Divine poems Containing The History of Ionah. Ester. Iob. Sampson. Sions Sonets. Elegies. Written and newly augmented, by Fra: Quarles |
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 | Divine poems |  |
Meditat. 6.
The hollow Concave of a humane brest
Is Gods Exchequer, and therein the best,
And summe of all his chiefest wealth consists,
Which he shuts up, and opens when he lists:
No power is of man: to love or hate,
Lyes not in mortals brest, or pow'r of Fate:
Mā wants the strength to sway his strong affections
What power is, is from Divine directions;
Which oft (unseene through dulnesse of the minde)
We nick name, Chance, because our selves are blind
And that's the cause, mans first beholding eye
Oft loves, or hates, and knowes no reason why.
Is Gods Exchequer, and therein the best,
And summe of all his chiefest wealth consists,
Which he shuts up, and opens when he lists:
No power is of man: to love or hate,
Lyes not in mortals brest, or pow'r of Fate:
Mā wants the strength to sway his strong affections
What power is, is from Divine directions;
Which oft (unseene through dulnesse of the minde)
We nick name, Chance, because our selves are blind
And that's the cause, mans first beholding eye
Oft loves, or hates, and knowes no reason why.
'T was not the brightnesse of Rebecca's face,
Or servants skill that wan the virgins grace:
'T was not the wish, or wealth of Abraham,
Or Isacks fortune, or renowned name,
His comely personage, or his high desert,
Obtain'd the conquest of Rebecca's heart:
Old Abra'm wisht, in secret God directed;
'Twas Abra'm us'd the meanes; 'twas God effected:
Best marriages are made in heaven; In heaven,
The hearts are joyn'd; in earth the hands are given,
First God ordaines, then man confirmes the Love,
Proclaiming that on earth was done above.
Or servants skill that wan the virgins grace:
'T was not the wish, or wealth of Abraham,
Or Isacks fortune, or renowned name,
His comely personage, or his high desert,
Obtain'd the conquest of Rebecca's heart:
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'Twas Abra'm us'd the meanes; 'twas God effected:
Best marriages are made in heaven; In heaven,
The hearts are joyn'd; in earth the hands are given,
First God ordaines, then man confirmes the Love,
Proclaiming that on earth was done above.
'Twas not the sharpnesse of thy wandring eye,
(Great King Assuerus) to picke Majesty
From out the sadnesse of a Captives face;
'Twas not alone thy chusing, nor her grace;
Who mounts the meeke, and beates the lofty down,
Gave thee the heart to chuse, gave her the Crown:
(Great King Assuerus) to picke Majesty
From out the sadnesse of a Captives face;
'Twas not alone thy chusing, nor her grace;
Who mounts the meeke, and beates the lofty down,
Gave thee the heart to chuse, gave her the Crown:
Who blest thy fortunes with a second wife,
He blest thy fortunes with a second life;
That brest that entertain'd so sweet a Bride,
Stood faire to Treason, (by her meanes descride;)
With double fortunes, wer't thou doubly blest,
To finde so faire, and scape so foule a guest.
He blest thy fortunes with a second life;
That brest that entertain'd so sweet a Bride,
Stood faire to Treason, (by her meanes descride;)
With double fortunes, wer't thou doubly blest,
To finde so faire, and scape so foule a guest.
Thou aged father of our yeares and houres,
(For thou as well discoverst, as devoures)
Search still the entrails of thy just Records,
Wherein are entred the diurnall words
And deeds of mortall men; Bring (thou) to light
All trech'rous projects, mann'd by craft, or might;
With Towr's of Brasse, their faithful heart's imbosse
That beare the Christian colours of the Crosse.
(For thou as well discoverst, as devoures)
Search still the entrails of thy just Records,
Wherein are entred the diurnall words
And deeds of mortall men; Bring (thou) to light
All trech'rous projects, mann'd by craft, or might;
With Towr's of Brasse, their faithful heart's imbosse
That beare the Christian colours of the Crosse.
And Thou Preserver of all mortall things,
Within whose hands are plac'd the hearts of Kings;
By whom all Kingdomes stand, and Princes raigne
Preserve thy Charles, and my dear Soveraigne;
Let Traitors plots, like wandring Atomes, fly,
And on their heads pay ten-fold usury;
His bosome tuter, and his safety tender:
O be thou his, as hee's thy Faiths Defender:
That thou in him, and hee in thee may rest,
And we of both may live and die possest.
Within whose hands are plac'd the hearts of Kings;
By whom all Kingdomes stand, and Princes raigne
Preserve thy Charles, and my dear Soveraigne;
Let Traitors plots, like wandring Atomes, fly,
And on their heads pay ten-fold usury;
His bosome tuter, and his safety tender:
O be thou his, as hee's thy Faiths Defender:
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And we of both may live and die possest.
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