag'd Horse, whose prouder back
Nere knew a Rider, scorneth now to take,
Now in his Pride, his gvidance from a hand,
Or strong, or skillfull, but Doth Chafing stand;
Ev'n soe a Child, who hath not knowne the Awe
Of a strict Rule, now come to Yeares, will know
Reverence noe more, but follow his owne will
And multiply thy feares, if thou, more Child,
Follow thy Son—in the fantastick waies
Youth can invent,—to partake in his plaies

And wanton ffollies; thou shalt one Day know
This ffreedome thy owne greife, his overthrow.
Let not thy smiles approue his action
Of Wildnes, Comely; lest thou one day grone
In Soule to see th' Effect; Curbe the feirce bent
Of headstrong youth, & spare not punishment;
Restraine him now a Child, & for his good,
Let him smart in Correction, by the Rod,
Lest he grow haughtie, & thy Rule disdaine
After few yeares shall flatter him a Man.
Give him instruction, & to his offence
Vrge noe excuse, but let thy diligence
See every blemish; & not, madly blind,
Winck at those follies all the world can find;
Least thou, too late, repent, & have the shame
Of his disorders to fall on thy Name.

“Better, oh better, far, a poor man's state,
“Perfect in health, & pleaséd in his fate,
“Then the Rich Man, infirme; for all his store
“Is worthles, to the treasure of the poore,—
“A Mind & Bodie perfect: nought beyond
“A Bodie strong, & of composéd mind.
“Better to die at once, then draw the breath
“Of Sorrow, to adiourne a Liveing Death;
“Better the Peacefull Vrne, a place of rest,
“Then Life, to live in Miserie opprest.

Knowledge concealéd in a Sullen heart
Is, as to dead Men, Meat; of what desert

Is Incense, to an Idoll, void of Sence
To tast thy Victim, or thy ffrankincense?

Soe doth the Sinfull Man; his Eyes can see,
His Soule is troubléd in anxietie,
As the Imperfect Castrate, who doth Lye
Groneing, to see vntouch't virginitye.
“Admit noe cause to let in Melancholly,
“Nor vex thy Soule to Descant thy owne folly;
“A ioyfull heart is humane happines,
“And Mirth preventeth ffate, in the encrease
“Of many yeares. To Summe vp all, content-
“full with glad daies, wh Peace drawne out, & Spent.

“Most love thy Soule, Exhilirate thy hart,
“With holy ioy; let needles fears depart,
“And Sorrow die; for bitternes of Mind,
“Many repent, none ever good could find;
“It doth destroy Man in his Springing Prime,
“And brings deiected Age, before the time.
Honour neglects these moods, but soe doth live,
That his owne ffortunes all content can give.

XXXI. Chap. xxxi.

Insatiate Avarice makes thy bodie faint,
Disturbs thy Mind, ev'n to the greatest want
Of humane being, Sleep; his dreams are broke
With soudain ffears, like to Distemper'd folke.
The Rich Man's Industrie is to get more,
And sees his labours prosper in his store;

The poor Man labours too, but to Subsist,
And when he leaves, his state is not encreast.

He is not Iust who doth his Gold admire,
And he who seekes to sate his owne desire
In transitorie Ends, and doth attend
Corrupted dross, shall, as he seeketh, find.

Many have fallen to Death in Avarice,
Tane by the Shine of Gold, with ravish't Eyes:
It is a block, Mortalls may fall before it,
Fall to the Death; & ever ffooles adore it.

Blesséd is he whose wealth is not his Sin,
Whose Actions blameless are, who ha's not bin
Slavéd by lucre, nor affiéd his Rest
In Gold, or any thing which he Possest.

Who, who is he? wee will empaile his Browes
With Chaplets, & his Name shall be to vs
A Memorie for ever; he hath beene
A Glorie, more then Time hath ever seene;
Who has beene tryed, who has the exact scale
Of Iustice provéd, and he noe way faile!
But he a patterne, who has curb'd his will
When he had power; who good, might have been ill!
He shall be fixt in an inheritance,
And have the gen'rall vote of Excellence.

Art thou a gvest at the luxurious board
Of some quaint Epicure? with Dainties stor'd.
Breath not vpon it with the least delight,
Nor Say, fix here, Voluptuous Appetite!
Know then a naughty Eye can nothing be

Worse, it shall weep what ever thing it see;
Let not thy rambling Eye direct thy hand
To take the Dish, if it at distance stand;
Thinke he observes it by thee, he, the next,
On thy right hand, as all the rest are fixt;
Eate Soberly, & moderate thy Sence,
To civill breeding; make it noe pretence,
Another's gluttonie, to thy Excesse;
Nor let thy hand 'fore others, rudely presse.

How little! ah, how little, might suffice,
(And to more Sanitie) the Sober wise!
Noe noisome fumes, the fruites of Surfetting,
Shall rise t' offend thy Sence, nor paine shall wring
His Gutts or Stomach; he shall find his sleep
Blesst, in the Rule his temperance did keep;
He rises, when the shades of night are gon,
And finds himselfe in disposition;
But to the Glutton, Sleeps are never long,
His Stomach rageth, & his Gutts are wrong.

If th' art compell'd to Eate, & Eate beyond
Sobrietie, rise, vomit, if thou find
Thy selfe or'e-charg'd, then find a place to Sleep;
This, from diseases, shall thy Bodie keep.

My Son, doe not reiect what I shall now
Speake, & one day thou shalt my councells know,
Of profitable vse; let thy workes bee
Done with a Quicknes, to keep Sanitie.
The hospitable Man shall have a praise
From everie Tongue, to bless him in his Daies;

Not soe the Niggard, he shall have his Name
Curséd, & to the world survive with Shame.
Strive not in Wine for worthles victorye,
For many soe have fal'n to Miserye;
The forge doth prove the temper of the Steele,
Soe Wine to Excess, his secrets doth reveale.

Wine taken Soberly doth adde to health;
And as from first ordain'd, (not for the filth
Of luxurie) exempts the hart from care,
Brings an alacritie of Soule, a rare
And purgéd ffancie; doth inspire a strong
And active Genius, gives the falt'ring Tongue
A Cleare Expression, & doth breath a flame
To inrich Stupiditie, & create a Name.

But to Excess, what horrid Crimes attend!
Loud Execrations, Quarrells, & doth lend
Sometimes, an vncouth valour; wch may bring
A late repentance, in the suffering.

Differ not with thy freind, hott in his Wine,
Neither deride his Mirth; if he encline
To follie, blame him not, nor Itterate
Harsh language to encrease & stirre debate.

XXXII. Chap. xxxii.

Art thou Cheife-Ruler, by the Common voice
Elected? let not thy forgetfull Eies
Disdaine them now, who were thy Equalls late;
Governe with care, neglect the forme of State,
Allow a civill ffreedome, that thy Name

May have a suffrage by the vote of ffame;
Speake, thou art Sage, for it becomes thee best,
Speake by advice; let Musique grace the ffeast;
Be Silent in a noisefull presse; Beware
Thy Wisedome take a time to everie Eare.

As the greene Emerald, (whose embellishing
Came by the workeman's hand,) plac'd in a Ring,
Or the bright Carbuncle, (whose wondrous flame
Pussles the skillfull Lapidare to Name,)
Set for more Ornament (rough but ere while)
In Golden stud, with a tra'lucent foyle;
Soe at a ffeast appeares the Sprightly Quire
Of Artfull Musicke, which doth lend a fire
To the dull Sence of Rapture; doth present
A noble mirth, with gracefull Ornament.

Attend, & doe not interrupt the Storie
Of any Man, & it shall be thy Glorie.
Thou art but younge, be sober; not vnkind,
Not silent, where th' art vrg'd to Speake thy mind;
Yet let not trifles move thee, but advise
The Motives reall & thy Councell wise;
Let every word Speake matter; Labour more
To be sententious then an Orator;
Appear as ignorant in many things,
And varnish it with vnapt Questionings:
In Ignorance, be wise; seem t' apprehend
High Knowledges; be silent & attend,
Soe shalt thou hide thy want, & be as one
Who knew their wisedome, yet has nothing knowne.

'Tis wisedome to hide weakenes; be not vaine
Comparatively, with the Nobleman,
To boast thy selfe; & let the speaking Mouth
Of Sage antiquitie restraine thy youth.
Lightning præcedes the Thunder, (to our sence)
Soe to Humilitie is Excellence.

Rise, & take Ciuill congee, not the last;
Goe home, & recreate thy mind, as best
Shall be agreeing; please thy ffancie in
Thy vndertakeing, & beware of Sin;
But above all, as more then all thy rest
Praise thy Creator, who thy Life has blest.

They that fear God, will doe as he hath taught
And he will give a blessing, where 'tis sought;
The Iust Man's Actions Speak his heart Sincere,
To goodnes, in Religion, & ffeare.

The Hypocrite doth holines professe,
But in the inward Soule is nothing less;
His words deceive: the show of Sanctitie,
But none in heart more fraudulent then Hee.
The Iust Man shall be iustified, his Name
Shall be as perfume to the holy flame.
Sin is perverse; & Sinners will devise
A thousand Shifts for their Impieties;
Wisedome will take advice, but Sinners never
Are daunted, but in wickednes persever.

My son, advise thy Actions, soe the Lott
Of ffooles shall 'scape thee; late repentance gott
By desperate hazard: goe not for the nonce

Into a way pesterd & fill'd with Stones;
In the smooth way thou dost not stand secure,
How less in stones? & every stone vnsure.

“Instruct thy Children, & be serious
“In private duties, over thy owne house;
“Doe good workes well; this is Cheife, the Summe
“Of all the Law, Fear God; thou shalt become
“Iust to the Letter, and surviue with Ioy,
“In thy owne Peace, to Peace Eternallye.

XXXIII. Chap. xxxiii.

The iust shall see good dayes, & be secure
Guarded by Heaven, from Sin, or sinfull power;
A Wise Man will be iust, will keep the Law;
The Hypocrite doth variously draw
And suffers in his doubts, as in a Storme
A Ship, wth Crazy Keele & Canvas torne;
A Wise Man walkes precisely to the word,
Secure in goodnes, vpon heaven's record;
Weigh first the Question, & with sound advice
Answere to purpose, without fallacies;
As a Wheele whirles, or a rough Axell rolles,
Soe restles are the vnstai'd hearts of ffooles.

As the brave Horse doth breath a proud disdaine,
Without distinction, vnder any Man,
In heat of Spirit; soe the scornefull freind
Is vnto all, but doth to none intend.

Can humane reason tell, or can Art say,
Why this a bright, that a Cloudie Day?

Why Seasons are? & why the Sun doth range
Through heaven's blue pauement, constant in his Change?
God, only Wise, by his Eternall Will,
Gave the disposure, as they move in still;
Some for the seasons, some for solemne ffeasts,
Some to the Number, some for Sacred Hests.

All Men are Equall Earth; God did create
Adam at first from Earth, to humane State;
But in his Sons a diverse facultie:
Some foolish are, some Wise, some low, some high;
Some he selected, some he hath brought downe.
Some he hath blessed, some stand to his frowne.
As Potters, to their ffancy, mold the Clay
ffor vessells, this or that, or th' other way,
Soe Men, from Earth form'd, by the breath of heaven,
Subsist in strength, and have endowments given,
Of good or Evill; Life or Death, alike;
Sinfull or Iust, Insolent or Meeke;
Soe throughout all the Creatures thou maiest See
Things opposite, & either Equallye.

I, last of all, awake, as one doth run
To gather, when the vintage is quite done;
Yet (blest by Heaven) I find a full encrease,
And, as a Labourer, I have fill'd my presse.
Loe! not alone my labour was my gaine;
But I have wrought that others might attaine.
Heare me, O you purple-Clad Magistrates,
You civill Rulers, heare mee all Estates.

Give not thy selfe, a Thrall, vp to the Power
Of son, or wife, or Brother; nor endure
Him whom thy Soule hath chosen to dispose
Of thee, beyond thy selfe; & as of those
Will and affection, keepe thy owne Estate
To thy owne vse, lest thou repent it late;
Doe not Int'rest another, nor admit
Another's gvidance, if thou livest yet;
For better 'tis, Children to thee, should sue,
Then thou from them beg, what was once thy Due:
Be Iust in all thy Actions, that thy Peace
Be not disputed; and at thy decease,
When Nature doth, a due, thy Death demand;
Distribute thy Estate, with a glad Hand.

As Meat doth Maintaine strength, & blowes enforce
The Ass to labour, & performe his course
Of toyle, in mighty Burdens; soe to give
A servant, makes him labour, & thee Live;
If thou enioyne him labour, & exact
A strict survey, to account every Act,
Thou shalt be happie in him; but the Groome
Brought vp in Ease, doth Libertine become;
The stubborne yoke & the sharp whip doth make
A Bull's Neck plyant, doth his Choler slake;
Soe vse vntoward Servants; let them know
Correction, to make their proud Neckes bow;
Put them to labour; Idlenes, will teach
A thousand Lessons, els beyond their reach;
One sin is never single; & of All,

This is the Spring, the source this, where they fall.
See to thy servant's Labour, if he Stand
Obstinate, presse him with a stricter hand;
Let him know stronger Gives; yet moderate
Thy Iustice soe it turne not into hate;
Be not implacable nor furious;
But strict, & stretch not beyond rigorous.

Hast thou a Servant faithfull to thy will?
Strict in thy busines? timorous of ill?
Let thy Soule love him, and esteeme him Deare;
Thinke him the fruit of all thy former Care;
Respect him as thy Brother; for his hand
Is a Quick instrument in thy Command;
In thy affaires Equall necessitie
Require his care, e'ne to the want of thee;
Cherish him to his Merit; if vncivill,
For his good service thou reward'st him evill,
And he depart thy house, then wth the wind,
Thou maiest goe seeke him, but shalt never find.

XXXIV. Chap. xxxiv.

How doe Fooles please themselves in empty things,
And dote on Shaddowes, wth imperfect wings!
How wth a Dreame transported! & doe give
Way vnto ffancye, in a strong beleife;
Soe may they Claspe a shaddow, soe pursue
The empty wind; or soe one fface doth show
Vnto another, as imaginarie
Conceivéd hopes, from perfect things doe varie:

Who can be purgéd by a Hand impure?
What certainties can lying lips assure?
'Tis vainity to trust in Augur's skill,
Witchcrafte is false, & Dreames are even ill;
These are the fruites of a Distracted braine,
Who rambles in the Search of Shaddowes vaine;
Not every dreame a vision from above,
But, by Almighty power, thy soule to prove:
Therfore, beware! Dreames are vnsure, & fleet;
Deficient to the point, when wee should see't;
The Law shall be made perfect, without Lyes;
And the iust Man needs only to be wise;
What do the vnexpert know? Instruction adds
To vnderstanding, & Experience glads
A Wise Man's heart, in the discoverie
Of Secrets, in a true Sufficiency:
Ignorance is vnexpert, & the Face
Of smileing Error leads to Wickedness.

Once wand'red I; & many things have seene,
But words fall short to vtter what wee meane;
I diverse wayes have knowne, beene oft in dread
Of threat'ninge death, but was deliveréd.

The iust man's Soule shall live, being secure
In faith to him, who only can assure;
He that fears God will never be afraid
Of humane Power; God is his hope, his Aide;
Blesséd the Soule for ever, of the Iust;
Who is his strength? in whom (ah) doth he trust?
God will secure him, as a Bulwarke rise

Against the strong assaults of enemies;
From heat, a sweet repose; a Grove full growne,
To guard the Temples from the scorching Sun;
A lanthorne for the Steps; a firme Support
In present danger, left the feet fall short.

God is propitious to the Iust, and will
Exalt the Soule, wth a transcendent Skill;
Sheds light Devine to the imperfect Eye;
Gives Life & health, blest in Satietye.

A fain'd oblation is a sacrifice
Not worthy, nor of pleasure in his Eyes;
God is well-pleased, only pleas'd wth them
That follow Truth, & love his holy Name;
He not allowes the Prayers nor offerings
Of wicked persons, neither shall their Sinnes
Be satisfied wh Incense, nor suffice
The constant tenders of their Sacrifice.

He that doth bring wh faint Devotion,
His off'ring, fruit of his Oppression,
Doth as the Butcher, shedding Infants' blood,
When the Sad ffather, as a witnes stood.

The Poore live in their Bread, the bread of Care,
Who hinders it is as a Murtherer;
Oppression is a Vulture, & Deceit
Wanders in blood, t'wth hold the hyre of Sweat.

When carefull hands would raise a lofty wall,
And Malice vndermines, to make it ffall,
What profit is their toyle? what doe they gaine?
But (the foole's wages,) Labour for their paine.

When one doth tender his Devotion,
And the same wind breathes Execration,
Which voice is heard? He that for filth doth bath
And Muddles in't againe, what profit hath
The water done him for his penetence?
Who falls againe vnto his old offence,
Alas! what doth he? who will heare his Prayer?
Worthless his ffasts, and his Almes fruitles are.

XXXV. Chap. xxxv.

The Iust Man brings a worthy Sacrifice,
His vow presents him to Almighty Eyes;
As finest flower, his vertue doth appeare,
Who to his obligation hath a Care.
Almes are as Incence; 'tis a part of good
Not to doe ill; & not to keep the road,
The Spacious road of Sin, is of availe
And pleaseth Heaven; to stand is not to ffaile.
These are as Sacrifice: yet shalt thou
Come Empty, or appear wth but thy vow;
For these are done to the Commands of Heaven;
But some, of Ceremony, must be given.

The holy Altar in the Sacrifice
Of Iust Men overflowes, & the flames rise
Bright vp to heaven, to gaine acceptance there,
Still in the lustre, still in force t' appeare;
Performe such rites freely, & give the best
Of all thy Actions gladly; all the rest
Of Duties, offer, with a pleas'd Aspect;

And consecrate thy tythes, with Due respect.
O Give, & gladly give, to the Most High,
As he hath blest thee, in prosperitie;
For he remunerat's and gratifies,
With a full blessing, thy small Sacrifice;
Let not thy Crimes impaire thy Offering,
Such worthles are; nor (blind Devotion) bring
An vniust Sacrifice; for it must come
Vnto the Lord, & there abide the Doome;
Greatnes prevailes not, neither Povertie,
But to their Actions, either Equallye.
He heares the Crie wch the Oppresséd make,
The fatherlesse he will not still forsake;
He knowes the widdowe's wants; doth not her Eyne
Drench her lanke Cheekes, & pickle 'em in Bryne?
And her complaint is bitter; such complaints
Ascend with Tears, & peirce the Battlements
Of Heaven's bright Pallace, to the Eternall Throne;
Where they have audience, to the vttmost grone.

The Iust shall find like favour, & his praier
Shall reach the Clouds, & be accepted there.
The humble pray, & everie praier shall find
A way to Heaven, not Sated, till it find
Grace in the Eyes of Heaven, & God will be
Gracious ever, to Humilitie.
He will not tarry long, at their request,
But lacerate the Members, & Infest
The Bones of Sinners; the Oppression Shall
Not 'scape a plague, but in his fury fall.

The Heathen shall be scatter'd, & his Arme
Shall Quash the Cruell, & prevent their harme;
Tyrants must be vnking'd, & all must find
Mercy, to Merit; Iustice is assign'd
To the vniust; his Mercy, to the Meeke.
How faire is Mercy! ah, can Mortall speake
How Comfortable? when a Soule doth Lye
Chain'd in the fetters of darke Miserie;
Sweet as the Morneing dew, or as a Raine,
When the Sicke Earth lyes Gapeing in her Paine.

XXXVI. Chap. xxxvi.

Great God of Power! be gracious as Great,
Ah! looke vpon the deplorable State
Of vs, thy Creatures, with a tender Eye;
Bright as the Morne, Extend thy Clemencye.

Oh, let the people, who run blindly on
In Ignorance and Superstition,
Once know thy Name; and know thou only art
A God of Power, that Strangers may impart
Thy Glories; Stretch thy hand vpon their heads,
That they may know thy Power all Power exceeds.
As we to their Eyes Sanctifye thy Name,
Soe be thou magnified to vs, in them;
That they, as wee, may know thee, & soe Sing,
Thou only art a God, O lord, our King!

Renewe thy Signes, & bring the wonders downe,
Stretch forth thy hand, oh stretch thy right arme soone!
That they may know thy power & show thy praise.

Rise in thy fury, let thy wrath not cease,
Take, take away, the perverse adversarie,
Confound the foe, & doe not ever tarrie,
Recall thy Oath, and cut off all delayes;
That once thy wonders may be told wth Praise.

Those that escape, let fire consume their bones;
Let the Oppressour perish; Shall the Thrones
Of Tyrants be their Safetie? Shall their proud
Contempts of heaven, their Blasphemies, their loud
And horrid Execrations, never fall
To their confusion? Oh, thou, lord of all,
Rouse thee to Iudgment, & destroy the Seat
Of Maiestie; if Maiestie forget
Thy power, or Scorne thy rule; thus to the proud
Be vengeance, & triumph in their Blood:
The Tribes of Iacob gather, let them know
Thou art a God, & none but only Thou;
Soe may they praise thee; let thy Mercy shine,
As once, soe now, & be they ever thine.

O Lord, have mercy, graciously looke downe
Vpon thy people, ev'n vpon thy owne,
Thy Israel, belovéd in thy Eyes
As the first-borne; Oh heare the frequent Cries
Of thy Dear Cittie! let Ierusalem,
The Citie of thy rest, move in the Name,
Thy mercy; oh! looke downe vpon the place
Where thou art holy; give thy Sion peace;
Open their minds, that they may apprehend

Thy Misteries, & to the world commend
Thy power glorious; still be firme to those,
Witnes wth them, whom thou, at first hast Chose;
Fullfill the prophecies Spoken of Old,
Which ravish't Prophets, in thy Name have told;
Let not the patient Suffer, that the writt
Of holy Prophets may be iust in it.

O heare the Praier, Great Lord, of vs, thy weake
And worthles Servants; worthles here to Speak;
Hear vs, ev'n in the Blessing Aaron gave
Vnto the people; gvide vs in the Safe
And perfect way of Iustice, that thy Name
Be publishéd to an Eternall ffame,
Glorious in all the Earth; that they may say,
As we confesse, thou art the Lord, this Day;
A God for ever; & with ioynt Consent
Sing thee, still great, glorious, & Excellent.

XXXVII. Chap. xxxvii.

All Meats are Eaten, but not all as one;
As the choice Pallate tasteth venison,
Soe doth a wise-man Words; Sin bringeth shame;
Wise Men resist it, & despise the Name;
Woeman doth fancy Man in generall,
But Woeman is not as in one soe all;
Beautie adornes her Eyes & gives a grace
T' insidiate her husband in her Face:
If she be Modest, & her words submit
To an authority 'bove her owne witt;

'Tis beyond humane fate, & he can be
Hardly accounted with Mortalitie;
He now begins to flourish in his Name,
His riches doe encrease; he builds a frame
T' out-wrastle Time; & like himselfe hath found
A help; a Pillar, firm'd in Solid ground.
Where noe hedg is, the ground will fall to wast;
And he laments alone, who doth not tast
The Ioyes of Marriage; & wth out a Wife
Suffers distraction in a single Life.
Who trusteth him that walkes wth out a Home
But falls in any, when the night shall come?
More then a Theife or Robber, who doth run
From place to place, where mischeife may be don?
All Men are freinds; in deed some, some in Name:
'Tis a poor freindship which the Lips proclaime.
Is't not a greife, when he whom thy Soule chose
Freind, or Companion, mingles wth thy foes?
Oh! huge Presumption, from what vgly slime
Doest thou proceed? to fill the Earth wth Crime.

Wealth is an Adamant; Prosperitie
Has many Freinds, but none adversitie;
Some for his Belly, Freind; & strange to see
Prompt by his Gutts, how resolute he'le be!
Be to thy freind a freind; & though thou Swim
On fortune's golden Streames, forget not him;
If thou suspect him, take not his advice.
Reveale noe Secrets to thy Enimies;
Every Man likes his owne opinion,

Some 'gainst their thought, to their owne ends doe run;
Beware of Such; Consider to what End
Thou seekest him: for though he may pretend
Thy good in all, yet thinke he may (and know
If he may, he will) for his owne profit draw
To thy dishonour; & in thy intent
He has an ayme thy ffall to circumvent;
He shall approve thy way, & after bring
Thy Words, thy Crime, as ignorant of the thing.

Enquire not vertue in a Soule profane,
Nor seeke for Iustice in a Libertine;
Tell not a woeman on her Rivall, nor
A feeble Spirit of the Acts of Warre;
Merchants of Traffique; Chapmen of the Sale;
An Envious Man of Love; doe not bewaile
Crueltie to the Bloodie, nor approve
Mercy to Madmen; Goodnes to Selfe Love;
Aske not the Drone of Labour; nor Enquire
Th' end of his worke, who has a constant hire;
Nor th' Husbandman of Craftie Sciences;
These are not proper: stand to none of These.

But wth the Iust be ever; who doth stand,
Vnmov'd in the Law, keepes Heaven's Command;
Whose Soule is ioyn'd to thine, & is not lesse
Greiv'd at thy faileing then his owne weaknes.
Make thy owne heart thy Councellor, it shall
Be faithfull ever; and discover all
Thy frailties more, & give a truer Light
Then many Watch-men from a Turrett's height;

In all, seeke Heav'ns direction; all thy waies
Let Reason governe, every Act advise.
The fface betrayes the heart; the same Effects
Worketh in either, as the Brow detects:
These, with the Alteration, good or Ill,
Life or destruction; but the tongue is still
The Herald to proclaime it, has the gvide
Of all these Passions, Silent or displaied.
Some Man is wise, can give instruction
To other Men, but himselfe followes none;
Some in words only Wise, & leaves behind
The reall Substance, for a Painted rind;
Affecteth Langvage, & to Common Eyes,
May appear wondrous, but he is not wise;
He wants the Bodie, though he Kiss the face,
And dotes vpon the Masque, without a grace.

Another, truly Wise, Wise to the good
Of his owne Soule; & what he vnderstood
His words express; he gives infallid rules
Of Knowledge to the good of other Soules;
He shall be ever blest; not only rest
In his owne Peace, but be to others blest.

Dayes Summe this Life of Man; Israel shall be
Not knowne by dayes, but live t' Eternitie;
A wise man gaines an vniversall vote,
And his faire Name shall never be forgot.

Vnrip thy Soule, looke to thy Conscience,
Correct thy Will, & Shun a fresh offence;

All things not profit all Men; every Mind
Has a fresh obiect, hapines to find.

Shun Luxurie! if not Religion
Restraine thee, health forbids; Proportion
Envigour's Nature; in the full Excesse
Of Meats what Fumes arise! what Sicknesses
Attend! and bring vnknowne infirmities,
Too long to number; if Examples rise,
How many could I give! but to be ffree
From both the Sin & Sore, live Soberlye.

XXXVIII. Chap. xxxviii.

Give the Phisitian honour, not alone
Because of need, but for 's Creation;
For Medicine is from Heaven; heaven will blesse
A good endeavour, happie in Success;
Kings shall enrich him with a Pension,
His Wisedome gives him Exaltation;
Nobles will praise him, who by Science can
Apt Medicine, as by Creation:
It was ordain'd to Cure, or to prevent
A present Sicknes, or an imminent;
Wise Men despise not this; was not the flood
Of Marah bitter, by a Tree made good?
That Men might know in it a facultie
Of Vertue, Excellent to Glorifie
Him, in his Creatures; more, he doth impart
Knowledge to Man, to Moderate the Smart
Of rageing Vlcers; cure the Members vex't,

And free the Bodie in disease perplex't;
Art makes the Composition; but the Cure
Rests to a higher Will, 'bove Mortall power;
A Power that makes art happy in Successe,
Gives, at his pleasure, Health, Ioy, Wealth, & Peace.

“Be not deiect in Sicknes; though thou be
“Tortur'd in Body, let thy Mind be free;
“Let not the Feaver seize thy Nobler part,
“But pray to Heaven, with a perfect heart;
“Desist from Sin, in Almes be Conversant,
“Confess thy follies, & thy faults repent;
“Appease Heaven's fury wth thy Sacrifice,
“And seale thy Peace with off'rings; then advise
“With Art, for God allowes it; vse his Care,
“And honour him, for Sicknes may empaire
Thy boasted Strength, to fall into his hand,
By greife & Sad necessitie constrain'd;
His praiers goe with his Medicine, that, that may be
Of vse, & give the Bodie Sanitie;
Infirmitie, the Wage of Sin, & who
Hath never Sinned, need noe Phisitian know;
Lament my Son, poure forth aboundant tears,
Performe all duties to the silent Herse;
Not superficiall obsequies, but turne,
Wh A full heart, to Celebrate the vrne,
Of the Deceaséd; give him all the rites
Of holy Buriall, obscure all Delights
In his dear Memorie; but recall in time
Thy deprest Spiritts, in the loss of him,

To a fresh Light; for, know, immoderate greife
Confounds the vitalls & dissolveth life;
Sorrow is of the heart; a heart opprest,
Weares out a Life, in Sadnes & vnrest.

Correct thy Passion, let thy greife decline;
Know 'tis now his ffate, & it must be thine;
From death is noe retreate; he shall not have
Ioy in thy Tears, mispent vpon his Grave;
Thinke 'twas decreed, & moderate thy Sorrow,
'Tis mine to Day, & may be Thine to morrow;
He resteth happie, let him rest in Peace,
Comfort thy selfe, let needles sorrowes cease.

Leasure doth adde to Learneing, in the Quest
Of Wisedome Studious; Learneing is not Rest,
But a retire from noise, from worldly Care;
To Ioy in Raptures, ffixe vpon the ffaire
Ideas of Beatitude, to find
Things beyond Knowledge, wth a perfect mind.

How is the Plow-man Wise? his wisedome rests
To cast vp furrowes, & converse with Beasts;
To strike his whip, & to direct his Teeme;
Talkes of his Cattle, & of nought but Them.
In like, all Crafts-Men, Serious in their Trade,
Alas, what doth their Toile to Wisedome adde?
One grindeth stones, another makes them bright,
Another cutts them, makes it his delight
To grave Exactly; and another, strife
Is in his heart to Paralel the Life,
And Limne perfection; tortur's his poore braine,

To Modell beautie; and another, vaine
As he, t' out doe the Pencill, gives the same
Wrought by the Needle, in a curious frame.
The Smith his Anvill loveth, makes a ffire;
The very vtmost of his low desire,
To apt the Mettall; thrusts his scorchéd Browes
Into the flames; vntroubled in his vse,
The Hammer's clatter, to confound his sense,
And distract capable Intelligence;
His Eyes walke with his hammers, & his blisse
Is in his Labour; knowes noe ioy but this.
The Potter makes his Labour his Delight,
And Spends his Time, Bright day & pensive Night,
Serious, to Mold Earth, & proportion Clay,
Reiecting This, & chuseing th' other way;
Then trimmes the worke, & puts a Subtle glosse
Vpon the Mettall, busied in his Drosse;
These depend to their worke, & all Employ
Their Wisedome in their Labour, place a Ioy
In their endeavors; bend their faculties
To perfect trifles; ah! how fondly Wise!
'Tis true they stand the Rafters to a State,
T' vphold the Body, make it Rich & Greate;
And thus they serue; but to the high affaire
Of Sacred Iustice or th' Imperiall Chaire,
They are not Chosen; they not know the Course
Of Law in Iustice; nor the height, the force
Of Government; they are vnfitt att all

To debate rights, or things materiall;
Only to drudge, & in their Sweat maintaine
The Publicke glorie, for a private paine.

XXXIX. Chap. xxxix.

He, only he, is wise, who can neglect
The Sordid end of Mortalls, and direct
His purgéd Soule to the clear Region
Of holy things, by Contemplation;
Labours for Knowledge, & revolves the writt
Of profound ancients, till he compass it;
Is conversant wth Misteries of Old,
By Prophets Sung; makes what the learnéd told,
His Oracle; resolves the hidden Sense
Of Wisedome, in a deep intelligence:
He shall have place with honour; Maiestie
Shall looke vpon him, with a gracious Eye.
That he may read men, in themselves more plaine,
And how th' affections wth in Mortalls raigne,
He walks the round of Earth, & gathers thence
The Obiect of his Hope's Experience;
He gives his Soule to Heaven, in all th' events
Of Chance, or Danger, & his vow presents,
Guarded with Innocence, & doth invoke
The Devine ayde, in all he vndertooke:

He shall be full in Knowledge, & inspir'd
By the Eternall Breath; vtter admir'd
Essentiall wisedome, consonant to Truth;
His Councells holy, reveal'd by the Mouth

Of Perfect vertue, borne vpon the wings
Of Sacred fancy; see Misterious thinges:
He shall be Wise, & Men shall thinke him Wise,
Makeing the Law his Gvide, his Exercise;
He shall be glorious to the Eyes of Men,
And live for ever; wisedome shall remaine
T' adorne his Memory; & his Name shall shine
Bright to Posteritye, without Decline:
Men shall be busie to exalt his ffame,
And give their Eulogies vnto his Name.

Though he be Dead, he shall not all decay,
But leave a Name Immortall, when the Clay
Which covers thousands, doth their Name obscure,
And Choakes their mention in a Dismall Mure:
Or live he still? his Glorye, shall aspire
To Crowne himselfe, & make the world admire.

Yet let me tell you more, for now I am
Carried in Rapture, fill'd wth Sacred flame;
As Cynthia orb'd, now move I; I'me possest
With Devine fury, in my braine & brest.

List then to mee, & by my words produce,
As the Rose tree, nourish't with gentle Dewes;
Oh, let the savour of your vertues rise
As Incence, or the smoake of Sacrifice!
Flourish, as doe the Lillies; oh, rehearse
Loud Songs of Praise, in never-Dying verse!
Bless God in all his workes; Oh! bless his Name!
With Himmes of Ioy, oh! Celebrate his ffame,
In songs of Musicke! Let your vowes addresse

To Heaven for audience, & thus confess
The Lord is mightie, all his workes are good,
His precepts holy; nor can flesh & Blood
Safely dispute, Why now? or not till now,
Why this? or that? He knowes both when & how;
And in his time, they are; at his Command,
Th' impetuous waves did as a Mountaine stand;
Gracious ever, & his ordinance
Is firm'd on Truth, & cannot fall by Chance;
He lookes on Man, on humane actions,
With a strict Eye; all the Affections
Of Mortalls stand before him, nothing hid;
He sees what now wee doe, & what they did,
Who went before vs; what our Sons shall doe,
For ever, nothing hard for him to know.

How dare Man question (ah, foole-hardy wise)
His inscrute power? Why did he That? Why This?
He that made all things, made them All his owne,
Both in the Thing, & disposition;
Infinite in his Blessings as the Tide
Wch swelleth Rivers, watering either Side,
The gapeing Shores; or as a Raine doth drench
The crannied Earth, & her Scorch'd entrailes quench:
As the Sea foames in brine, the heathen shall
Soe feele his wrath, & in his fury fall;
As to the Iust, his waies are Smooth & streight;
Soe Sinners, walking, fall precipitate.

For good Men, good things were ordain'd, at first;
For Sinners, good & bad, in both accurst;

These, humane beings serve most to sustaine,
Water & Fire, Iron, Salt; & graine
From carefull furrowes reapt; the luscious combe
Contriv'd by busie Officers; & from
The Cowe's large vdders Milke; the vnmixéd blood
Of generous Grapes; the iuce of Olives, good
As well for health, as the fond sence to please;
And necessary Raiment; all of these
To good Men are good Things; but ev'n in these
(Though the possessing 'em, may haply please)
Sinners shall find a Curse; presumptuous Sin
Is not vnpunisht ever; some have bin
Created for revenge, & now abide
Eternall paines, for voluntary Pride;
These in the Day of wrath, when all this all,
This mighty fabrick, shall to nothing fall,
Shall shew their vtmost, & then satisfie
Heaven's fury, Damn'd to all Eternitie.

Fire, in a kind, & Haile, famine & Death,
Are the dire Instruments of heaven's wrath;
The Teeth of Wild beasts, and of Serpents' Sting,
The greedie Sword, & every other thing,
Will fall vpon the Wicked; & all stand
Readie to execute heaven's great command;
Sinners cannot avoyde the Stroke, nor stay
The fatall houre to any farther day.

Therfore was I confirm'd, after I had weigh'd,
Iudiciously, these things, & what I said
I here leave written: oh! how excellent

Is God in all his workes! to give the Event
Of all Things, in due time, & to the houre
Disposeth all things, by Almighty power:
That 't would be folly to dispute wth him;
He gives the Blessing ever to the Time,
And therfore praise him ever; oh! reioyce,
And magnifie his Name, wth chearfull voice!

XL. Chap. xl.

Oh, how is mankind wretched? Man, at first,
Fell, & in him, his Sons are all accurst;
From the sad Mother's Wombe, their houre of birth,
Till they fall to their Common Earth,
Their thoughts are fickle & their hearts impure,
Their fancies fruiteless, & their End vnsure;
From him who sitts vpon the golden Throne,
To him that lives obscure & dyes vnknowne;
From high'st to low'st; from him who beares ye Crowne
And sweieth the Scepter, Circled in renowne
Of brave atcheiuements, in a Robe of fine
And Costly Silke, thrice-dipt, to make it shine;
To the low Drudge, in rugged Canvas clad,
Who lives in sweat, for all the state he had.

Wrath, envy, Trouble, Miserie, & Cares,
Dissention, Fury, & a Thousand Feares
Of Death & Dangers, follow humane state;
And Sleep addes more then it can mittigate:
For the vaine ffeares wee can by Day invent,
Wee see by Night; what horrid formes present

Themselves in Dreams! what numerous shapes arise
T' affright poore Mortalls! ah, how nothing is
Man's quiet here! when sleep, wch should be peace
And the Soule's Sanctuary, offers fresh
Obiects to his Distraction; warre & Death
Disturbe his restless Thoughts; till now, he hath
Plung'd his Imagination; Opes his Eyes,
And, all in safety, doth his Dreame despise;
These to all flesh, both Man, & Beast, but all
These plagves redoubled, vpon Sinners fall;
Strife, Blood, & Death, shall rage where they abide.
The Sword shall reake in Murder by their side;
Oppression, famine, & Destruction, theirs,
And punishment shall follow in their heirs;
Thus shall the Wicked suffer, as from first
It was ordain'd; for them the World was Curst
In the sad deluge, and the Earth, which stood
Once blest by Heaven, lay pickled in a flood;
All things of Earth shall turne to Earth againe,
And all of Water, to th' insatiate Maine.

Iniustice shall not flourish, nor the gaine
Of vsurie, a Treasure, still remaine;
But Truth & Iustice, ever these shall Shine,
A Death-less honour, and a Wreath Devine.
The Wealth of Sinners, as a brooke shall Drie,
As Thunder in a raine the Noise shall flye.
Ioy crownes the Giver, heaven doth bless his store,
But the Oppressor shall live ever Poore;
His Children shall but heir him; vnto them

Shall be noe Sons, t' inherite in his Name;
But as a worthless Root vpon a Rocke
Dyes, without Blossomes, wasteth in the Stocke:
Early the Spring, & in her greatest Pride
Boasteth her verdure, by a River Side;
Yet there she Suffers first, & when, now greene,
They fall away, as had they never beene.

Love, as a Garden water'd by heaven's hand,
And Mercy, shall for ever glorious stand.
To Ioy in Sweat is happines, but more,
To live vntroubled in an Ample Store.
Children, or Cittyes built, may keep a Name,
But a good Woeman, much excelleth them.
Wine glads the heart, & Musick stirrs the Spright,
But Wisedome gives more Ioy & more Delight.
The Pipe & Psalterie may please the Sence,
But a sweet Tongve is of more Excellence;
Beautie & Feature, may the Eye-sight please,
But a green Corne-feild, more then either these.
A freind is good, and a Companion,
Sometimes may please, but to a Wife is none
In trouble; Freinds & Help are of availe,
But Almes deliver, when these often faile.
What Cannot Gold or Silver? Yet 'bove them
Is Councell, in the Godly Man's Esteeme;
Riches & Strength may please vs, but ye feare
Of God transports vs to a higher Sphere.
Wee ioy in fullnes, & Subsist in might,
Nothing then it more Faire, nothing more sweet.

My son! oh, never let thy Sloth betraye
Thy fortunes vnto want or beggerye;
Better to Dye then Beg; how truly can
His Life be call'd a Life, or he a Man,
Whose being is not in him but depends
Vpon the Charitie of a few freinds?
Another's Table feeds him, & the heat
Of Appetite oft rageth for his Meat;
This will a Wise Man shun, & rather strive,
In his owne Sweat, to gaine him how to live;
Only the Impudent finds pleasure in
Begging, & makes Povertie his Sin;
To live in Cōmon, & with Blush-les face,
Importune Pittye tell his owne hard Case
To Every Eare; but begging cannot serve;
Where Begging is, Men for food may sterve.

XLI. Chap. xli.

Where an Aboundance is, where Man doth rest
Pleas'd in his Soule wth what he is Possest,
Where all felicitie the Earth can boast
Courts a poore frailtie, that he stands almost
The World's Sole Minion, how can he resigne
The sweet fruition & Entertaine
Death's fatall Summons? Oh, with what a hart
Shall he receive it? How can these long freinds part
In Patience? Death, or th' vnwelcome word
That Death may come, by rich Men, is abhorr'd.

But where a Soule lyes groninge, in the Sad
Whirlepoole of Memorie, to thinke he had
Once an Estate of Plentie, now to lye
Starv'd in his wants, opprest in Miserie.

Or to the Man (who whilome was a Man
But now a Child againe, or if less can
Be then a Child,) worne with the Iron wheele
Of a Sad Age, whose feeble Members feele
Perpetuall Aches, bed-rid in his Sence;
Imperfect meerly, and 's Intelligence
Lost or forgotten; when a Curséd Age
Brings him to dotage, Passion, Anger, Rage.

Or where a Soule lies tugging in th' vnsure
Quicksprings of Conscience, & has noe more power
To wrastle out; impatient leaves, almost
Desperate, in Doubts for ever to be lost;
Where every obiect is a fresh occasion
Of Miserie; where can be noe Evasion,
There, Death is sweet; oh happines beyond
The low Conceptions of a vulgar Mind!

Be not afraid of Death, though it may Seeme
To thy thoughts terrible; remember them
Who went before, & know, as many shall
Come after thee; thus God ordaines to All;
Death once must come; & why should you oppose
The pleasure of the highest? He best knowes
Who gave, to take; What if the vncertaine Date
Of Mortalls, in ten years, be Terminate?

What if a hundred, or a Thousand Shall
Summe vp thy Age if thou at last shalt fall?
And once thou must; ffrom Death is noe repreive;
Man may live long, but cannot ever live.

Heare mee, againe, my Children; let the Dresse
Of Wisedome cloth ye words of Wisedome, Peace:
Wisedome concealéd in a private breast,
Or treasure hourded in an vnknowne Chest,
What good in Either? Silence better fitts
Illiterate Fooles then firme & solid Witts;
Therfore attend my Words, some time 't may be
A preiudice to faile in Modestie;
It is not ever comely; a bold face,
To some things, stands ye Ornament & Grace.

Here be asham'd, & let thy blushes rise
From a lanch't heart, of thy vnchastities
Before thy Parents, & before thy Prince;
Of Lies to Magistrates; of an offence
Of Sin, before the People; of Deceit
To a Companion or Intimate;
Of Theft before thy Neighbours, & before
God & his Truth, the Word which he hath swore;
Of Rudenes, Incivilitye, of Pride;
To vnloose the Chayne humanitie hath tyed
In Equall obligation, ffreind to ffreind;
To aske, to borrow, to restore, to lend;
Blush to be Silent, in the Cōmon Iest
Of civill salutation; or to feast

Lascivious Eyes with Sin; to see by Chance
A needie Kinsman, & feigne Ignorance;
To oppresse the poore Widdowes, or to deprive
From Orphans; to seduce another's wife;
To tempt a virgin, or Approach the Bed
Of Innocence, in a poore Maidenhead;
To scorne thy ffreinds, to boast thy Courtesies,
To Carry Newes, or reveale Secrecies;
These thinges are Shamefull; shun these crooked waies,
And to the World thou shalt survive with praise.

XLII. Chap. xlii.

Here safely maiest thou tread; in all of these
Be Confident to please Men, or Displease.
First, of the law of God; to Witnes Truth,
For vertue with an vncontrouléd Mouth
To Iustifie thy ffreind; or the right knowne,
A stranger's honour; to Dispose thy owne;
To preserve Iustice with a perfect Scale;
To make thy owne Content, or great, or Small;
To bargaine ffairely, & keepe honest trade;
To Correct Children, t' vse (where th' art betray'd
By a false servant) rigour; to restraine
A wife Immodest, in her entertaine;
To locke vp all Things; Treasure to conceale,
Where many hands are to purloine & steale;
To take a due account of all affaires,
And keep in writeing, how & what they are;
T' instruct the Simple; teach the illiterate;

To help old Men falsely preiudicate;
These beare a Warrant, in these feare noe shame,
Honour & Glory shall enrich thy Name.

A Carefull Father will an order keepe
In honour of his Daughter; though she sleepe
His thoughts are busie, lest her youth Decay
A Virgin, or she, Married, diss-obey;
Lest when the Roses in her Virgin Cheeke
Blush Woman, & perfections handsome Speake,
She fall ignobly to a Shamefull bed,
And the Wombe, gviltie, publish what she did.
Or, haveing fairely past a virgin's Life,
To take a Husband and become a Wife,
Least she be scandalous, either to wrong
Her honour or her Oath; or if she long
Be without Issue, least she Barren prove:
How many feares rise from a father's love!

To an Immodest daughter be Severe,
Lest thy ffoes tryvmph, & the vulgar Eare
Be privy to her Shame; & her Crimes rise
Thy ignominy to thy Enimies.

Sin not to looke on Beautie, & abstaine
To meet with Woemen at an Entertaine;
For Sin is of the Woeman, as a Mothe
Bred in the Wooll, & nourish't by the Cloth.
Better a Sullen Man then the sweet fface
Of Woeman's Courtesie, wch brings disgrace.

I will now tell of higher things, and Speake
The Workes of God; how great they! I, how weake!

By his word they were all: the Sun doth range
Heaven's studded Pavement; and behold the Strange
And secret things the Machine doth present;
A Glorious Worke! a Maker Excellent!
Was't not ordain'd by God that holy Men
Should travaile in his wonders? and commend
Them, written, to Posteritie; the more
To shew his Glorie, and confirme his Power?
Hee tryeth the Depth, or Deeper then the Deepe,
The heart of Man; the Secrets which all keepe
In humane bosome; for he knoweth all
Times, Seasons, Ages, How and when they fall;
Things past, and things to come; things secret, and
Ignote, as Daylight in his Presence stand;
Thought cannot passe him, nor an Accent breakes
Vnheard; noe whisper, but to him it Speakes;
In the disposure of his workes, how Wise!
Hee hath ordain'd them Glorious to all Eyes;
Hee was from ever, and shall ever raigne;
None can adde to him; Noe Man soe profane
Dare take away or lessen; only Wise,
Able to governe All, by selfe-Advice.
How glorious are his Workes! how delectable!
But (oh) the thought of Mortall is not able
To Comprehend the least; they live and Shall
For ever fflourish and obey his Call;
They are all Double that opposeth this;
Nothing done by him can be done amisse;

His worke is perfect All, but Man is Weake
To Apprehend the height, much less, to Speake.

XLIII. Chap. xliii.

The Firmament & all those lights wch Shine
In heaven's bright Pavement Speake a worke devine.
The Sun, whose Influence doth glad the Earth
With gentle Shine, when pensive shades give birth
To the resplendent Morne; whose heat, at Noone,
Scorcheth the Earth, & Makes the Pilgrim grone;
The Mountaines gape, impatient of his Raies,
To which the forge-Man, broyling, is an Ease;
Bright Inflamations from it, & the Shine
Cannot be fixt vpon by Mortall Eyne:
Great is the Lord, that made it; he hath given
It a swift Wheele, to scoure ye Arch of heaven;
The Moone, Inferiour to her Brother's light,
Glides in clear Skyes, & Gvildes the walles of Night,
Vncertaine in her course; now hornéd wide,
And then againe her Orbe at full displaied;
Thus Times distinguish't are, & ffeasts are knowne;
The Moneth by Daies is call'd soe by the Moone.
It is a part of heaven's all-glorious Host;
The stars adorne heaven's Canopie, dispos'd
In a true order, Diverssly Commixt
To God's Cōmands; some wand'ring, some are fixt.

Behold the Raine-Bow, & admire to see
Transparant Shadowes mixt Contiguouslie;
It doth adorne the firmament, & stands

As it was placéd, by Almightie's hands.
The Snow finds Passage, & the Direfull Sword
Of Tempest breakes, to execute his Word
Full, in his Treasures; & doth breake the Face
Of Clouds, now gather'd, in a Silent place;
Which Scoure the Region of the infected Aire,
In Shoales disparted, fleeting here & there;
Or, he the Waters in a Cloud doth call,
To drench the Earth; he melts the strikeing haile;
The Mountaines leape; ye south Winds doth not blow
But to his pleasure; When, & Where, & How.
The Thunder strikes the Earth, and ye black North
Falls in a Storme; the whirlewind rusheth forth,
The snow he scattereth, ev'n as birds doe flye,
And falls, as grasshopers on Earth doe lye;
Nothing soe white vnto the Eye of Man;
The Substance, thawed, floweth as a raine;
Frost, sent as salt, the poud'red Earth is here;
The Trees are bare'd, & Plants are Candid ore.
When the bleak North, in ffurye 'gins to rise,
He prisons vp the waters in an Ice;
Rivers in Christall bound, which doth adorne
The streames, as brest-plates by a warriour worne;
It rageth on the Hilles, & maketh Seire,
The barren desart; it consumes, as ffire,
The verdant Earth, (as it had never beene
Gorgeous at all) lyes starved & nothing greene;
Thus, till a Cloud, swolne wth a fluent raine,
Refresh the Earth, & make it bud againe;

Soe, for the Summer's Sun (noyance as great)
A gentle Dew falls, to allay the heat.

The Winds obey his Word, he calmes ye Deepe,
And girts the Ilands, in her Armes to keepe;
The Pilot tells the dangers of the Sea,
Wee wonder, 'cause wee know not what they be;
Vnheard of Monsters, & deforméd Shapes
Of Creatures range the Ocean; the while gapes
In her darke pathes, & as a Hill doth Sweepe,
The white-mouth'd Billowes of ye vnsounded Deepe.
Thus all things made by him, were all made good,
And by his word Immoveable they Stood.
But words fall short to speake of him, & when
Wee have spoke all, we apprehend as Men.

Wee greatly faile, wee cannot better call
Him in his Workes, then that he is all in all.
How can we praise him else? for hee's beyond,
As farre beyond his Workes, as they above our Mind.
The Lord is terrible, for ever great;
Vnlimited in Power, Strong is his Seat.

O! Praise the Lord! oh, say, what you can Say,
To Magnifie his Glorie! Yet you may
Leave off ashaméd, lift a stronger voice
Vnto his Name, bend all your faculties
To Speake of him; & leave to see him higher,
Then you can Speake, or thinke, or but Admire.
Ah! who has seene him that he might report
To vs the happines? Who falls not Short

In words to Speake of him? For greater farre
Then we have said, or Can, his Glories are.
Can wee say secret things beyond our light,
For of his Workes but few come to our sight;
But he made all things, did inspire a flame
Of Wisedome vnto those that feare his Name.

XLIV. Chap. xliv.

Now let's the Praise of famous Men rehearse,
And our dead fathers, in a liveing verse;
Who servéd Heaven, & gave the Lord his Due,
For all his Glories; who did Realmes subdue,
And ruléd Kingdomes; govern'd well & long;
Were Wise in Councell, & in Rapture strong.

They govern'd wisely, & their wisedome taught
Vnto the People, as they rightly ought;
They first Invented Musicke, & could teach
Misterious verse to everie vulgar reach;
Full in their Treasures & their wealth to blesse,
Compleat in years, & never knew but Peace;
By Children honour'd, & to honour them
They flourisht, in a large & Spreading Stem;
Their Age's Glorie, & have left a Name
To vs, of Praise, in an Eternall Fame.

How many Die, as they had never beene,
(Mightie & Great, when they lived here as Men,)
How soone they perish! & their Memorie
Is dasht, vnknowne vnto Posteritie!

Their Children lye, Close'd in the fatall Vrne,
Without a Name, as they had not been borne.

But these of whom wee Speake, (though I wer Dumb),
Are regist'red with praise, for time to come;
They were Iust Men, & of a tender Soule,
Their Sons shall flourish in the golden rolle
Of a clear ffame, & in their Father's Merit
They find a Glorie, ever to inherit
A Ioyfull Portion; though their Ashes lye
In Silent Grave, their Names & Memorye
Shall live for ever; & remaine a Storye
T' expresse a vertue forcive in their Glorye.

Enoch was Iust, & had Translation
For the Conversion of a froward Nation;
Noah was found perfect, & had his reward
In the Sad Time; the roareing deluge Spar'd
Him, that his seed might flourish to ye Earth,
And giue a Second Age, a happie birth.
'Twas a firme contract made wh him, to Stand
To his Sons ever; that the Face of Land
Should noe more floate, nor Creatures take a grave
From the Earth, borne in such a horid wave.

Abraham was Father of a progenie
Numerous & Iust: was none so great as he;
He kept the Law, & in his Seed 'twas made
A Covenant, wch can nor fall nor fade.
He was found perfect in temptation;
Therfore God made an Oath that Everie Nation

100

Should flourish in his Seed, & they should stand
Numerous as Atom's or the vncounted Sand,
As the starres Glorious; & their land to reach
Farre as the Sea surrounds or ye Poles stretch.
This he confirm'd to Isaac, for the Love
His Father Abraham found, & the behoofe
Of Everie People; & did Seale the Oath
On Iacob's head, he promis'd to them both;
Here did he Bless, & in him Iacob found
Ample possessions, wch himselfe saw Crown'd
With hopefull Sons t' inherite, who became
The head of Tribes, rememb'red in their Name.

XLV. Chap. xlv.

From whom came Moses; Moses, in the Eyes
Of God & Man deare; whose Fame never Dyes;
He made him glorious as the Saints, & great
Vnto his Enemies; at his entreat
The Wonders ceas'd: in the sight of Kings
He made him Glorious; gave him holy things,
To train the People; made his Glorie Shine
A heavenly obiect, vnto Mortall Eyne.
He did Select him, of all worthy Most,
As Perfect, Faithfull, Gratious, & Iust.

God talk'd with him, he heard his voice aloud,
And stood vpon the Mountaine, in a Cloud;
He gave a Law vnto him, to record
Vnto the People; & a perfect Word,

101

T' instruct the house of Iacob, & Declare
To Israel his Iudgments, what they were.

He rais'd Aaron, like to him, as one
Vpright & Iust, in Levi's Portion.
He made a Covenant, & did Assigne
Him to the People, Sacred & Devine;
He did appoint for him a holy Vest,
Fitting his Preisthood; & his Function blest;
His Girdle fixt, bright robes he put vpon
His shoulders, that his Glorie might be knowne;
An Ephod, & a Coate Embroidered faire,
Rich to the Eye, & Comely for the Weare;
With Golden Bells he did adorne him round,
To give the People notice by their Sound;
A holy Garment, wrought in twisted gold,
Blue Silk, & Purple, glorious to behold;
A Brest-plate of Pre-Eminence, a Signe
Vrim & Thummim, of a Truth Devine;
A Worke of Scarlet, curiously Enchas't;
Rich stones, faire graven, wch were seemly plac'd;
Infulgent Gold, Cut for a true record,
Of all the Tribes of Israel, to the Lord;
A Mitre Crown'd with Gold, wch did adorne
His Browes, in honour of his Preisthood worne;
A worke of Price, and Gorgeous to the Eye,
Denoteing Honour, Power, & Sanctitye.
Such before never were, & these for none
To weare, but his sons in succession.

102

Twice every day he made the Altar Smoake
In Sacrifice, as God to Moses Spoke;
Moses anointed him wh holy Oyle,
For ever Sacred, to his seed; & while
The Heavens are a Covenant to the Rest,
Blessing the People, as anointed Preist
Chosen by God, to offer Sacrifice;
And Expiate, for the People, to his Eyes;
In his Commands he gave him Power to Solve
Or Iudge Offences, in the Law's behalfe.
That he should publish Truth to Iacob's race;
And shine for ever in his Holy place;
Vnruly faction, Baffled at his Power,
Dathan, Abiram, & the Men of Core:
This, heaven saw, and in the heat of Ire,
Sent downe his Iudgments; some he burnt with fire,
At sinfull rites; the greedie Earth did Gape
To swallow them, that not a Man should Scape.

But Aaron had more honour; loe, his Rod
Due to the Tribe, began to spring & Bud;
A Monument against them; for his ffee,
He gave the holy things; & generallie
The first-fruites of the first-borne; Holy bread;
For Preists did Eate the Victims & their Seed;
This was his Portion, not by the survay
Of measur'd lands, commixéd wth the Lay;
But an allotted Portion from the Rest,
By God himselfe to him & his sons Blest.

103

Now hear of Phineas, Eleazar's Son,
Zealous to God, whose glorious action
Shall never Die; when Israel to sin
Had a relapse, he, valiant to win
A Glorious freedome to the People, stood
Their Champion, & trivmph't in the blood
Of wicked Zimri: to attone the crime
With God, right gracious, in the truth of him;
He made with him a Covenant of Peace,
In holy Preisthood, wch can never Cease;
As he did make a perfect Covenant
With David, that his Seed should never want
To Governe Iudah, soe he did ordaine
That Aaron's fee should to his seed remaine.

Oh! may wee see, by devine Inspiration,
Their vertues glorious, that wee may fashion
Our Actions by their Square; & recommend
Them, holy, Iust, & Glorious to the End.

XLVI. Chap. xlvi.

Iesus, the son of Nun, renown'd in Warre,
A Worthy Successor to Moses' Chaire;
Inspir'd with Prophecie, a Saviour
As in his Name, in Vertue, & in Power;
Who did great Kings Subdue, to re-advance
Depresséd Israel, in the Inheritance;
How Glorious, when he came against the Walls
Of Cittyes! how trivmphant in their ffalls!

104

Was there none like to him, in times foregone,
In holy War, heaven's holy Champion.
The Sun in Gideon stood, that he might smite
His Enemies, vntroubled wh the Night;
Hee call'd to Heaven, when his fainting ffoes,
In Numbers Numberless did him enclose;
And the great Lord sent Hailestones to subdue
The faithless Host, more wth the hailestones slew
Then the strong Sword; as Torrents in their Course,
He came vpon them, with a mighty force;
In the discent to Bethar, that his Sword
Might be knowne strong in battell for ye Lord.

In Moses' time, the Son of Iephuneth
And Iosuah, concurring in a ffaith,
Oppos'd the Giants; did withold from Sin
The grumbling Israelites; of all the Men
(Six hundred thousand) but these two did stand,
T' enioy a Portion, in the promis'd Land.
Caleb was strong, & God his Age did Bless,
That he might goe vp higher, to Possess
An heritage in Peace,—Hebron,—wch stood
A Portion for ever, to his Blood;
That Israel might see a large reward
Fall to his Zeale, in service of the Lord.

Now for the Iudges, who were Iust & Pure,
Their Memories for ever shall endure;
Let their Vrnes fflourish, & their Names not Dye,
But shine for ever in their Progenie.

105

Samuel, God's Chosen, strong in Prophecie,
Sacred in power, Inspiréd from on high,
Ordainéd Kings, & Princes did Anoint
Cheife ore the People, Cheif in every point;
In Truth he Iudg'd the People, & the Lord
Was gracious vnto Iacob in his Word.

Samuel was faithfull ever; to his Mouth
His visions did agree with equall truth;
He call'd to heaven, when the rude Philistines
Beset him round, strong in his pure designes;
When he the Ean-ling offer'd, Thunders flew
From angry heaven, & the proud vanters slew.
The haughty Tirians were disarm'd, and all
The Philistines in Israel did fall;
Yet, ere he Died, to the Almightie's view,
To his Anointed, & the Vulgar Crew,
He stood & Cried, Loe! tell if I have done
The least Iniustice or Oppression;
Have I beene factious or Corrupt? who stands
To prove my gvilt? Tell mee, have these my hands
Detain'd the least of yours? What have I done?
Will none accuse mee? & there was not one.
When now he slept, recall'd, he did foretell
The Death of Saul, lamented Israel.

XLVII. Chap. xlvii.

He, dead, rose Nathan, full in Prophecie;
In David's time, none soe vpright as hee;
As the ffat is disparted from the Vict,

106

Soe David from the People, by the strict
Survey of Heaven: he pluck'd the Lyon's Beard
And Slew the Beare, wch ravin'd in his heard;
When but a youth, he trivmph't in the blood
Of the great Philistine; who vanting stood
The Single Combat, in a bold Defye
To all the Host; when none durst make reply,
Did not He lay his Glorie in the Dust,
With a strong Arme? Strong in the Lord of Host,
Who gave his right hand Strength to vindicate
A Iustice on the Giant, & Elate
A Glorie to the people; Soe the Meed
Was of Ten thousand his; a Crowne Decreed
T' adorne his Temples; in the Conquest got
He ceaséd not, till he had routed out
The curséd Memorie, the mightie power
Of Philistines, to be againe noe more;
In all he did, he did the Praise rehearse
To God in Songs & never-Dying verse;
His heart was Ioyfull in him, & his Praise,
In mighty Rapture, did his Spirit Seize.
Before the Altar, for an Ornament,
He placéd Singers; each his Instrument,
His holy Chanzons fitted to their String,
And taught the People Hymmes of Praife to Sing.

Hee did appoint, to dignifie the feasts,
A Decent Order, & the Solemne hests,
Distinguish't by the Times; yt they might praise
God in his holynes, to all their Daies.

107

His Sins were blotted out; his Name doth shine
For ever glorious; & the Lord, in fine,
Made a strong Covenant, yt from him one
Should never faile to sitt in Iudah's Throne.

From him a Wise Son came, by heaven blest
In large Possessions, which his Sire Possest.
Salomon raignéd in a happie Age,
A Time of Peace; he governéd by Sage
And sound Advice; the Kingdomes knew not warre;
That he, a Man of Peace, the Church might reare.

How beyond all Men Wise! thy Wisedome came
In holy Sayings, fluent as a Streame;
Thy Mind was large as all this Vniverse;
Thy Proverbs grave & hid, wch who reherse
Are struck with Wonder & a blind amaze;
The Ilands knew thy Name, & lov'd thy Peace;

The world admired thee in the depth of fixt
And Solid Wisedome, of a holy Text;
In rapture beyond all borne in the Sphœre
Of holy things; revelling in the Cleare
And Glorious Magazine of faith, t' vnfold
Misterious Truths, high Oracles of old.

By heavenly Power, ye God of Iacob's Name,
Silver as Lead, thy Gold as Copper, came;
Rich beyond all Men; Wise beyond compare;
Iust in thy owne; Magnificent, afarre.

But (ah!) thou fell to Sin; & fraile, was led
A Captive by the Eyes, to know ye Bed

108

Of Stranger Woemen; didst obscure ye Shine
Of all thy vertues, & pollute thy Line
In the Succession, & brought Sorrow downe
Vpon thy Son's dishonour, to thy Crowne;
Soe 'twas Devided; Ephraim did rise
In a Strong faction, Iudah to despise;
Nath'less, God left him not, nor gave his Glorie
A Spoile to Time, but for a liveing Storie;
Nor did he take away what he decreed
Posteritie t' inherite in his Seed;
But left a branch to Iacob, & a flower
From David's Stocke to be Inheritour.

Thus Salomon did wth his Fathers rest,
And left Roboam, a by-word and a Iest,
Before the People, inconsiderate;
Who made the People grone wth double waight,
And burdens Insupportable; they went
From their Allegiance by a ioynt consent.

And Ieroboam, who taught Israel
The way to Sin, by whom Ephraim fell;
That now full in their Sins, they left the Land:
Compell'd in Iustice, by a ffurious hand.

Cap. xlviii.

Then came Elias, holy & Devine,
His words were pure, & as a Lampe did Shine;
He brought a famine to Consume their Seed,
Ripe in their Sins, to Baal madly led;
He bound the Clouds, & three times brought down fire.

109

O, great Elias, how can wee admire
Thy many wonders! who can make a boast
Of Power with thee? Thou didst recall the lost
Son of a Widdow, from the pensive Shade
Of Death, to Live, & make his Mother glad;
Who ruin'd Princes, brought the haughty downe
To abiect basenes, from the imperiall Throne;
Who heard the Lord in Sina, saw his Ire
In Horeb, wth an Earthquake, winde, & Fire;
Who didst anoint Kings, for a wicked race;
And Prophets, to Succeed thee, in thy place;
Who rapt by Miracle, in a bright Wind,
Went to inherit, as it was assign'd;
Who shall appease heaven's ffury, ere it rise
Into a flame, bring peace in the neare ties
Of Son & Father; & Erect the house
Of Iacob, in the Tribes most glorious.

Blesséd were they who saw thee, & could boast
A freindship with thee; for wee live almost
Noe Life, or but in Life; for in the Grave,
Wee cannot hope the liveing Name they have.

Elias, in the ffierie Rapture fled;
Stood Elizeus vp, replenishéd
With his strong Spirit, who could never stoope
To slave his vertue, for a servile Hope;
Whom nothing Danted; to confirme his faith,
His bodie rose, & Prophecied in Death.
But yet, (alas,) the People wanted ffaith,
And would not see, till Asshur, high in pride,

110

Led them away, & did their Land Devide;
That but a few remainéd to the King,
In Iudah's Throne, who did from David spring;
Of these, some Iust, some Wicked, when the Crowne
Fell to Ezechias, in Succession:
Hee built the Citty, faire; & did convay
Water into the streets, a secret way;
Cisternes of Stone he made, & Pipes to bring
The Waters, & receive them from their Spring.

The proud Assirian Monarch sent his Host,
Now (to Sacke Sion,) in the haughty boast
Of Rabshakeh; and as a woeman's paine
Possesseth her, soe are the people tane,
With soudaine ffeare; but lifting vp their Voice
To the great Lord, in Sacred Embasses
Of ffaith, he heard; forgot their Sins of Old,
Stood for the Citty; made the people bold;
Brought them from woemen's feare, feare worse then Death,
To a bright freedome in Elias' ffaith;
He smote the Host of Asshur; in the Night
He made his Angell for the People fight.

For, loe! the King was Iust in all his waies,
Heir to the vertue of a Princely race;
Strict to the Prophet Esay in his word,
As Inspirations giv'n from the Lord.

In whose Time, to confirme the word of heaven,
The Sun went back, the King had new Life given;
Ioy to the Walls of Sion he did bring;
Where Sorrow raigned, he made ye People Sing;

111

He told what should be ever; did vnfold
Deep Misteries, vnknowne to them of Old.

XLIX. Chap. xlix.

Now of Isaias tell, whose Memorie
Is Sweet, oh, sweeter farre then perfumes be!
ffragrant as Balme; as Honey to the Tast;
Gracefull & ffaire as Musique at a Feast;
Iust in himselfe, strict to the Cōmon good;
The people he recall'd, (from where they stood
ffrom sinfull waies,) vpon false Gods to trample,
And keep Religion, by his owne Example.
David & Ezechias we may bring,
Co-paralels in Glorie with this King.
These only perfect; for ev'n Iudah's Kings
Fell from the Law, & sought for newer things;
They forfeited the glorie of their Throne,
And gave their honour to a Land vnknowne;
Who burne the Citty, Holy things deface,
Pull downe the Walls, the Houses Sack & Race.

Foretold by Ieremie, whom they entreat
With bitternes; A Prophet, chosen yet
In Embrion; sanctified from the Wombe,
To Bless or Curse, with an impartiall Doome.

Ezekiel saw a glorious Vision
Of ffierie Cherubs in transition;
He Spoke of Enimies, as of a Storme;
He fixt the good, & Sinners did reforme.
Let the twelve Prophets fflourish in their Dust,

112

By their Vrnes Safe, their Memories ne'r lost;
Iacob in them was glad, their ffaith did stand,
Th' vnmovéd Pillars to a mighty Land.

What can we adde t' enrich the voice of Fame,
In Praise of Zorobabel's glorious Name?
A Signet for the Hand; Iosedeck's Son,
As Iust as He, who Equallye went on,
In brave designes, to re-erect God's House,
And 'twas ordain'd, for ever Glorious.

With these was Nehemias, whose renowne
Shall flourish ever; who rebuilt the Towne
Swallowed in Ruines; made the Citty safe;
Gave being to the Houses we now have.

But none like Enoch was, of humane birth,
Borne from the Earth, but never fell to Earth.

And Ioseph, perfect, deare to God & Man;
Lord of his Brothers, Ruler in the Land
Of Egipt vnder Pharaoh; the strong staffe
Of Israel; whose bones were tombéd Safe.

Sem & Seth; Iust, but certaine there was none
Soe pure as Adam, in Creation.

L. Chap. l.

Simon ONIADES, whose Life may boast
The Glories of the Temple, in the Cost
Of stately Battlements, & high-rear'd Walls,
In Double Measure to the former ffalls;
He did repaire the Cisternes, & restore
Salomon's Ruines, in the Sea of Ore;

113

A Father to the People, strict to gvide
Them in Iust waies, & from invasive Pride.

How vpright in his Life! oh, how Devine!
As the Day-starre set in a Cloud doth shine;
As the Moone orb'd, or the Sun's brighter Raies,
Or the fixt bow, soe glorious in his Daies;
As in the Early Spring a fragrant Rose,
Or Sprouting Lillies, when they first vnclose;
As rich Sabæan gummes, or as the Spice
Which from the Censer, in a perfume flies;
Soe sweet, soe precious, & Richer farre
Then Golden vessells set with Rubies are;
Faire as the Olive in a fertile ground,
Or Cipress Trees, whose heads, in Clouds are bound;
When in a Robe of honour, Clad in all
The Accoutrements of State, & Grace with all,
He to the Altar went, & made them shine
(Not as faire Robes, but) Ornaments Devine;
When he the Portions tooke from holy hands,
Himselfe stood nere where the Altar stands,
Environ'd by his Brethren; as vpon
The glorious Summit of Mount Libanon,
The Royall Cedar stands amid the Grove
Of Trees inferiour; or with holy Love
Circled in them, as in Engaddi, Palmes,
With gratefull branches standing in Secure calmes;
Soe all the Sons of Aaron stood: their hands
Full in oblations, for the People Stands.

114

That he might Satisfie his vowes vpon
The holy Altar, to his Function,
And make the Off'ring Comely; the pure blood
Of generous Grapes he pouréd as he stood;
Bright perfumes, in well-tasting smoaks arise
To appease Heaven, & Summe ye Sacrifice.

Then did the Sons of Aaron Shout for ioy,
And Brazen Trumpets Celebrate the high
Immortall God; the People run to pay
Their owne Devotions, & prostrate lay
Vpon the Earth; the holy Quire did ioyne
The Sacred Anthemes, Melodie Devine;
The People ioynéd in a fervent praier,
Till all the Rites duely performéd were.

Then went Hee downe, & stretchéd out his hand
(Vpon the intentive People, as they stand,
To praise the God of Heaven) yt they might know
A Power, in Doeing, what he seem'd to Doe.

Now, therefore, let vs All, wth ioynt Consent,
Magnifie God, for ever Excellent;
Who from the Wombe has blest vs, in our Age,
And dealt with vs in Mercy, not in Rage;
Pray wee that 't 'may be ever, & that wee
As they of old, may Peace in Israel see;
That he will confirme Mercie for our Crime,
And Succour our Necessities in Time.

Two sorts of People I abhorre in Heart;
The Third is none, being of both a Part;

115

Who doe vpon Samarian Mountains sitt:
The Philistine & Foolish Sichemite.

Iesus, son of Sirach, Eleazar's Son,
Hath this Booke written, all yt he hath known,
In a deep vnderstandinge; What the Chest
Of his Soul treasur'd vp, is here exprest.
Happy is he who liveth by this Rule;
He shall be Wise, & of a perfect Soul;
He shall be seene in all things, for ye Light
Of God shines here, to rectifie the feet
Of hasty Mortalls, in a Dangerous way;
Gives Wisedome, glads the Soul, wth vertue's Ray.

LI. Chap. li.

The Praier of Sirach's Son: My lord & King,
I will confesse thee, & thy Praises Sing;
Thee only will I Praise! oh, my Defence,
My Life, My Being, to withstand all Chance!
Might ruine mee; who hast preservd me long,
Safe from the Malice of a Slandering Tongue;
From lying lips, from my insulting ffoes
Who blind in Fury, in a Tempest rose;
From Secret Treasons, perills manifold;
In glowing ffire, yt ffire could take noe hold;
From rageing Passions; from the vnfathom'd deep
Of blak despaire; from fantasies, wch keep
In Braines distracted; from the gvilt of foule
Immodest Langvage, to bespot a Soule;
From all vntruthes; from ye vncertaine ground

116

Of seeminge hope to iniure or confound
My Neighbour in Deceit; to abuse ye Eare
Of Kings too Credulous, in what they heare.

For ever will I praise thee, oh my God!
My Soul was Sad, I travail'd in the road
Of horrid darknes; Compasséd about
With threat'ning ffoes, & none to help me out;
I look't about, to see if I could finde
One freind for Aide; but there was none soe kind.

When these helpes fail'd me, I begun to Cast
My hopes on thee, thy glorious Acts forepast;
How thou of old wast mighty to Secure
And guard thy people from a forraigne Power.

In confidence whereof I did advance
My voice in Praier, for like Deliverance,
Vnto the Lord, the Father of my Lord;
That I might never Suffer by the Sword
Of haughty ffoes, nor be left Desolate
For Pride to Tryvmph on me, in my Fate.
I will exalt thy Name, for ever Sing,
A Song of Praise, to thee my God and King.

My Praier was heard, tu sav'st me from ye Iawes
Of black Destruction; from ye insatiate Mawes
Of Persecution; therfore will I Praise
Thy Glorious Name the Remnant of my Daies.

When I was weake & younge, ere I knew ought,
I desired Wisedome, wth a fervent thought;
The Temple Stands a Witnes to my Vowes:
(Where better could I then in such a House?)

117

Lands far remote, I travail'd in her Quest;
I found her out; in her, my Soul hath Rest;
Studious to gaine her, from my younger yeares,
With strict Attention & with open Eares,
I did Possess her, & She Crown'd my Name
Glorious, to an everlasting Fame.
Therfore the Glory, gratefullie, I give
To him who gav't, in & by whom I live;
For 'tis but Iust, & not escape me shall,
Goodnes herselfe vnprovéd, lest I fall;
My Soul has Ioyn'd with her, in a hot strife;
I have survaied the affaires of all my Life
With Shame & Wonder, plainly to behold
Frailty soe forward, ignorance soe bold.

I try'd a nearer way, & found her pure;
Clasp't her within my Bosome, to endure
With mee for ever; found her in my Sweat;
Therefore, I flourish in a Glorious Seat;
And for Reward, I have a Tongue wch shall
Wax old, to Praise his Name who gave me all.

Come near, you Miss-led People, I will teach
You Sacred Precepts, 'bove the vulgar reach.
Why doe you trifle? Dull, Illitterate,
And Stupid Men, your Soules would gladly Sate
Them in the words of Knowledge; why not able
To Prize my Words? oh, you Incapable!
For I have said, buy her without a Price;
Be only humble, & you shall be Wise;

118

She stands to Court you; see! I tooke small Paine,
Yet in the fullnes of her ioyes remaine.

Get learning as a Treasure; to this Store
Gold is Contemptible, & Fortunes Poore.
Let your Soules trivmph, and record the Praise
Of God, full in his Mercy, all your Daies;
Doe what you doe in Time: & you shall find
Reward to all yor Actions in the End.

The End.

------ numero Devs impare gaudet.

Thus have I travail'd, in the Dangerous waies
Of a strange Countrey; Survai'd every Place,
Seen every People, all the Affections knowne
Which are in Mortalls; I have seene my owne
Frailties & Follies, Passions full in strife;
I have Survaied the Affaires of all my Life
With Shame & wonder; plainly to Behold
ffrailtie soe forward, Ignorance soe bold.

Here I saw Man, & read the private thought
Of Humanes, what they are, & what they ought;
Here vertue crownéd is, & I have seene
A Throne of Glorie to receive this Queene.
Here Wisedome dwelleth, & her Temples shine
With Truth & Iustice, perfect & Devine;
Mercy, in spotless Robes of Innocence,
And Charity, adorn'd wth Excellence;
Modesty, Temperance, & all the good

119

Can be made knowne, as in a Mirror stood.
Againe, I saw all the Deformities
Of Sin, the many heads of Hydra vice;
Iniustice, party-colour'd; Murder, wrath,
Oppression, Envy; & the noisome breath
Of black Detraction rose; I saw the fface
Of Fraud, reverst; Adulterie, Excess,
And Curiositye; I saw the Crimes
Of these, our owne, and of all former Times.

I stand amaz'd, when I collect my Thought
T' instruct my Pen, what Precepts I had taught;
I blush to see our great Siracides
ffall to the Vote of a low Paraphrase;
Ah let me Split my Pen, & teare the Sheet;
(My Soul is Sad, my Dull Eyes flame to see 't;)
What have I done? Let me recant in Time,
And wast my selfe in Tears, to wash my Crime;
I am a statue, fixéd to behold
Frailty soe forward, Ignorance soe bold:
But now, ev'n now, (me thinkes) I see a Sparke
Of Divine fire, t' illuminate the Darke
Mists of a fainting Soul; oh! let me turne
To Kisse the Flame; I'me cold & cannot burne.
Ah! let mee Creep to find it; 'tis almost
Glareing in Embers; blow, or 'twill be lost;
I, now it Spreads; See, now it rises higher!
And from a Sparke, it is become a fire.
I had beene lost for ever, but this Light
Came to direct my poore depresséd Spright.

120

Oh! glorious Light! oh! fflame certaine Devine,
In my Darke Bosome maiest thou ever Shine!

Oh! thou my Comfort! thou who didst inspire
My frozen Spirits with this holy fire;
Accept these Weake endeavors; Doubly thyne:
Both as my Vow, and as a Right Devine.

Thou who didst lead me, in my Iourney on
Through all ye Affaires yt I have ever knowne,
ffrom ye wombe vpward; in my Childhood kept
Me safe from Danger,—when my Nurses Slept;—
Safe in the Cradle; in the Slipperie state
Of youth, didst guard mee from all dismall fate;
Art now my Lord & Gvide, now in the strong
Estate of Man, & the sweet Time of younge.
Be Gracious still, that all my after-Daies,
(Till Earth to Earth resolve, & my Life Cease)
Be to thy Glorie; & my Dyinge Breath
Magnifie thee; Let me not Die, in Death.
Oh may these Lines Survive, when I am lost
In the Darke Grave, & Swallowed in Dust.
May this of Me remaine a Monument
Of Praise to thee, for ever permanent.

Here stay my Wand'ring verse & let me seale
My Vowes, not in Expressions, but in Zeale.

Desine plura musa ------
------ cum imperat Me canemus
1639.
Ianij vndecimo die.

The End.