On a treatise of Charity.
Ise then, immortall maid! Religion rise!
Put on thy self in thine owne lookes; t' our eyes
Be what thy beauties, not our blots have made thee,
Such as (ere our darke sinnes to dust betrayed thee)
Heav'n set thee down new drest; when thy bright birth
Shot thee like lightning, to th' astonisht earth.
From th' dawn of thy faire eye-lids wipe away,
Dull mists, and melancholy clouds; take day
And thine owne beames about thee, bring the best
Of what so'ere perfum'd thy Eastern Nest.
Girt all thy glories to thee: then sit down,
Open thy booke, faire Queen, and take thy crowne.
These learned leaves shall vindicate to thee,
Thy holiest, humblest, hand-maid Charitie.
She'l dresse thee like thy self, set thee on high,
Where thou shall reach all hearts, command each eye,
Lo where I see thy off'rings wake, and rise,
From the pale dust of that strange sacrifice,
Which they themselves were; each one putting on
A majestie that may beseeme thy throne.
The Holy youth of Heav'n whose golden rings
Girt round thy awfull altars, with bright wings
Fanning thy faire locks (which the world beleeves,
As much as sees) shall with these sacred leaves
Trick their tall plumes, and in that garbe shall go,
If not more glorious, more conspicuous tho.
Be it enacted then
By the faire lawes of thy firm pointed pen,
God's services no longer shall put on
A sluttishnesse, for pure religion:
No longer shall our Churches frighted stones
Lie scatter'd like the burnt and martyr'd bones.
Of dead Devotion; nor faint marbles weep
In their sad ruines; nor Religion keep
A melancholy mansion in those cold
Urns. Like God's Sanctuaries they look't of old:
Now seeme they Temples consecrate to none,
Or to a new God desolation.
No more the Hypocrite shall th' upright bee
Because he's stiffe, and will confesse no knee :
While others bend their knee, no more shalt thou
(Disdainefull dust and ashes) bend thy brow;
Nor on God's Altar cast two scortching eyes
Bak't in hot scorn, for a burnt sacrifice:
But (for a Lambe) thy tame and tender heart
New struck by love, still trembling on his dart;
Or (for two Turtle Doves) it shall suffice
To bring a paire of meek and humble eyes.
This shall from henceforth be the masculine theme
Pulpits and pens shall sweat in; to redeeme
Vertue to action, that life-feeding flame
That keepes Religion warme; not swell a name
Of faith, a mountaine word, made up of aire,
With those deare spoiles that wont to dresse the faire
And fruitfull Charities full breasts (of old)
Turning her out to tremble in the cold.
What can the poore hope from us, when we bee
Uncharitable ev'n to Charitie?
Fides quæ sola justificat, non est sine
Spe & Dilectione.
N
tam sola est. neg O quis malè censor amarus Tam socias negat in mutua sceptra manus? Deme Fidem; nec aget, nec erit jam nomen Amoris : Et vel erit, vel aget quid sine Amore Fides?
Ergo Amor, I, morere; I magnas, Puer alme, per umbras:
Elysiis non tam numen inane locis.
O bene, quòd pharetra hoc saltem tua præstat & arcus,
Nè tibi in extremos sit pyra nulla rogos!
O bene, quòd tuus has saltem tibi providet ignis,
In tu aquas possis funera ferre, faces!
Durus es, ab, quisquis tam dulcia vincula solvis
Que ligat, & quibus est ipse ligatus Amor.
O bene junctarum divortia sæva sororum,
Tam penitus mixtas quæ tenuêre manus!
Nam qua (tam varia) in tam mutua viscera vivunt?
Aut ubi, quæ duo sunt, tam propè sunt eadem ?
Alternis sese circùm amplectuntur in ulnis:
Extráque & suprà, subter & intus eunt.
Non tam Nympha tenax, Baccho jam mista marito,
Abdidit in liquidos mascula vina sinus.
Compare jam dempto, saltem sua murmura servat
Turtur;
& in viduos vivit amara modos.
At Fidei sit demptus Amor; non illa dolebit,
Non erit impatiens, ægráque: jam moritur.
Palma, marem cui tristis hyems procul abstulit umbram,
Protinus in viridem procubuit faciem?
Undique circumfert caput, omnibus annuit Euris;
Siqua maritalem misceat aura comam :
Ah misera, expectat longum, lentúmque expirat,
Et demum totis excutitur foliis.
At sine Amore Fides, nec tantum vivere perstat
Quo dici possit vel moritura Fides.
Mortua jam nunc est: nisi demum mortua non est
Corporea hæc, animâ deficiente, domus.
Corpore ab hoc Fidei hanc animam si demis Amoris,
Jam tua sola quidem est, sed malè sola Fides.
Hectore ab hoc, currus quem jam nunc sentit Achillis,
Hectora eum speres quem modò sensit herus?
Tristes exuvias, Oetai frusta furoris,
(Vanus) in Alcidæ nomen & acta vocas?
Vel satis in monstra hæc, plùs quam Nemeæa, malorum
Hoc Fidei torvum & triste cadaver erit?
Immo, Fidem usquè suos velut ipse Amor ardet amores;
Sic in Amore fidem comprobat ipsa Fides.
ERGO
Illa Fides vacua quæ sola suberbiet aulâ,
Quam Spes desperet, quam nec amabit Amor;
Sola Fides hæc, tam miserè, tam desolatè
Sola, (quod ad nos est) sola sit usque licet.
A sociis quæ sola suis, à se quoque sola est.
Quæ sibi tam nimia est, sit mihi nulla Fides.
Baptismus non tollit futura peccata.
Uisquis es ille tener modò quem tua* mater Achilles In Stygis ætherea provida tinxit aquis, Sanus, sed non securus dimitteris illinc: In nova non tutus vulnera vivis adhuc.
Q
Mille patent aditus; & plùs quàm calce petendus
Ad nigri metues spicula mille dei.
Quòd si est vera salus, veterem meminisse salutem;
Si nempe hoc verè est esse, fuisse pium;
Illa tibi veteres navis quæ vicerat Austros,
Si manet in mediis usquè superstes aquis;
Ac dum tu miseros in littore visis amicos,
Et peccatorum triste sodalitium,
Illa tibi interea tutis trahet otia velis,
Expectans donec tu rediisse queas:
Quin igitur da vina, puer; da vivere vita;
Mitte suum senibus, mitte supercilium ;
Donemus timidæ, ô socii, sua frigora brumæ:
Eternæ teneant hîc nova regna rosa.
Ah non tam tetricos sic eluctabimur Euros;
Effractam non est sic revocare ratem.
Has undas aliis decet ergò extinguere in undis;
Naufragium hoc alio immergere naufragio :
Possit ut ille malis oculus modò naufragus undis,
Jam lacrymis meliùs naufragus esse suis.
* Ecclesia.
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