A Collection of Emblemes Ancient and Moderne: Quickened VVith Metricall Illvstrations, both Morall and Divine: And disposed into Lotteries, That Instruction, and Good Counsell, may bee furthered by an Honest and Pleasant Recreation. By George Wither |
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 | A Collection of Emblemes |  |
28
Illvstr. XXVIII.
[Some Trees, when Men oppresse their Aged Heads]
No Inward Griefe, nor outward Smart,
Can overcome a Patient-Heart.
Can overcome a Patient-Heart.
Some
Trees, when Men oppresse their Aged Heads,
(With waighty Stones) they fructifie the more;
And, when upon some Herbs, the Gard'ner treads,
They thrive and prosper, better then before:
(With waighty Stones) they fructifie the more;
And, when upon some Herbs, the Gard'ner treads,
They thrive and prosper, better then before:
So, when the Kings of Ægypt did oppresse
The Sonnes of Iacob, through their Tyrannies;
Their Numbers, every day, did more encrease,
Till they grew greater then their Enemies.
So, when the Iewes and Gentiles, joyn'd their Powre
The Lord, and his Annoynted, to withstand;
(With raging Furie, lab'ring to devoure
And roote the Gospel, out of ev'ry Land)
The more they rag'd, conspired, and envy'd,
The more they slander'd, scorn'd, and murthered;
The more, the Faithfull, still, were multiply'd:
And, still, the further, their Profession spred.
Yea, so it spred, that quite it overthrew
Ev'n Tyranny it selfe; that, at the last,
The Patience of the Saints, most pow'rfull grew,
And Persecutions force, to ground was cast.
The Sonnes of Iacob, through their Tyrannies;
Their Numbers, every day, did more encrease,
Till they grew greater then their Enemies.
So, when the Iewes and Gentiles, joyn'd their Powre
The Lord, and his Annoynted, to withstand;
(With raging Furie, lab'ring to devoure
And roote the Gospel, out of ev'ry Land)
The more they rag'd, conspired, and envy'd,
The more they slander'd, scorn'd, and murthered;
The more, the Faithfull, still, were multiply'd:
And, still, the further, their Profession spred.
Yea, so it spred, that quite it overthrew
Ev'n Tyranny it selfe; that, at the last,
The Patience of the Saints, most pow'rfull grew,
And Persecutions force, to ground was cast.
The selfe-same Pow'r, true Patience, yet retaines,
And (though a thousand Suff'rings wound the same)
She still hath Hope enough to ease her paynes;
That Hope, which keepeth off, all Feare and Shame:
For, 'tis not Hunger, Cold, nor Fire, nor Steele,
Nor all the Scornes or Slanders, we can heare,
Nor any Torment, which our Flesh can feele,
That conquers us; but, our owne Trayt'rous Feare.
Where, Honest Mindes, and Patient Hearts, are Mates;
They grow victorious, in their Hardest-Fates.
And (though a thousand Suff'rings wound the same)
She still hath Hope enough to ease her paynes;
That Hope, which keepeth off, all Feare and Shame:
For, 'tis not Hunger, Cold, nor Fire, nor Steele,
Nor all the Scornes or Slanders, we can heare,
Nor any Torment, which our Flesh can feele,
That conquers us; but, our owne Trayt'rous Feare.
Where, Honest Mindes, and Patient Hearts, are Mates;
They grow victorious, in their Hardest-Fates.
| A Collection of Emblemes | |