Ex otio Negotium :: :: University of Virginia Library

When as this circling Globe of Seas and Earth
Snugg'd in her night-clothes, and had neither birth
Nor motion, but a lumpish Caos stood,
An immaterial mass of slimy mud,
A confus'd pre-existent nothing, where
Tis blasphemy to say as yet things were.
The great Eternal Being thought it good
His Spirit here should move upon the floud.
Hence bloom'd the early and the infant light
From out the swathe-bands of eternal night,
Which now furl'd up in sooty curls gives back
And place to Time to date its Almanack.
Whiles Midwife-Nature fits the Vacuum
For the conceal'd impressions yet to come.
This glimmering splendor in its course begun
Christ'ned three dayes before there was a Sun.
Thus things with things in mix'd confusion hurl'd
Lift up their eye-lids, & Thus wak'd the World.

Nor was it yet broad day to any sight,
For time walk'd as it were by candle-light.
The East had not yet guilded bin by those
Bright sparks by which she now most Orient growes.
When as the mutt'ring Elements took their place
And Centers as their several nature was.

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The active fire first clipp'd the azure Round,
To which the grosser ayre became a bound,
Each in his proper Orbe was stay'd and pent
Environ'd by a solid Firmament.
This was the time when th'rendevouzing floud
Disbodying from the earth upon heaps stood,
And Neptune ore that raging bulk of brine
Advanc'd his Mace and Scepter tridentine.
Whiles the dry land peepp'd up out of the froth
Like a short Commons in a sea of broth;
Spangled with fruits & flowers, herbs & grass,
And this the teeming world's First up-rise was.

Not long this beauty had in twilight lay
But God made lights to sunder night and day;
And deck the checkred palace of the skyes
With thousand Coronets of twinkling eyes
Which by their rule & aspects in their spears,
Should be for signes and seasons, months and years.
And now if ever there was harmony
Amongst those blessed motions up on high,
Twas in this instant, when in joynt consent
They danc'd this mask about the Firmament,
And plac'd that heavenly round which ore & ore
Must be renew'd till time shall be no more.
Next, those rich bodyes of the Sun and Moon,
Like the High Constables of the watch, for noon
And night, drew forth in glory, whēce created
Tis much more safe admired than debated.

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Thus the Surveyors of the world took birth,
And this was The good morrow of the Earth.

There wanted nothing now, trees, herbs, nor plants,
Nor sweets, but a few wilde inhabitants,
Fish and the reptile creature; winged Quires
Of downy Organists for to tune their Lyres,
And fill the breaking ayre with Rapsodies
Of chirping emulation to the skies.
Thus the self generative streams brought forth
Th'Amphibious brood of water and of earth.
The shady woods now range with ecchoing straines
Of shrill melodious notes; whose pretty chains
Tye up the ears of things in silent love
As 'twere a glimpse of heaven dropt from above.
Next came the silver harnass'd scaley fry
Capring upon the deep, to give supply
To every pretty winding brook, which now
With tatling springs and living plenty flow.
Thus Nature peep'd out in her morning dresse
Though not arrived to a full readinesse.

And now the sixth day of God's labour dawnes,
Whenas the blowing meads and tufted lawns
Are stock'd with lowing beasts of every kinde,
The bleating snowy sheep, & fruitful hinde,
All creatures of all sorts for game and food,
Which by the vote of heaven were very good.
The little world and complement of all
Was only absent, for whose sake they call

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The Grand Consilio of the gods to make
Man, which of earth and heaven should pertake
God's Image and the globe's Epitome
Must in one structure both united bee.
Hence then the low and lofty Steward came
To head the Collonies, and gave things a name
Even Adam that prime moving dust, yt small
And great Vicegerent of the God of all.
Thus the world walk'd abroad rich as the sun,
And God's work ended where Man's work begun.

Now that we have survey'd this tumbling Ball
How & whence made, take a short touch on al.
And first of that great mercy, yt prime cause
From which all causes spring and take their Laws
Twas meerly The eternal will & Love
Of God reveal'd in time that did him move
To raise an universe of beauty, where
Was neither forme nor mediate matter there.
And thence he fram'd not man first as ye summ
And supream piece of all that was to come,
But brought him to a Furnish'd World, compleat
In all proportions, bad him take and eate,
Subdue and have dominion, raign, command,
And supervize the wonders of his hand.
The only homage he sought on his part
Was but the service of an upright heart,
A pure obedience and a station in
That innocency which yet had known no sin.

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But why in just six dayes God and no more
Compleated up this building and this store
May some men ask? Was it a type of the
Fix'd Crisis of the world's Catastrophe?
Which the old Rabbins of the Jews suppose
After six thousand years shall have its close?
When all flesh shall an endless Sabbath keep
While sin and time & death are lull'd a sleep?
I dare not fathom these deep misteries
Conceal'd even from the very Angells eyes.
As the beginning of all things hid lay
In the Almighty bosom, where no ray
Could pry into its purpose: So we now
May ghuess the end as undiscover'd, how
Or when, lies lapp'd up in th'obscure decree
And secret cabinet of the dietie.
This only we dare say we know, as light
Began, so fire shall be the world's good night.
Thus having through this glorious week's work prest
Where God left labour I presume to rest.