XV. REVELATION XII. XII.
The Devill is come unto you, having great wrath, because hee
knoweth that hee hath but a short time.
1
Lord! canst thou see and suffer? Is thy hand
Still bound to th'peace? Shall earths black Monarch take
A full possession of thy Wasted land?
O, will thy slumbring vengeance never wake,
Till full-ag'd law-resisting Custome shake
The pillours of thy Right, by false command?
Unlocke thy Clouds, great Thund'rer, and come downe,
Behold whose Temples weare thy sacred Crowne;
Redresse, redresse our wrongs; revenge, revenge thy owne.
2
See, how the bold Usurper mounts the seat
Of royall Majestie; How overstrawing
Perils with pleasure, pointing ev'ry threat
With bugbeare death; by torments over-awing
Thy frighted subjects; or, by favours, drawing
Their tempted hearts to his unjust retreat;
Lord, canst thou be so mild? and hee so bold?
Or can thy flockes be thriving, when the fold
Is govern'd by a Fox? Lord, canst thou see and hold?
3
That swift-wing'd Advocate, that did commence
Our welcome Suits before the King of Kings,
That sweet Embassadour, that hurries hence
What Ayres th'harmonious soule or sighs or sings,
See how shee flutters her idle wings;
Her wings are clipt and eyes put out by Sense:
Sense-conq'ring Faith is now grown blind, and cold.
And basely cravend, that, in times of old,
Did conquer heav'n it selfe, do what th'Almighty could.
4
Behold, how double fraud does scourge and teare
Atraeas wounded sides, plough'd up, and rent
With knotted cords, whose fury has no eare;
See how see stands a Pris'ner, to be sent
A slave, into eternall banishment,
I know not whither, O, I know not where:
Her Patent must be cancel'd in disgrace;
And sweet-lipt Fraud, with her divided face,
Must act Astraeas part, must take Astraeas place.
5
Faiths pineons clipt? And faire Astraea gone?
Quick-seeing Faith now blind? And Justice see?
Has Justice now found wings? And has Faith none?
What do wee here? who would not wish to bee
Dissolv'd from earth; and, with Astraea, flee
From this blind dungeon, to that Sunne-bright Throne?
Lord, is thy Scepter lost, or laid aside?
Is hell broke lose, and all her Friends untyed?
Lord rise, and rowze, and rule; and crush their furious Pride.
PETR. RAV. in Math.
The Devill is the author of evill; the fountaine of wickednesse; the
Adversary of the Truth; the corrupter of the world; mans perpetuall Enemy; Hee
plants snares; digs ditches; spurres bodies; he goads soules; Hee suggests
thoughts, belches Anger; exposes vertues to hatred; makes vices beloved; sowes
Errours, nourishes contention; disturbes, and scatters Affections.
MACAR.
Let us suffer with those that suffer, and be crucified with those that are
crucified, that wee may be glorified, with those that are glorified.
SAVANAR.
If there be no enemy, no fight; If no fight, no victory; if no victory, no crowne.
EPIGRAM 15.
[My Soule, sit thou a patient looker on]
My Soule, sit thou a patient looker on;
Judge not the Play before the Play be done:
Her Plot has many Changes: Every Day
Speakes a new Scene; The last Act crownes the Play.
