A BRIEFE VNVAILING OF GOD AND MANS GLORY. In which is,
- 1 A briefe rehearsall of Happinesse in generall.
- 2 How this Happinesse is manifested by Iesus Christ.
- 3 The Soules Song of Love.
By JOHN GREENE.
LONDON, Sold by THOMAS FAUCET in the Black-Friers. 1641.
THe creatures all of severall kinds, to finde felicity,
Doth joyne both hands and hearts in one, if they may it espy:
This golden ball each man would have, and therefore runs a race,
From east to west, frō north to south, they spare no time nor place,
Some scattered ends of it they find, and by it wet desires,
Which soone are lost or else doth fall, below those heavenly fires,
Content, content each man doth cry, but that is it alone
Which dwelleth in eternity, where joyes are all in one,
Where all things lovely have their rise,
Their fountaine and their spring,
Upon this Mountain there doth sit, the Potent mighty King,
With crowns of glory on his head, with strength on his right hand,
The praise alone of beauties faire hath him at all command,
His throne alone (surrounded) is with honours highest praise.
If you will know his name, he is call'd the Ancient of dayes;
Who is the stock & root of good, where sweetnesse loseth measure,
The height & depth of glories great, makes up his exhaust treasure,
Who lived before to give him breath, who gave to him his spring,
Shall any force him from his throne, and there sit down and sing?
Did any sill his heart with joy? if so, shew forth his Name,
If not, then look upon his face, that you may spred his fame:
If happinesse you doe pursue, if pleasure be your aime,
If all things sweet you mean to meet, and so make sure of gaine,
If worlds of honor you would have, if crowns be your delight,
Or if you love to please your eye, in any lovely sight,
If you on substance love to stand, when comes a stormy houre,
Or whē the darts of death are thrown, y would hide you in a tower,
Then flie into his bosome faire, where beauties all doe meet,
And when thou entrest in that place, with smiles they will thee greet
Each glory shewes a pleasant face, thou canst them not withstand;
They will allure and make thee sure to be at their command,
[Page 2] Such Musick sweetnes thou wilt find which will thee force to stay,
The voice of praises will thee charm, and bid thee come away;
And dwell for ever in this sight, where mysteries are made known.
Then whatsoever thou understand'st doth sure become thine own:
If there thou findest Wisdomes seat, and searchest out her spring,
The streames of glory she brings forth, will crowne thee as a king,
Who knoweth what power, what force she hath?
None yet withstood her arme,
Who ever fled into her bower, and by it purchas'd harme;
How safe are all that lye down there, though claps of thunder flie,
And though the clouds with darknesse thick, over the world do lie?
If Princes rage and at thee swell, they spend their breath in vaine.
If snares they lay, the most they get, is labour for their paine.
Thou stand'st upon a mighty rock, thy building sure is high.
Thogh dangers were like armies strong, they cannot thee come nigh
Oh if you would be truly blest, and never know no griefe;
Then dwell amongst those streames of joyes,
Which each saith I am chiefe.
There's roome enough, thy thoughts may play,
Thy game will still thee please,
Allbonds by Law are there cut off, thy work it is thy ease,
The heighth, the depth, the length, the breadth, I am alone can find,
He knowes it well, and by this light refresheth still his mind:
All things in him desired are, and all maintaine desires,
Love still doth rest within his brest, and kindles holy fires,
Who ever saw (and loved him not) the beauties of his face,
And if those beames on them did smile,
They cloathed were with grace:
And then like Princes they did stand, most comely in his sight,
Their lovely looks doth him perswade, in them to take delight.
And if in such he takes content, which are but as a land
From whence the crop is cut away, and some few yeares doth stand,
What rest, what joy, what high solace, hath he in fulnesse store,
Where treasures are with such increase, he cannot ask for more?
[Page 3] And these he sets before his view, for ever to be seene;
In all his dayes there's no decayes, each thing is new and greene:
The life he lives is called love, and doth his fill enjoy,
He walkes along in pathes most sweet, where none can him annoy:
Security it is the rock upon the which he stands,
And there in triumph doth he reign, and bindes all others hands;
His crown is this, he knowes his strength, the armies of his power,
Are quickly gathered into one, and ready at an houre;
He knows his enemies where they lie, their scowts & all their train,
Their plots do make him melody, by these he sees them slain.
He works and none molesteth him, but forthwith gives him way,
His praise his enemies brings to light, in heart tho they say nay.
Who would not lie within his brest, his counsels for to know,
And see how powers do there combine, his foes to overthrow:
If there thou stay, thou sure shalt see the Godhead round him flow,
Each glory with it's severall light, makes up a lovely show:
These excellencies all doe say, we will stand thee in stead,
Himself these excellencies are to help him at his need;
Life is the chiefest of his strength, love joynes it selfe to either,
There truth and holinesse are met and mingle both together.
Light comprehendeth all the summe, and for all maketh way,
That so eternity may seeme, but as one pleasant day,
In which his beauties are displai'd, by peeces at his pleasure
And so the Godhead shewes it self, quite boundless in it's measure.
'Tis that which comprehendeth all, to it all's but a story;
And like a Prologue maketh way, that it may shew forth glory;
All creatures of it speaketh praise and sings a pleasant song,
We dy and vanish quite away that so truth may be strong.
Of this all Angels speaketh high, and ownes no other talke,
Their feet are strong to run a race, in this most spacious walke,
Their names, their natures, all they are, this Mystery maintaines,
If this were done their life were gone,
Their pleasures turn'd to paines,
They never speake of any power, but in Iehovahs name,
[Page 4] They are glad to hide them in his tower,
To keepe themselves from shame.
O let none grope in darknesse thick, to finde a pleasant way,
Lest cloudes put out his glimmering light, and so he go astray,
The creatures all they are as vailes, through which few men can see
Most aime to catch their gaudy shewes, and misse felicity,
But if the mystery opened were, some light there would appeare,
Then restlesse should she he untill we clime a higher spheare,
Whereas the fountaine of all blisse, eternally doth flow,
And from those springs refreshment runs, to all that thither goe.
What mighty sea of joy is there? one wave another takes,
Thus we are borne, and tydes of love and sorrowes us forsakes.
All spots and staines are wash'd away, full fair are we and bright,
That so the King of glories great, in us may take delight.
When we are deck'd with such a dresse, as sutes with him full well,
Then comes he to his Princely seat, resolving there to dwell,
The throne he is on, is heaven cal'd, where he doth rule with might:
This heaven is his beauties faire, each in his fullest light.
Another dwelling place hath he, which he his Temple stiles,
And there full oft in glory walkes, rejoycing it with smiles.
If thou but in his lowest seat his countenance dost see,
Thou shalt at length his throne surmount,
Where honoured thou shalt be;
The first and last that ever was, or evermore shall be,
Will on thee set immortall crownes in signe of victory,
Where thou shalt sing new songs of love, for ever and for aye:
Where time's lost in eternity that everlasting day.
And thus the God of gods will say, my childe all is thine owne,
These pleasures sweet, these glories great,
This high and kingly throne:
Here sit thee down, involve thy selfe, with honours highest fame,
To make thee equall in delights, I'le clothe thee with my Name.
In fullest glory spread thy selfe, here's roome for thee to lie,
Thy heart, thy thoughts, and all thou art, is in infinity.
[Page 5] The more thou look'st, the more thou mayest
Still love to looke upon,
And looke to love and ever gaze
Upon this King alone.
This is the song thou still wilt sing,
I am hath set me free,
And now I walke as set at large,
In midst of liberty.
Sorrowes below me have their seat,
Griefes cannot me come nigh,
The dreadfull pangs of death are past,
I owne no misery.
As women joy when after paine,
They see their issue come,
And through those joyes their paines forget,
As if they nere had none;
So I forget all things that's old,
I wholly them eschew,
And now addresse my selfe to joy,
In things most faire and new.
Happinesse conveyed by Iesus Christ.
WHen death came on by
Adams losse,
Our danger might we see,
The presence of true joyes were gone,
Men left in misery.
Those beames of light which was our strength,
Were vanisht quite away,
The frame and face of all things then,
Must perish and decay.
[Page 6] Alas poore man thou art undone,
Who shall thy losse restore,
And quit thee out of slavish bands,
And cure thee of thy sore?
Must death be still a tyrant strong,
And rule thee at his pleasure,
Or by his many poyson'd darts,
Torment thee without measure.
Where is thy strength, looke round about,
Will none thee now deliver?
Is there no King with death to meet,
Well furnisht with a quiver?
With many arrowes sharp and keene,
To sting death to the heart,
And so to make his powers fall,
And ease thee of thy smart?
If one there be, declare his name,
Let all men know his power,
And see the strength of his right arme,
That rais'd downe hath deaths tower,
That so to him we praises may
For ever sing alowd,
And in his bower finde a place,
Our selves in stormes to shrowd,
He is call'd by name the Sonne of God,
God in his rich aray,
With all his fulnesse shining bright,
And costly garments gay,
When first light shined in his breast,
This Sonne then did he see,
The glory of his lovelinesse,
He counts his Sonne to be,
[Page 11] By light of this Sonne he generates,
He stands still in his sight,
And by the spirit of life and love,
He yeelds to him his right;
Which is to owne him as his joy,
The fountaine of his pleasure,
Where all his glories are envolv'd,
A Magazin of treasure,
By him he frameth all his thoughts,
And comes to understand
How all designes may come to light,
And prosper in his hand.
In him before time did begin,
He saw a goodly space,
The length is call'd eternity,
In which he runnes his race,
And in all ages shewes himselfe,
As best becomes his Grace;
That so the wise in mystery,
At length may know his face;
In him he walk'd by pleasant thoughts,
Throughout the world so wide,
And though no world was to be found,
Yet Saints he there espi'd.
In him the childrens lives were wrapt,
A place of surest stay,
That them he might know where to finde,
Upon their happy day,
By vertue of the spirit of power,
In him all joyes doe finde;
And seeing this resolved is,
For ever in his minde,
[Page 12] Upon him wholly for to spend
His life, and his delight,
And in those pleasures to rejoyce,
As armies of his might.
This is his life, herein he joyes,
Here is his hearts desire.
Here doth he find beauties combin'd,
Most purely and entire.
This being so, now doth he thinke,
How he his name may raise,
And so together with his Sonne,
Get an eternall praise,
That him he might set forth to all,
He sends him in disguise,
And vailes his glory with our flesh,
The world againe to rise.
Herein is Wisdomes chiefest part,
Declared and made knowne,
That so the counsels of the world,
Might quite be overthrowne.
Who would have thought the Sonne of God,
A mortall death must die,
And by his deadly death us bring,
To Immortality.
How many troupes of enemies flocke
Against him for to warre,
And in the combat him to foyle
by many a cruell scarre?
But in this battell who was slaine?
Was't he, or was't his foes,
If he, it was to rise againe
To bring them fresher woes,
[Page 13] The prince of darknesse Captaine was
The chiefest in this fight,
Who from his nature hath his name,
His workes are blacke as night.
With him comes sinne, comes death, comes losse,
Their force they doe unite,
That so their blowes and darts on him,
Together at once might light.
Now, now, or never saith this Prince,
I must me conquest bring,
Or else a captive I must be
Under this mighty King.
This fight was sore to fleshly view,
All might have thought the day,
It had beene lost, and we been caught
In hels hands for a prey,
But when all fleshly strength did faile,
Then was the chiefest time,
For righteousnesse to shew it selfe,
Most glorious and sublime.
The glory of the God-head great,
Upon this Christ our King,
Did rest, and eke it selfe display,
And there in triumph sing,
There truth and mercy met at once,
Each strove to get the day,
But being reconcil'd at length
To other each did say,
We'll joyne our sweetnesse and our might
And goe with glorious traine,
That so we may revive and blesse
Those that were counted slaine.
[Page 14] How mighty did the Godhead flow,
about our Saviour sweet,
And by it did present himselfe,
a sacrifice most meet.
For great Jehovah to delight
and please himselfe withall.
When he beholds his souldiers stout,
led bondage into thrall.
These souldiers are his Attributes,
each glorious for to see,
Well furnish'd both with skill and strength,
to make his enemies flee.
Where's death become with all his powers,
and principalities?
'Tis gone to hell, and hath it's doome
with darknesse and with lies.
The Prince of Hell is now adjudg'd
in chaines of wrath to lie,
And by these chaines perplexed sore,
throughout Eternity.
Who was it girt himselfe with zeale,
or who with fury came,
To tread the Wine-presse of Gods wrath,
and so to get a name.
What power was that which conquer'd sinne,
whose Wisedome made it's way,
Or can you tell where those joyes are,
which hath skarr'd griefe away?
Hee's call'd, by name
Emanuell,
and well he may so be.
In that he left his royall Throne,
to dwell with me and thee.
[Page 15] The world it was a place whereas
his glory he might show,
And yet though glory did appeare,
few men of it did know.
The humane nature was a vaile,
which kept light from our eyes,
And yet that was the ordinance,
by which our blisse did rise,
Here was the wonder of a God,
a thing so meane and low,
Should bring to passe such mighty things,
and all his Counsell show.
Here's wisdome in a mystery,
and power uncontrol'd,
The Fountaines deepe, and sundry Springs
of life you may behold,
For by his death to God we are
restored backe again,
And now our enemies wear our bands,
and vext are with our paine.
What pangs, what woe's, what miseries,
must they be sure to have?
Now death is dead, and guilt is fled,
and griefe lies in his grave.
Where's darknesse now become that cloath'd
it selfe with blacknesse hue,
Can it out-brave the light of life,
and it's bright beames eschew?
If so, stand forth you hellish powers,
where are your spels to charme?
Or shew some nurcery that is new,
to bring unlook't for harme.
[Page 16] What is your wit quite lost at once,
can none take us away,
Out of the hands of him whom we
doe count our strength and stay?
If by his death so great a losse,
his enemie doth endure.
His life must be a greater crosse,
and they must beare it sure,
His Saints are set at liberty,
as men from death set free.
Their joyes before them fast doe stand,
and in these joyes they see
Their Saviour compast with the strength
and height of fullest blisse.
The Father with his glory bright,
with many smiles him kisse.
And thus he saith, my sonne, I lay
the charge upon thy hand.
The substance of the Godhead great,
is thine for to command.
I know no joy, no rest, no peace,
but what I have in thee.
I am thy strength, thou art my might,
by thee I looke to see
The glory of my beauties faire,
abroad the world to speake,
And so to cause things high and strong,
to be esteemed weake.
All flesh must fall before thy face,
though seemingly 'tis gay.
Yet when thy glory doth arise,
i'ts beauty fals away.
[Page 17] My treasure all 'its in thy breast,
the incombs of my praise
Returnes, according to the power
and wisedome of thy wayes.
The honour that the Father hath,
'tis gained by the Sonne.
The Spirit worketh all in all,
and so their praise is one.
The childrens life is hid in him,
this life is all things sweet,
Concentred in his breast, the which
makes him a Saviour meet.
There's light most full, there's truth most strong,
and glory as a flame,
And holinesse amongst the rest,
shewes forth his mighty name.
The Image of the Fathers face,
in him is seene most bright.
And whosoever doth it see,
lives in the clearest light.
By it they come to understand
the Father and the Sonne.
All that they have, all that they are,
to be entirely one.
The life the which each other lives,
is in the selfe-same good.
The Father is all beauties rare,
the Sonne this understood.
He dwelleth in his bosome sweet,
and knoweth well his minde.
Hee's call'd by name his Counsellor
and by him he doth finde,
[Page 18] How Wisdomes glory may be seene,
in things that are obscure;
And when he hath no footsteps seene,
then are his wayes full sure.
This glorious mystery is so high,
there is none can it finde,
If any of it knoweth ought,
'tis he saith I am blinde.
It's more then sixteene hundred yeares,
when first it had a tongue.
And though so long it hath remain'd,
it still is fresh and young.
The age hereof Eternity,
it doth make knowne, and wee
Shall then by light taste and feele life,
when Conquerors we shall be.
Who shall declare the Fathers minde,
unlesse it be the Sonne,
And when men come to know the same,
by it their hearts are wonne,
To dwell where grace and love doth meet,
and so to finde a rest,
Even in his bosome where they know
they are secure and blest.
There are they fill'd with all delights
their Cup doth overflow,
Their comforts never die nor flie,
but flourish still and grow.
Though they like to
Leviathan,
could drinke up Rivers wide,
Yet doth these vast eternall deepes
in their full strength abide.
[Page 19] There are they ever measuring out
these everlasting measures,
And by their labour they doe finde,
new Springs of living pleasures,
The world and all it's joyes are lost,
when they in him are found,
They see all Shadowes fly away,
their rest is true and sound.
Was ever any taken up,
into his bosome sweet,
And did not finde Loves glorious face,
with smiles him kisse and greet,
Nor ever lay there any space
but had their face with glory
Most richly deckt, and in their hearts
there written was a story
Of things most rich, most high, most pure,
mysterious, and unknowne,
The world it cannot understand,
because they love their owne.
The spirit doth transforme and mould
into the image bright,
Both of the Father and the Son
by both their pow'r and light.
All these which are by glorious beames
drawne up into the Son
Lives in the midst of lasting light,
where life doth purely run
More clear than any chrystall stream,
more strong than any tide,
The sweetnesse of this water pure,
invites men to abide,
[Page 20] Where they may drink and be refresht,
and in themselves may know,
This fountain runs their springs doth rise,
and plentifully flow.
The truth of all is surely this,
that
Iesus now is set
And made a Prince of high degree,
to shew Gods glory great:
The Father trusts him with his stock
and fulnesse of his store,
He hath the rule of all he hath,
he hath not any more,
This
Iesus is our brother dear,
he hath our portions sure,
Hee's true, hee's wise, hee's strong withall,
in him they are secure:
He like a nurse doth cherish us
by drops as we can bear,
And when we come to greater strength,
then greater is our share:
From him we suck, in him we grow,
into his armes we flee,
There are we compast with all joyes,
and in these joyes we see
Our names, our natures, and our life,
most clear, most pure, and bright.
The truth and glory of all we are,
even by the spirit of light;
This spirit searcheth deep into
things that very high.
The length and breadth of glorious store,
it hath before its eye.
[Page 21] That searcheth out the utmost drop
which in the Ocean dwels:
And by its mighty force and power
all noysome things expels,
This spirit like a Dove most swift
from Paradice doth flie.
And from our Saviour brings us newes
of matters sweet and high,
Whereby we come to understand
God will not live alone,
He dwels with Christ, and Christ in us,
and so we dwell in one,
O this is that which fils our hearts
with singing and with praise,
That what he is, that we shall be
to 'ternity of dayes.
Let each Saint think all that they have
it commeth from the Son,
Their glory and their flourishing state
comes by his arme alone.
None can see God in
Iesus Christ
but must be forc'd to yeeld,
And lay all armes downe at his feet,
and say he hath the field.
Can any stand against that thing
which is most fair and gay,
And hath the power of lovelinesse
to win the heart away?
From lies, from falshoods, and from dreams,
from many deaths and showers,
And from the hands of iron bands,
and from all dolefull houres.
[Page 22] Then do not fear you Saints most dear
if that you know the Son
You do the Fathers face, and love
both see and eke are won
To dwell, to stay, to rest, to sing,
in him, and to his praise,
And eke to sacrifice your selves,
unto his fame alwayes.
When others spend their time in vain,
and fill themselves with fire,
The which is call'd the wrath of God
that hot consuming ire.
They know not God nor yet his Son,
where all content doth lie,
And therefore are they bound in chaines
of woe and misery.
You Saints weep ore the world that's lost,
they know not where they go.
Though they be blinde you know right well
the ground of all their woe.
Oh do not let eternall flames
for ever men destroy:
Because like fools a moments time
they will vain thoughts enjoy.
Shew them our Saviour where he sits
that so they may arise,
And finde much wealth and rest in him,
and so vain wayes despise.
But if the world will not you hear,
yet still run you your race,
You shall at last both get a crowne
and live in glorious grace.
[Page 23] Above the world, all cares, all fears
which vext you with their wiles,
Your toyl's now done, your joyes begun,
you are where nought defiles.
A short song of Love.
LOve is the flame that Princes have
still kindling in their breast,
No man can live but he must love,
or else be void of rest.
The rise, the stocke, the root it hath
doth spring from something good;
All its desires are as flaming fires
when this is understood,
As rivers run over all the world,
their noise with fame doth ring,
And hasteneth ever to returne
where first they had their spring,
And when the Ocean drinks them in,
they quiet are again:
And in their kinde they live as if
they freed were from pain:
So love it runs with streams most strong
over hils and mountains all,
It will not fear what force is nere,
it overrunneth all.
And in the fountain of all blis,
it sets it selfe most sure,
Rejoycing in those mighty waves,
on which it rides secure:
[Page 24] 'Tis lovelines that love will owne
to be a fellow meet
In it to rest, that to imbrace
with smiles and kisses sweet,
Loves labour, pain, and all it hath
is ever how to please
The object; and in doing this
To give it selfe most ease;
'Tis ever burning, never consum'd,
and soaring very high;
By flames of glory it doth live
in full prosperity:
Stand forth all powers that can be thought,
see if you can it sever
From truth, from beauty, and from strength
where it will dwell for ever.
This love is kinde, and bountifull,
and freely will bestow
All that it hath it selfe to boot,
that so it selfe may grow
More lovely, fair, and excellent
still in the objects eye.
If that is pleased, it is at ease,
and feels no miserie.
Who knowes how first it had its rise?
Who gave to it its name?
If any did, it must be one
that knew its worth and fame.
It's God that saith his Name is Love,
and well may he so be.
Because in him all glories are
met in an unity.
[Page 25] Light life and love is one in him,
they all grow up together.
Though knowne to us by severall names,
they each accord with either.
He knowes all beauties in him are,
his life is this to see.
Then needs must love triumph and joy,
which makes this harmony,
Love walks in every piece of joy,
where ever it doth finde,
It will needs rest in glories breast,
and there contents its minde.
Whht mortall man can have this love
to lie within his breast,
But must withall see lovelinesse
in which he takes his rest;
And wheresoever this appeares,
he growes up in desire:
In this he thinke himselfe most blest,
and followes it intire.
But man is blinde, how little he
of holinesse doth know.
Truth's weakly planted in his heart,
and slowly it doth grow;
And hence it comes to passe that we
live in such low desires:
The earth like to a mountain thicke
doth hide these heavenly fires.
If you would have your heart a spring,
a fountain, and a well,
And have the mighty waves of love
above their banks to swell.
[Page 26] If you would ever searching be
into the truest treasure,
And finde where love had first a seat,
and face of sweetest pleasure.
If ever you would lovely be,
though in the Saints esteem.
And judge of all things true and right,
how ever men do deem,
Then must you know that all things good
doth from the fountain come,
And tides of love will flow amain
and make a spacious room
Within thy heart, and thou shalt see,
all that thine heart can wish.
Love live, sin die, life reigne, death flie,
what joy is like to this?
Make haste ye Saints, O do not stay,
where nought can you secure.
Fly to the armes of lovely love,
where joyes are clear and pure.
FINIS.