Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, PREPARATORY MEDITATIONS, 2D SERIES: 104, by EDWARD TAYLOR


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

PREPARATORY MEDITATIONS, 2D SERIES: 104, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: What? Bread, and wine, my lord! Art thou thus made?
Last Line: That so my life may be a gracious story.
Subject(s): Puritans In Literature


What? Bread, and Wine, My Lord! Art thou thus made?
And made thus unto thine in th'Sacrament?
These are both Cordiall: and both displai'd
Food for the Living. Spirituall Nourishment.
Thou hence art food, and Physick rightly 'pli'de
To Living Souls. Such none for dead provide.

Stir up thy Appetite, my Soule, afresh,
Here's Bread, and Wine as Signs, to signify
The richest Dainties Cookery can Dress
Thy Table with, filld with felicity.
Purge out and Vomit by Repentance all
Ill Humours which thy Spirituall Tast forestall.

Bread, Yea substantiall Bread dresst daintily
Gods White bread made of th'kidnie of Wheate
Ground in his Mill to finest Flowre, we spy,
Searc'de through his strict right Bolter, all compleate
Moulded up by Gods hand and baked tite
In Justices hot oven, Gods Cake-bread white.

It is Gods Temple bread; the fine Flower Cake.
The pure Shew Bread on th'golden Table set,
Before the Mercy-Seate in golden Plate,
Thy Palate for this Zions Simnill whet.
If in this oyled Wafer thou dost eate
Celestiall Mannah, Oh! the Happy meate.

But that's not all. Here's wine too of brave State.
The Blood, the pure red blood of Zions Grape
Grounde in the Mill of Righteousness to 'bate
Gods firy wrath and presst into the Shape
Of Royall Wine in Zion's Sacred bowles
That Purges Cleanse and Chearish doth poore Soules.

This Bread, and Wine hold forth the selfe same thing
As they from their first Wheat and Vine made flow
Successively into their Beings, bring
The manner of Christs Manhood and forth show
It was derived from th'head Humanity
Through Generations all successively.

And as this Bread and Wine receive their forms
Not fram'd by natures acting, but by Art.
So Christs Humanity was not ere born
By natures Vertue which she did impart.
But by Almighty power which acted so
Transendently, did nature overdoe.

These two are of all food most Choice indeed
Do Emblemise Christ's Elementall frame
Most Excellent and fine, of refinde Seed,
With Sparkling Grace deckt, and their Works in flame
As grafted in and flowing from his Nature
And here is food of which his are partaker.

Bread must be broke and Eate Wine pourd out too
And drunke and so they feed and do delight.
Christ broken was upon Gods wheele (its true)
And so is spirituall bread that feeds aright
And his Choice blood shead for our Sins is made
Drinke for our Souls: a Spirituall Drinke displaid.

Food though its ne're so rich, doth not beget
Nor make its Eaters; but their Lives mentain.
This Bread and Wine begets not Souls; but's set
'Fore spirituall life to feed upon the Same.
This Feast is no Regenerating fare.
But food for those Regenerate that are.

Spit out thy Fur, my Tongue; renew thy Tast.
Oh! whet thine Appetite, and cleanly brush
Thy Cloaths and trim thy Soule. Here food thou hast
Of Royall Dainties, that requires thee thus
That thou adorned be in Spirituall State:
This Bread ne're moulds, nor wine entoxicate.

They both are Food, and Physick, purge out Sin
From right Receivers. Filth, and Faults away:
They both are Cordialls rich, do Comfort bring.
Make Sanctifying Grace thrive ery day,
Making the spirituall man hate spirituall sloath
And to abound in things of Holy growth.

Lord, feed me with th'Bread of thy Sacrament:
And make me drinke thy Sacramentall Wine:
That I may Grow by Graces nourishment
Wash't in thy Vinall liquour till I shine,
And rai'd in Sparkling Grace unto thy Glory,
That so my Life may be a gracious story.





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