Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, PREPARATORY MEDITATIONS, 2D SERIES: 58, by EDWARD TAYLOR


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

PREPARATORY MEDITATIONS, 2D SERIES: 58, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: When in italian flourisht hand I would
Last Line: Thy praise with zions virgins company.
Subject(s): Puritans In Literature


When in Italian flourisht hand I would
Lord, flourish up thy praise, my Quills too dry,
My Inke too thick and naught (though liquid Gold)
That will not write, this will not run, nay I
My Standish finde is empty, Paper loose
That drains all blotches from my inkie Sluce.

What shall I then, Lord, doe? Desist thy praise?
Thou Canst amend it. Steep my Stubborn Quill
In Zions Wine fat, mend my pen, and raise
Thy right arms Vean, a drop of'ts blood distill
Into mine inkhorn, make my paper tite
That it mayn't blot. In Sacred Text I write.

Christen mine Eyeballs with thine Eye Salve then,
Mine Eyes will spy how Isra'ls journying
Into, and out of Egypt's bondage Den
A Glass thy vissage was imbellisht in.
Hunger Constrains. Jacob to Egypt highs.
Herod Constrains and Christ to Egypt flies.

God Jacob calls. Jacobs Son Joseph there
Him brings and nourisht there, and God doth call
Jacobs Son Joseph, Jesus brings there, where
He nourisht him. This spills the Dragons gall
And broke that aching tooth that at him snapt
In Herods jaw bone and his Chops it flapt.

God Israel calls from Egypt: up he 'pears.
God calls his Son from Egypt: up he highs.
The Wilderness tries Isr'el 40 years.
Christ 40 days in Wilderness tride lies.
The Cockatrice's egg in Jewry hatcht
He shuns, and Nazareth doth him inlatch.

But Isra'ls coming out of Egypt thus,
Is such a Coppy that doth well Descry
Not onely Christ in person unto us.
But Spirituall Christ, and Egypt Spiritually.
Egyptian Bondage whence gates Israel shows
The Spirituall bondage whence Christs children goe.

The Bondage State to Sin and Satan stand,
In Peckled Black, red hellish Colours laid,
By wicked Pharao and his hellish hand
On Egypts Bondage in the brickiln trade.
God Israel Calls . . . Pharao and Egypt grin.
God calls the Soule. Satan now greatens Sin.

God miracles doth work. Wonders out fly,
Like flocks of birds with golden wings, and Claws.
For Israels Sake, Pharao and Egypt fry
In fiery Wrath. Israel attends Gods Cause.
So here, when once the Soule doth Gods call heare
Satan red mad doth rage. Wonders appeare.

Isra'l Complies: runs into fire by this,
Which Pharao's Wrath, and Egypts rage procure.
Now Farewell Goshen; Farewell Rameses.
Your Pleasures and Commotions we abjure.
So here the Soule attends Gods Call. Farewell
Worlds Smiling Sunshine. Tole your passing bell.

Out Israel comes to Succoth, and from thence
To Etham. God his banner ore them bright
Erects His Cloude and firy pillard fence
A Fence from foes. Lanthorn makes day of night.
Pharao, and's Peers, horse, hosts and Charet wheels
Rise and with flaming Swords persue at heels.

So here, the Soul Call'd to Effect out goes
To Succoth, to Gods tabernacles wings,
The firy flag, God, banner ore him throws
To keep, and Conduct him ins journeyings.
Though Hell is all in arms, persues him hard,
The Cloud and Fiery Pillar doe him guard.

Isra'l thus bannerd Hiroths mouth attempt
Whose teeth are Migdol, Baalzephon high.
And throate the red Sea, Pharao's host them pent
Behinde up, they then terrifide out Cry.
Moses his rod divides the red Sea so
They safely pass't but Pharao't ore doth flow.

So here the Soule on goes into the jaws
Of Worldly rage with mountains him do round.
Hells armies Chase to tare him with their paws.
The red Sea of Gods wrath seems quite to drownd.
He Cries, Christs Cross divides the Sea whereby
He passeth safe, and it his foes doth stroy.

Isra'l sings praise, but yet finds weeping Cheere.
Wilderness State is his and waters are
At Mara bitter. Yet God sheweth here
A tree whose wood did sweetly them repare.
So here the Soul sings praise in Christ, yet shall
The wilderness work griefe, but Christ makes all.

Isra'l to Elim comes. Sweet joyes here findes
Twelve Springs of Water Every tribe a Well,
And Seventy Palm trees fruitfull to their minde
A type that might things past, and future tell.
Twelve Patriarchs the wells they sprung from so,
And Seventy Elders that from them did flow.

So here the Soule in Christ at twelve wells, drinks
Of Living waters, twelve Apostles shewd
Dates bore by seventy Palms set at their brinks
The Seventy disciples, are this food.
The Holy Scriptures, and Christs Doctrine are
Waters these Wells, and Dates these Palm trees bare.

Hence Israel goes the red Sea back to see,
To minde him of the mercy shewn him there,
And thence into the Wilderness goes hee
Of Sin, where tried, and so to Sinai where
By open Covenant God Israel takes
His onely Church: and select peoples makes.

Gives him his Laws and ordinances just.
Erects his Worship, open fellowship
Holds with him in the same wherein he must
In the desert through various Changes trip
Some very sweet, some of a bitter hande,
Untill they Come to keep in Canaans land.

So here indeed, the Soul in Christ doth back
From Elim pass unto the Red Sea deare
Of Christ's rich blood the mercy of that track
To take more in as he about to viere
Thence through the Wilderness of Sin, to rise
In Covenant on Zion mount like wise.

And here enricht with Holy Oracles
And fellowship in holy worship so
Through interchanging Course, like miracles,
The Diaperd Encheckerd works must goe
Of Providences, Honycombs and Stings
Till here within Celestiall Canaan sings.

What Wisdom's here? My Lord, what Grace? What bright
Encheckerd Works, more rich than Rubies fair?
Doe thou my Soule with this Rich trade delight
And bring mee thus into thy promisd aire
Wherein my Virginalls shall play for joy
Thy Praise with Zions virgins Company.





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