Du Bartas His Divine Weekes And Workes with A Compleate Collectio[n] of all the other most delight-full Workes: Translated and written by yt famous Philomusus: Iosvah Sylvester |
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THE TRIVMPH OF FAITH. |
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 | Du Bartas |  |
537
THE TRIVMPH OF FAITH.
Canto I.
1
Neer th'hour that Eryein' Aurora cals,And shee the Sun; sad Morpheus, entring in
Through's horny gate, to shew mee did begin
A sacred Virgins stately Trivmphals.
2
Then Faith (for so shee hight) bids with celerity,Of Pen and Paper that I make provision
To write the summ of this celestiall Vision,
To bee recorded vnto all Posterity.
3
I knowe my task to bee impossible:I knowe, in this, mans eyes are beetle-blinde:
His ears quite deaf; clean void of sense his minde:
But, hardest thing's Faith makes most possible.
4
Eternall Sun, O scatter with thy LightAll misty clouds, that make mee not to see
Thy health-full Face: and give true Faith to mee;
Since Faith, sans Faith, cannot bee knowne aright.
5
Faith sits triumphant on a Carr of gold,Of Tubal's making, where blew Saphires shine,
Rich Diamonds, and many Rubies fine,
And if ought else the World more costly hold.
6
Her glorious Charrets rowling wheels are likeThe holy wheels the great Ezechiel saw:
For, one self-spirit, self-winde, and will doth draw
Their rest-less courses, equall, both alike.
538
7
The Bird that led the Roman Standards out:The Bird, that fixtly can oppose his eyes
Against the greatest light in all the skies;
High through the air, draws this rich Coach about.
8
Faith flaunts it not in silver, silk, nor gold,Nor pretious scarlet of the Tyrian Dy,
Nor paints her face to hide deformity;
But, as shee is, shee doth her self vnfold.
9
Her body (that all bodies doth disgrace)Like Iuno's Bird, is full of watchfull eyes
Whose holy glances pearce the lofty skies,
Pearce Air, and Heav'n, and see God face to face.
10
Sh'hath many sweet and flowing tongues to praiseThe Lord of Hoasts: sh' hath strong and mighty wings
(Passing the swiftnes of all earthly things)
That in a moment vp to Heav'n her raise.
11
Her glorious head is compast with a Crown,Not made of Olive, Pine, or Lawrell bough,
Nor Parsly Wreath, which Grecians did allow
Th'Olympian games for signals of renown:
12
But, of fresh Roses pluckt from Honours Tree,That never shrink for Winters chilling frost,
That wither not when Titan parcheth most:
For, by the Lord they ever wat'red bee.
13
Now, stain-less Truth for Standards doth displayTwo Testaments: next, Courage marshals right
Th'vndaunted Troops that are prepar'd to fight
Vnder her Colours, into battell-ray.
14
Then, Constancy bears a two-edged Blade,And Patience an impenetrable Shield;
Whose brightnes hath inforc't more Monsters yield,
Then that which of grim Gorgon's head was made.
15
Next, Charity, that kindely doth preferHer neighbours good before her owne vtility:
Repentance, Hope, and hearty-milde Humility,
Doo flank the wings of Faith's triumphant Carr.
16
For, Faith (indeed) without her Maids were vain.But, as the Sun can never lack his light,
Nor Fire want heat: so (if wee mark aright)
Faith cannot want these Hand-maids in her train.
539
17
Before this Coach there is a Beldam gon,That seems (at first) fairer then Helen was:
But, neerer view'd, shee is more foul (alas!)
Then fell Megera, Alect', or Tesiphon.
18
Shee never goes (like Faith) with open face;But seeks for masks, vizards, and garments gay,
For cloke on cloke to keep the light away,
Of her loath'd limbs to hide the foul disgrace.
19
Sh'hath tongues (like Faith) with which shee bouldly chats,Blaspheming Heav'n with filthy vanities;
Sh'hath eyes (like Faith) but yet (alas!) those eyes
See cleer by night, by day are blinde as Bats.
20
Sh'hath wings (like Faith) with which she soars on hy:Like Icarus, shee proudly mounts aloft;
Forgetting that her feathers are so soft,
Till Phœbus force her waxen wings doth fry.
21
Shee (whom, sans reason, men have Reason hight)Since first, in Fire, the Lord the Air inclos'd;
In Air the Sea, in Sea the Earth dispos'd;
Hath with milde Faith maintain'd continuall fight;
22
Now, arming Kings, and putting in their brains,That nothing less beseems their Royall State
Than vnder Faith their Scepters to abate;
Than to endure her gentle-ruling reans.
23
Another-while, shee puffs with pois'ny pride(Whom their Disciples onely Doctors deem)
Such as (I grant) have spent much oil, and time,
To draw mens soules from the true way, too wide.
24
Yet still, the Lord (who still vpholds the iust)Hath still the cause of holy Faith maintain'd;
Hath still so well her holy side sustain'd,
That still her foes ly groveling in the dust.
25
A thousand Princes, bound in fetters fast,Before her march, that her milde yoak disdain'd;
That all the Earth with blood of Saints distain'd,
And Christ his Church with Fire and Sword did waste.
26
Hee that (the first) in this worlds Pupillage,Brain'd his owne brother, leads this bloody crew:
Then th'hardned Tyrant, that did dare pursue
Through the Red-Sea Gods chosen Heritage.
540
27
Then saw I him that Zachary did stone;Athaliah, Ahab, wicked Abian,
Occazias, Amon, Ahaz, and Ioram:
Then all that fate on the Samarian Throne.
28
I saw Senacherib, and Him whose GraceWas turn'd to grass, proud Haman, and withall
Brave Holophernes, and who on the Wall
Read how his Kingdom to the Medes should passe.
29
Annas and Caiaphas, and him that setHis hatefull idoll in the holy Place;
Which, five Iew-brethren bravely did deface:
All these too-late, in sad repentance fret.
30
The Tyrant too, that (at our Saviours birth)In Cradles kill'd so many Innocents:
And that vile Iudge, whose seared conscience
Condemn'd the guilt-less Iudge of all the earth.
31
That viperous Monster (of Mankinde the shame)Who, Mother, Wives, Brethren and Sisters slue,
Then from a lofty Towr did laugh to view
Rome's glittering Spires all on a burning flame,
32
With Seventh Severus came accompanied:Iule, Maximin with full Maximian,
Cruell Gallerian, fond Domitian,
That (god-less) would like God bee honoured.
33
Then saw I him that served SaperesFor foot-stool base: I saw Valerian,
Decius, Lycinus, and Hostilian;
And fell Maxentius, marching next to these.
34
I saw great Traian, learn'd Aurelius,And learned Dioclesian: all which three
Among wise Cæsars might well praised bee,
Had they not been 'gainst Christians barbarous.
35
Iustin, Theodorus, Constantinus Sonne,Heraclius, Valence, Constance, Manuel,
And that Bizantian Prince, that did mis-tell
A four-fould Essence in the onely One.
36
Then (Goths and Uandals, Gens'ric, Trasimond)Honorius, Theodorus, Totilas,
Alaricus, and Rhotoris (alas!)
Who Rome and Africk with Saints blood have drown'd.
541
37
But who is this, that, loaden so with chains,By thousand hang-men racked with despight,
By thousand Furies tortur'd day and night,
For god-less deeds receives so righteous pains?
38
'Tis Mahomet, who more by Mavors Art,Than's Alcaron (Bird of a Friers nest)
Hath all subdu'd the wealthy golden East,
And won withall the triple world's best part.
39
I see Prince Saladine, of match-less force,But th'Alcoran too-deeply favouring:
Haly the Caliphe, and the wanton King
That did our Maids on Edess Altars force.
40
With wrath and woe old Ottoman opprest,Too-late repentance in his face presents;
And Mahomet, the second, much laments
That hee the Greekish Empery supprest.
41
So the proud scorn of (scourge-Turk) Tamberlaine,That in an iron Cage was cooped straight;
And hee that first presum'd to pass the Streight
Which Europe's bounds divides from th'Asian.
42
Then hee that quittance did with Scythia cry,And over Sea his Scepter rais'd again;
And Amurath, that did repell amain
Vincenslaus, that first had made him fly.
43
Orcan (the Phrygian's fear) and Calipine,Who foil'd Sigismond's hoast, his Father fear'd;
And Baiazeth, that, being haughty rear'd
By Germain Tropheis, did their peace repine.
44
Hee that his Sire and Brother put to death,Is with a Cable kild; his Son, that quail'd
Th'Hungarian King, and Rhodes and Bud assail'd,
With trembling fear now quakes like Aspen leaf.
45
And neer this Solyman there doth remainAn empty room for him that yet survives,
Who (by our Kings strange iars) so richly thrives,
That (proud) hee threats both Germany and Spain.
46
O wretched Christians! while your civill rage'Gainst your owne hearts doth arm your proper hands,
O see you not the Turks invade your Lands,
And safely spoil the Lords choise heritage?
542
47
The discord growne 'twixt the Bulgarian King,And th'Eastern Cæsar, even the Bridge it was
For hate-Christ Turks the Hollespont to pass,
And so in Greece a Pagan Scepter bring.
48
The discord of two brethren Morea lost;And (O!) I fear lest Christians home-bred fraies
(Deiecting quite Christs Name, and all his praise)
Bring Turks to land in farthest Western Coast.
49
Forget then, Christians, your vn-Christian iarrs(Your civill strife for wagging of a straw)
Ioin hearts and hands, and all joint weapons draw
In Faith's defence to fight Iehova's warrs.
50
In Asia and Egypt make your Forces knowne:Recover Gaza, Antioch, Ascalon,
Tyre, Sidon, Ioppa, and King Davids Throne,
And Famagosta, lost a yeer agon.
Canto II.
1
Though bloody Tyrants had in every ageBusiris Altars, Bulls of Phalaris,
Gemonid Ladders, making Land and Seas,
And fire, and air, racks of their beastly rage:
2
Yet could they never wound the Church so much,As have the Writings of the worldly Wise,
Which on mens soules doo felly tyrannize;
The tortures, onely did the bodies touch:
3
These Sages, puft with self-conceited pride,Dare to controule th'Almighties match-less work,
Where mystike Secrets from our senses lurk,
The search whereof the Lord hath vs deni'd.
4
And, though the spred of our too-feeble wingsScant raise vs from the ground, they mount aloft
Even vp to Heav'n, where they doo measure oft
(By their Wits compass) Gods eternall things.
5
Their knowledge is but meerly ignorance,They lose the Truth in seeking it too much:
For, Truth doth still conceal her self from such,
And to the humble doth her self advance.
543
6
Truth alwaies dwels within the holy TablesOf God's live word; not in our wanton brain,
Which daily coining som strange Error vain,
For Gold takes Lead, for Truth electeth Fables.
7
Long time their reasons were with Reason rife,To wrack the Church, and Faith to ruinate:
But, now I see they doo detest, too-late,
Their former errors and their former life.
8
In formost rank, march all Gymno sophists,Follow'd by all the cunning Persian Mages,
The old French Druids, learned Calde-Sages,
And flowr of all the Brachoman sophists.
9
Pythagoras, Zeno, Xenophanes,Parmenides, merry Democritus,
Empedocles, and sad Heraclitus,
Archytas, Naucides, Nausiphanes.
10
Brief, all the Doctors of the Latin Sect,Tearing their Tresses, melting into tears,
Beating their breasts, detest those Dreams of theirs:
And so the greatest of the Greeks Elect.
11
Anaximander, Anaximenes,Mylesian Thales, Anaxagoras,
Gnawen with continuall care, cry out (alas)
On their owne Errors; and so Socrates.
12
Cleanthes and Chrysippus next to these,With Zeno (Storks) that have often strai'd:
And next, the Cyniks (all as ill-appai'd)
Diogenes, Crates, Antisthenes.
13
There, the grand Patrons of each Academ,Plato, Speusippus, and Zenocrates,
Clytomachus, Crantor, Carneades;
And hee that labours to conciliate them.
14
There mourns in vain Pirrhon (Son of Plistarchus)That (fond) beleeves not what his ears doo hear,
Eyes see, nose smells, tongue tastes, and hands doo bear:
Then Timon, Hecate, and Anaxarchus.
15
There, the Stagirian (that, with learned vain,In's Works includes the Encyclopedy)
Sorry t'have led so many soules awry,
With Strato and Theophrastus doth complain.
544
16
There, carnall Epicurus wails with tears,And Metodorus: next to whom there came
Both Aristippi, Aretas, and that same
Vile wretch that coin'd a worser sect then theirs:
17
I mean that Monster Theodorus hight,Who shame-less saies, There is no God at all:
And that the Wise may (when occasions fall)
Be Lier, Traitor, Theef and Sodomite.
18
Alas! how true the Proverb prooves too-plain,Saying, Bad weeds growe every-where apace:
But, holsom herbs scant spring in any place
Without great labour, and continuall pain.
19
O Grecians Bane, thy mortifying MoresTo growe in Rome the swelling Seas have crost;
From Rome too soon over the Alps have past
As far as France, and all her neighbour shoars.
20
Thy deadly Plant now buds on Iustice Throne,In Christian Camps, and Courts of Christian Kings,
In Church and Chair, and every-where so springs,
That with thy thistles all is over-growen.
21
But, now return wee to our task again:All these Wise-men, of God have false defin'd,
Of Chiefest-good, Soules, or wrong place assign'd
Where (dead) wee feel or end-less peace or pain.
22
Those that (since Christ, true Son of righteousnes,On our Horizon brought the daies broad light)
Have led mens soules in dark eternall night,
Feel torments worthy of their wickednes.
23
Next Symmachus, Porphirius marcheth first:Lucian and Celsus then, whose hardned heart
The Gospell (knowen) did labour to subvert;
And Iulian also, of all Cæsars worst:
24
Who, knowing well that tortures were but vainTo force the Saints from the right Faith to stray;
(By sugred stile) studies another way,
Turns truth to lies, and lies to truth again.
25
Next, I perceive the Circumcised CrewOf Cabalists, and burly Talmudists,
Troubling the Church with their mysterious Mists;
Who, wel-nie dead, 'gainst Christ doo spet and spew:
545
26
Much like to Snakes, that wagg their sting-less sting,When as (their heads and bodies being slain)
They threat their Foes with force-less fury vain,
And to their Graves their Thirst of vengeance bring.
27
Now com the Doctors of the Alcaron;Who, mingling poison, by their subtil gloze,
The World's blinde eyes with darker Clouds inclose;
They shew their sorrow by their saddest mone.
28
But, who are these that were Faith's Livery,And bear the badge of Faith's best Souldiers;
And yet are loaden with such bolts and bars;
And so despised of Faith's company?
29
These (if I erre not) are the HeretikesWho (pusht by proud and curious spirits) doo blend
Both Heav'n and Earth, and busily contend
To lead the World in crooked paths and Creeks.
30
Now, as soft windes, with straight constrained breath(Through chinks and crannies stealing privily)
Hurt more our health, than boist'rous blasts that fly,
And roule (abroad) the stones vpon a heath:
31
And, as the Foe, that shakes the Cities wallsWith thundring shot, is not so dangerous
As a lewd Burgess, false and mutinous,
That in the Town stirs-vp domestick brauls:
32
So, Pagans, Turks, Iews, doo not damnisieThe Faith like these: their open violence
May bee avoided: but false fair-pretense
Is hardly 'scaped with much ieopardy.
33
They make (like vs) a fair religious showe:They have (like vs) one Church, one Faith, one Lord:
They read (like vs) one Bible, and one Word:
So fly they are God's Church to over-throwe.
34
In foremost rank, heer goe the Sadduces,That do deny Angels and Resurrection;
Both Spirits of grace, and also of reiection:
Then th'Esseans foul, and Formal Pharises.
35
Next, that deceiver, that devised firstChurch-chaffering: and after him ensues
That mariage-Foe, who brutishly renues
Pluto's (not Plato's) Common-law accurst.
546
36
Cerinthus next, all bruis'd, and bleeding fresh,Of Beam-pasht wounds that brain'd him suddenly,
When in the Baths (profane) hee did deny
Christs holy God-head, hidden in our flesh.
37
For having likewise warr'd against the sameGod-head of th'onely Man-God; Ebion,
Paul, Samyan, Photin, Carp'crate, Artemon,
Shew by their looks their sorrow and their shame.
38
There mourns that Manes, who did fondly fainTwo divers Gods, Authors of Good and Ill;
There, Valentin the air with cries doth fill,
Who did deny that bodies Rise again.
39
Cerdon (great Patron of the Stoīcall)Marcion, Menander, pitious Moan doo make:
There sighs Apelles; saying, Christ did take
Not (simply) flesh, but flesh fantasticall.
40
There goes Basilides, who canoniz'dCyrenean Simon in our Saviovrs steed;
Montanus there (a frantick head indeed)
Who guiltless Children kill'd and sacrifiz'd.
41
There, Tatians, Encratits, Severions,Sabellians too, which (seeking th'vnity
In God's great Essence) lost the Trinity;
Abhord too-late their fond conclusions.
42
There, th'Alexandrian Priest, that yerst did voidHis entrails at the stool, whose Heresie
(Witching wel neer th'Earths Vniversity)
With Sword and Schism the World so much annoy'd,
43
Sadly behoulds sad-marching MacedoniusAnd Eunomus, who at the first had sowne
His poisony seeds; but after, of their owne
They gathered two other Sects erronious.
44
Bizantian Nestor, and (our owne) Pelagius,Libian, Donatus, Luciferians,
Euticheans fond, and fond Priscillians,
All frown and fret for inward grief outrageous.
45
Shall I conceal Servetus, and the trainOf those Deists that in Sarmatia swarms:
And (Kingling) Muncer, that with frantick arms,
Founds hundred sorts of Anabaptists vain?
547
46
Both Syrtes sands I might as eas'ly number,As number those, whose sweet inchanting Writs
With Error's dregs have drenched wanton Wits,
Chiefly'n this Age, which all corruptions cumber.
47
For, Satan now him so insinuatesIn faithless hearts, that ween themselves bee wise,
That so foul Error can hee not devise,
But shall bee backt by strong associates.
48
I see the Beast that bears the purple Whore(Great Anti-Christ vsurping powr Divine)
Set on Seaven Hils; who with her whoredoms wine
Makes drunk the Princes that her Seat adore.
49
And (last of all) I see the Schismaticks,Which (renting Christ's vnseamed coat in twain)
Trouble the Church-peace with contentions vain;
Follow too neer the steps of Hereticks.
Canto III.
1
Great Sire's great Son! O live, God's lively face,Wisedom conceived of the onely Wise:
To vs giv'n Giver: First and Last: born twice;
Once, in full Time; once, out of all Times space.
2
Beam of that Sun which fils the world with Light:Life of our life, our death's death, Stingers sting:
Our perfect, wise, iust, holy, valiant King,
Word, that no word can full express aright:
3
O Lord, draw, draw mee, draw mee from this throng,Whose feet and hands are bould to war with Thee:
For, with dry eyes I can them never see,
Nor without grief recite them in my Song.
4
Ah! I am out; now (my dear God) I goeFrom Babel to Ierusalem, the Land
Of Life, Saints House, and holy Ark, to stand
Against all Seas, and all rough storms that blowe.
5
Lo heer these Champions that have (bravely-bould)Withstood proud Tyrants, stoutly consacring
Their lives and soules to God, in suffering:
Whose names are all in Life's fair Book in-roul'd.
548
6
All-hail, Saint-Souldiers, let vs once imbrace:O valiant Knights Her mee your hands and brows
Adorn with Palms, and with Apollo's boughs:
Let present honours former shames deface.
7
Com, sacred Kings, O holy Princes, com:Com to this Triumph Lords, whose valiant hands
Have Satan's kingdom sought to bring in bands,
And in your Crowns giv'n Faith the chiefest room.
8
Hee, that (the first) Isaac infranchised,Leads by the hand that Duke, whose faithfull word
Stopt Phœbus Coursers, and whose conquering Sword
Subdu'd the Land the Lord had Promised.
9
Hee, that, but armed with an Asses bone,Slew thousand Foes, Sangar, Othoniel,
Ahod and Ieptha, Barac, Samuel,
And (th'Heathens scourge) triumphant Gedeon.
10
That great King-Prophet, Poet, Conqueror,Sweet Psalmograph: Asa, that Idols brake:
Hee, that made all the Idol-altars quake;
And (after) did the Paschal Lamb restore.
11
Iehosaphat, Ioathan, Azarias;And hee, whose life the Lord did dis-abbridge,
Whom Heav'nly arms, from Assur did vnsiege;
The most religious, match-less Ezechias.
12
Wise Mardochey; and the five Maccabees;All, the right heirs of heart and zeal paternall,
Receiue their guerdon from the great Eternall,
And vp again their stooping standards raise.
13
Before these Warriours, and the Royall Band,March holy Fathers, that with vertue rare,
And holy Doctrine, did the Divell dare;
Foiling the force of his infernall hand.
14
Enos, by whom this Worlds great ArchitectWas call'd vpon, leadeth (religious):
That holy Father God took-vp from vs:
And hee, whose ship did save the World Elect.
15
Then Sem and Iapheth; and great Abraham,The Faithfulls Father; and his faithfull Son;
And then his Nephew, that saw Angels run
Both vp and down from Heav'n to th'earthly Frame.
549
16
Aaron, Eleazar, Phinees full of zeal,Good Ioyada, and hundred priests select,
That were by Heav'n, by zeal, and Church, elect
To keep the Law the Lord did once reveal.
17
His Father, who was sent to sweep the wayOf sweet Messias; then, the man suppos'd
To bee His Sire; then, Hee that Him inclos'd
In's ioyfull arms, and sung a Swan-like Lay.
18
Then Barnabas, Titus, and Timothy,(Paul's famous Friends, Sins fierce and deadly Foes)
And hee that did, by Sol's Eclipse, suppose
Som greater Sun to bee Eclips't than hee.
19
Then (this brave Triumph to adorn the more)All on a rowe a hundred Prophets com,
Which have so sure fore-told the things to-com,
As if (indeed) they had been don before.
20
There first coms hee, that in the Coach of fireBy God's strong Spirit was rapt above the Air:
And then his Servant, that was made his heir
Of cloak and knowledge, as hee did desire.
21
Hee that reproov'd old Ishay's Sceptred SonFor double fault; Amos, Ezechiel,
Ioel, Semayah, Abdiah, Daniel;
And hee that three daies in the Sea did won.
22
With these, I see the Son of Barachy,Both Michais, Baruc, Iehu, Ieremias,
Agg, Abacuc, Nahum, and Sophonias,
Ahias, Hose, Esdras, Malachy.
23
The glorious troop that march before this troop,Are martyrs all, who (full of constant zeal)
Their faith infract with their owne bloods did seal,
And never did to any Tyrant stoop.
24
Their blessed blood is like the morning deaw,To make more fertil all the Churches field:
These are the weapons that inforce to yeeld
The furious Foe (examples not a few).
25
For, as a fruit-Tree lopped in December,For one old Trunk, many new twigs returns,
Which Nature kindely with sweet fruit adorns:
So, one sole Martyr many doth engender.
550
26
First, Abel goes, then Ioyad's zealous Son,That neer the Altar (constant) yeelded breath:
The next goes hee Manasses put to death;
Then hee, whose head th'incestuous Dancer won.
27
Next Salone and her Sons, who rather choseTo cross the King then God, strengthning each other
Even in their death; Sons worthy such a Mother,
And Mother worthy of such Sons as those.
28
That Proto-Martyr, the yong faithfull Steven,Whom th'hatefull Iews with hellish rage did stone;
Who, dying, saw Christ Iesus on his Throne,
Leads those that for like cause their lives have given.
29
Som, smear'd with hony, for the Flies were feasts:Som, men did eat; som were on Gridirons broil'd:
Som, nail'd on Crosses; som, in Caldrons boil'd;
And som were throwne to most devouring beasts.
30
After the Champions of this humble Troop,I see fair Sara, Rebecca, Rachel:
Then Debora, stout Iudith, and Iahel,
Who (Faith's Viragoes) their proud Foes did stoop.
31
Then shee that (rais'd to Royall state and stile)Preserv'd her people, in a rank shee goes
With Naomi, Ruth, and the Dame that chose
Rather to dy, than Nuptiall bed defile.
32
From these, mine ey no sooner traverseth,But I discerne three Ladies zealous-led,
That sought their living Lord among the dead:
Then Anna, Martha, and Elizabeth.
33
But, my weak eyes cannot endure to gazeOn beaming beauties of that Mother-Maid,
Who Sire-less bore her Sire, yet ever-Maid;
Of Faith and Love th'inimitable maze.
34
This, this (my Muse) this is th'Aurora clearWhich brought the Sun to light the World vnkinde,
A Virgin pure in body and in minde,
Christ's Mother, Sister, Spouse, and Daughter dear.
35
God's holy Temple, and the happy stairWhereby the Heav'ns came downe to dwell with Earth,
Rich-fraighted Ship, Vessell of rarest worth,
Where Phœbus hid his beams most bright and fair.
551
Canto IIII.
1
I thought t'have been now at my Races end;T'have (though vnworthy) born away the prize:
But I fall short, my task doth longer rise;
For, half the Trophe is yet hardly penn'd.
2
Before Faith's Coach, born in convenient heighth,Are curious Tables drawn by cunning hand,
Where (after guise of warlik Romans) stand
The Victories of never-conquer'd Faith.
3
Heer, Iericho's cloud-kissing Towrs doo fall,Batter'd alone by Faith's great ordinance:
A count-less hoast of craking Idolants,
By Esay's Faith, is heer confounded all.
4
By Faith, meek Moses with a zeal-full ireArms smallest Worms th'Egyptian King to vex;
Daniel, by Faith, fierce Lions fury checks,
And quenches Dragons hot impoisoning fire.
5
Heer, Paul, by Faith, fears not (in Mitylene)The deadly sting of th'vgly Viper-Worm:
Heer, myching Ionas (sunk in sudden Storm)
Of his Deliverance findes a Fish the mean.
6
Then, in another Table, that was fram'dBy Art, exceeding Art; I did espy
Pale Death, blithe Health, and frail Infirmity,
That had by Faith a thousand times been tam'd.
7
Moses, by Faith, doth Myriam leperize:By Faith, Elisha (curing Naaman
The Syrian Prince) strikes instantly his man
With his Disease, for Bribing Covetize.
8
A man of God, by Faith, first strangely dri'd,Then heal'd again, that Kings vnholy hand,
Who made ten Tribes of God's (then) chosen Land
From God, and from their lawfull Prince, to slide.
9
By Faith, Saint Paul stark-blinded Elymas:By Faith, Saint Peter (full of iust disdain)
With sudden death did smite those perjur'd twain,
That durst dissemble with the Spirit of Grace.
552
10
By Faith, yong Toby kindely doth restoreHis Fathers sight: by sacred Faith likewise,
Two crooked Cripples are made straight to rise;
In Lystra th'one, th'other at Temple dore.
11
By Faith, Saint Paul did a rich Miltois cureOf grievous Flix, that him afflicted sore:
By Faith, Saint Peter likewise did restore
A Palsie-sick, that eight yeers did indure.
12
By Faith, Saint Paul did Eutichus re-lyve:By Faith, Elias rais'd the Sareptite;
Elisha raised the yong Sunamite:
At Ioppa, Peter Dorcas did revive.
13
Then in another Picture I did viewThe foure first bodies of this massie Globe;
Green-gowned Tellus, Vulcan Scarlet-robe,
Py'd-mantled Iuno, Neptune clad in blew.
14
Elisha's Faith brought, from the lofty Skies,Bright fiery Charrets 'gainst the Syrian hoast;
Elias Faith (scorning the Baal-Priests boast)
Fir'd without fire his moated Sacrifice.
15
By Faith, three Hebrews, cast in seaven-fold flameBy a proud Prince, escape the raging Fire
(Their very garments sent-less and entire)
While their Tormenters perish in the same.
16
Moses, by Faith, makes Fire from Heav'n to fallIn th'Hebrew hoast, those wretches to consume,
Whose profane hands, with profane Fire and Fume,
God's holy Altar had polluted all.
17
Moses, by Faith (heard by the God of powr)Compels the Mountains burly sides to shake;
Commands the Earth to rent, and yawn, and quake,
To swallow Rebels, and them quick devour.
18
Moses, by Faith, divides the Sea in twain,When Israel came out of Egypt Land:
Then, in the Deserts dry and barren sand,
From flinty Rocks doth plentious Rivers strain.
19
Moses, by Faith, converts to foul black bloodThe Crystall Current of the seaven-fold Nile:
By Faith again, hee makes (another while)
Those stinking waters, holsom, sweet and good.
553
20
Thrice, silver Iordan did it self divide,To give safe passage to God's dear-belov'd:
Once by the Faith of valiant Iosuah prov'd;
Elias once: once by Elisha tri'd.
21
The zealous Thisbit did by Faith seal-vpThe Heav'ns wide windows, that ther fell no Raine.
In seav'n-six months: and then by Faith again
(To drench the dry Earth) set them all wide-ope.
22
Likewise by Faith, the nimble-winged train,That cleave the Air, are to our service set;
The Rav'ns are made to bring Elias meat,
The Dove serves Noah, Quails for Moses rain.
23
O! who is able Faith to countermand?If Faith doo force all-taming iron yield,
If Faith make iron float on Neptunes field,
If that Elisha's Faith strong steel command.
24
Faith hath not onely powr on things terrene,Both high and lowe; but oftentimes doth force
Gods iustice too, and somtimes seems (perforce)
Gods purposes to change and alter clean.
25
The Ninivits, by Faith (repenting) shunTheir overthrowe, that Ionas threatned neer:
And Ahaz Son by Faith adds fifteen yeer
To his short life, that seem'd already don.
26
Now, if the Giver of this Faith (wee see)Seem to incline and bow vnto her still,
As bound and ready to obey her will;
What marvell is't if Angels bee not free?
27
The Angels serve in Ezechias pay;By Faith, they bring the Thisbit needfull Cates:
By Faith, they ope for Peter prison gates:
By Faith, to Iacob they direct the way.
28
About twelve pases past these former Pomps,Full many sacred Minstrels sound on hy
Triumphant Faith's great name and dignity,
Tuning aloft their Clarions, Flutes and Trumps.
29
Mark, Mathew, Luke, and (the Lords dearest) Iohn,Christs Secretaries, winde with such a brest
Their warbling Cornets, that from East to West
Through all the world their sacred sound is gon.
554
30
Both Iameses, one the Sonne of Zebedeus,Th'other Alpheus, Thomas, Simon, Andrew,
Peter, Matthias, Philip, Bartholmew,
Paul (Gentiles Doctor) with the good Thaddeus,
31
Sound with so sweet accord their Sagbuts long,And their shrill Fifes (heard from the North to Nile)
As if one spirit did fill them all the while,
And one same hand had set their holy Song.
32
While thus my spirit this strange discourse did cumber,Rare-builder Progne, earlier then the rest,
Beginning th'out-most of her curious nest,
Brake, with her prattling, my deep pleasing slumber.
33
Sorry to bee so sudden waakt, I wouldI were a Dor-Mouse for a hundred yeer,
That I might sleep full twenty Lustres heer,
To shun the woes that waking I behould.
34
For now (alas!) waking (with griefe) I seeBabel triumphing over Sion still:
And on the Good th'Vngodly work their will:
The Wicked prais'd, the Righteous scorned bee.
35
I see (alas!) in these lamented Times,Mens greatest zeal in bloody murder stands:
Profane our hearts; and so profane our hands:
Bare Christian Name serves but to cloak our crimes.
36
Incest's a sport, and Murder Man-hood thought:Disloyalty a speciall Vertue deem'd:
And Perjury sound Policy esteem'd:
Medea's Arts, and Sodomie are taught.
37
Maidens bee bould, and Wives bee impudent,Princes are Tyrants, People full of rage:
This Age is sink of every former Age,
Receiving each Sin's vgliest excrement.
38
But, my swolne brest, shut-vp thy sighes sad gate;Stop, stop, mine eyes, the passage of your tears;
Cast-off, my heart, thy deep despairing fears;
That which most grieves mee, most doth consolate.
39
No, no: my Dream is true; soon shall wee see.Faith's glory shine. Satan (perceiving nie
His prides Eclipse) his greatest force doth try
To stop great Faith's triumphant Victory.
555
40
Sure, if my Card and Compasse doo not fail,W'are neer the Port: where (danger being past)
Wee need not fear the billow, nor the blast
Of blustring windes, nor Seas that can assail.
41
Our beastly Manners, like Gomorrha's guise:The troubled Seasons: Wars domesticall:
The threats of Heav'n: are the fore-runners all
Of Christ that coms to hould his last Affize.
42
That drad-desired Day shall soon appeer,Christ coms the Rav'ns from Swans to set a-side:
The tares from wheat: and Goats from Lambs divide:
And this brave Triumph (that I sing) is neer.
43
O Father! while this Triumph I expect,Waiting to see the Wicked's vtter Fall,
And thy iust Scepter Ruling over all;
Let lively Faith my Reason still direct.
FINIS.
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