Contents
-BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD
Lucy Hutchinson (1620–1681). Order and Disorder. 1679.
Meditations on the Creation,
As recorded in the First Chapter of Genesis.
MY ravisht soul, a pious ardour fires, | To sing those mystick wonders it admires, | Contemplating the Rise of every thing | That, with Times birth, flow’d from th’ eternal spring: | And the no less stupendious Providence | By which discording Natures ever since | Have kept up universal Harmonie; | While in one joynt obedience all agree, | Performing that to which they were design’d | With ready inclination; But Mankind Es. 10.5,6,7, &c. | Alone rebels against his Makers will, | Which tho’ opposing he must yet fulfill. | And so that wise Power, who each crooked stream | Most rightly guides, becomes the glorious theam | Of endless admiration, while we see, | Whatever mortals vain endeavours be, Eccl. 6.10. | They must be broken who with Power contend, Es. 27.4. | And cannot frustrate their Creators End, Gen. 45.4,5. | Whose Wisdom, Goodness, Might and Glory shines Act. 2.23. | In guiding mens unto his own designs. Gen. 50.20. | In these outgoings would I sing his praise, | But my weak sense with the too glorious rays | Is struck with such confusion, that I find | Only the worlds first Chaos in my mind, | Where Light and Beauty lie wrapt up in seed, | And cannot be from the dark prison freed, | Except that Power, by whom the world was made, | My soul in her imperfect strugglings aid, | Her rude conceptions into forms dispose, | And words impart, which may those forms disclose. | O thou eternal spring of glory, whence Jam. 1.17. | All other streams derive their excellence, | From whose Love issues every good desire, | Quicken my dull earth with celestial fire, | And let the sacred theam that is my choice, | Give utterance and musick to my voice, Rom. 1.15. | Singing the works by which thou art reveal’d. | What dark Eternity hath kept conceal’d | From mortals apprehensions, what hath been | Before the race of Time did first begin, Deut. 29.29. | It were presumptuous folly to enquire. | Let not my thoughts beyond their bound aspire, | Time limits mortals, and Time had its birth, Gen. 1.1. | In whose Beginning God made Heaven and Earth. | God, the great Elohim, to say no more, | Whose sacred Name we rather must adore Job 11.7. | Than venture to explain; for He alone 1 Tim. 6.16. | Dwells in himself, and to himself is known, & 1.17. | And so, even that by which we have our sight, Ps. 104.2. | His covering is, He clothes himself with light. | Easier we may the winds in prison shut, | The whole vast Ocean in a nut-shell put, Es. 40.12. | The Mountains in a little ballance weigh, | And with a Bullrush plumm the deepest Sea, | Than stretch frail humane thought unto the height | Of the great God, Immense, and Infinite, Job 38. | Containing all things in himself alone, | Being at once in all, contain’d in none. | Yet as a hidden spring appears in streams, | The Sun is seen in its reflected beams, | Whose high embodied Glory is too bright, | Too strong an object for weak mortal sight; Rom. 1.20. | So in Gods visible productions, we Heb. 11.27. | What is invisible, in some sort see; | While we considering each created thing, | Are led up to an uncreated spring, | And by gradations of successive Time, Esai. 44.6. | At last unto Eternity do climb, | As we in tracks of second causes tread | Unto the first uncaused cause are led; | And know, while we perpetual motion see | There must a first self-moving Power be, Rom. 11.26. | To whom all the inferiour motions tend, Act. 17.24, | In whom they are begun, and where they end. 26,28. | This First eternal Cause, th’ Original | Of Being, Life, and Motion, GOD we call; | In whom all Wisdome, Goodness, Glory, Might, | Whatever can himself or us delight | Unite, centring in his Perfection, Eph. 4.5. | Whose Nature can admit but only One: | Divided Soveraignty makes neither great, | Wanting what’s shar’d to make the summ compleat. The Tri- | And yet this soveraign sacred Unitie nity. | Is not alone, for in this one are three, 1 Joh. 5.7. | Distinguisht, not divided, so that what Mat. 28.19. | One person is, the other is not that; Mat. 3.16,17. | Yet all the three, are but one God most High, | One uncompounded, pure Divinity, | Wherein subsist so, the Mysterious three, | That they in Power and Glory equal be; Joh. 14.10. | Each doth himself, and all the rest possess Prov. 8.22,30. | In undisturbed joy and blessedness. Jo. 1.1. | There’s no Inferiour, nor no Later there, Phil. 2.6. | All Coeternal, all Coequal, are, Joh. 5.18. | And yet this Parity Order admits. | The Father first, eternally begets, Joh. 1.14. | Within himself, his Son, substantial Word 1 Cor. 1.14. | And Wisdom, as his second, and their third Joh. 16.13,14. | The ever blessed spirit is, which doth Joh. 15.16. | Alike eternally proceed from both. | These three, distinctly thus, in one Divine, | Pure, Perfect, Self-supplying Essence shine: Joh. 5.17. | And all cooperate in all works done | Exteriourly, yet so, as every one, | In a peculiar manner suited to Heb. 12.19. | His Person, doth the common action do. Es. 42.4. | Herein the Father is the Principal, Joh. 5.26. | Whose sacred counsels are th’ Original 1 Cor. 8.6. | Of every Act; produced by the Son, Joh. 5.19. | By’the Spirit wrought up to perfection. Eph. 1.11. | I’the Creation thus, by’the Fathers wise decree, 2 Tim. 1.9. | Such things should in such time, and order be, Jo. 1.3. | The first foundation of the world was laid. Heb. 1.2. | The Fabrique, by th’ Eternal Word, was made Joh. 5.19, &c. | Not as th’ instrument, but joynt actor, who | Joy’d to fulfill the counsels which he knew. Gen. 1.2. | By the concurrent Spirit all parts were Job 26.13. | Fitly dispos’d, distinguisht, rendred fair, | In such harmonious and wise order set, | As universal Beauty did compleat. | This most mysterious Triple Unitie, | In Essence One, and in subsistence Three, | Was that great Elohim, who first design’d, | Then made the Worlds, that Angels and Mankind Rev. 4.11. | Him in his rich out-goings might adore, Psal. 147, & 148. | And celebrate his praise for evermore; Act. 17.24. | Who from Eternity himself supplied, | And had no need of any thing beside, | Nor any other cause that did him move | To make a World, but his extensive Love, | It self delighting to communicate; | Its Glory in the creatures to dilate, | While they are led by their own excellence Job 33.12. | T’ admire the first, pure, high Intelligence, Psal. 95.3. | By all the Powers and vertues which they have, Rev. 19.6. | To that Omnipotence who those Powers gave; | By all their glories and their joys to his, Ps. 16.11. | Who is the fountain of all joy and bliss; Gen. 17.10. | By all their wants and imbecillities, | To the full magazine of rich supplies, | Where Power, Love, Justice, and Mercy shine | In their still fixed heights, and ne’re decline. | No streams can shrink the self-supplying spring, Job 35.2[?]. | No retributions can more fulness bring Psal. 16.2. | To the eternal fountain, which doth run Rev. 1.8. | In sacred circles, ends where it begun, Esa. 41.4. | And thence with inexhausted life and force | Begins again a new, yet the same course | It instituted in Times infant birth, Gen. 1.1. | When the Creator first made Heaven and Earth. Time. | Time though it all things into motion bring Be resheth | Is not it self any substantial thing, In Capite, | But only Motions measure; As a twin Principio. | Born with it; and they both at once begin | With the existence of the rolling sphere, | Before which neither time nor motion were. | Time being a still continued number, made | By the vicissitude of Light and Shade, | By the Moons growth, and by her waxing old, | By the successive Reign of heat and cold, | Thus leading back all ages to the womb | Of vast Eternity from whence they come, | And bringing new successions forth, until | Heaven its last revolutions shall fulfil, | And all things unto their first state restore, Rev. 10.6. | When Motion ceasing, Time shall be no more; | But with the visible Heavens shall expire 2 Pet. 3.12. | While they consume in the worlds funeral fire; Heb. 12.27,28. | Th’ invisible Heavens begin still the same, | Shall not be toucht by the devouring flame. | Treating of which, let’s wave Platonick dreams | Of Worlds made in Idea, fitter theams | For Poets fancies, than the reverent view | Of Contemplation, fixt on what is true | And only certain, kept upon record | In the Creators own revealed word, | Which when it taught us how our world was made, | Wrapt up th’ invisible in mystique shade. Heaven. | Yet through those clouds we see, God did create | A place his presence doth irradiate. Heb. 11.10. | Where he doth in his brightest lustre shine; Es. 66.1. | Yet doth not his own Heaven, him confine: Mat. 5.34. | Although the Paradise of the fair world above, 1 King. 8.27. | Each where perfum’d with sweet respiring Love, Luk. 23.43. | Refresht with Pleasures never shrinking streams, | Illustrated with Lights unclouded beams, 1 Cor. 13.13. | The happy land of peace and endless Rest 1 Joh. 4.16. | Which doth both soul and sense with full joys feast, Psal. 16.11. | Feasts that extinguish not the appetite Rev. 20.5. | Which is renew’d to heighten the delight. Heb. 4.9. | Here stands the Tree of life, deckt with fair fruit, Rev. 14.13. | Whose leaves health to the nations contribute. Rev. 22.2. | The spreading, true celestial Vine Joh. 15.1. | Where fruitful grafts and noble clusters shine. | Here Majesty and Grace together meet; | The Grace is glorious, and the Glory sweet. Rev. 21.25,26. | Here is the Throne of th’ universal King | To which the suppliant world addresses bring. | Here next him doth his Son in triumph fit, Ps. 110.1. | Waiting till all his foes lie at his feet. Ex. 15.17,18. | Here is the Temple of his Holiness, Rev. 7.17. | The Sanctuary for all sad distress. 1 Pet. 1.4. | Here is the Saints most sure inheritance Col. 3.1,2,24. | To which they all their thoughts and hopes advance. | Here their rich recompence and safe rest lies, Heb. 12.2. | For this they all th’ inferiour world despise; | Yet not for this alone, though this excel, | But for that Diety who here doth dwell; Psal. 73.25. | For heaven it self to Saints no heaven were | Did not their God afford his presence there; | But now, as he inhabits it, it is 2 Tim. 4.8. | The treasure-house of everlasting bliss, Joh. 14.2. | The Fathers house, the Pilgrims home, the Port Heb. 11. | Of happiness, th’ illustrious Regal Court, Psal. 15.1. | The City that on the worlds summit stands, & 122.3. | United in it self, not made with hands; Heb. 12.22. | Whose Citizens, Walls, Pavements are so bright 2 Cor. 5.1. | They need no Sun in Gods more radiant Light. Rev. 21.23. | The pure air being not thickned with dark clouds, | No sable night the constant glory shrowds; | Nor needs there night, when no dull lassitude | Doth into the unwearied soul intrude; | New vigour flowing in with that dear joy | Whose contemplation doth their lives employ. 2 Cor. 12.2. | This heaven, the third to us within, | The first, if from the outside we begin, | Is incorruptible, and still the same, 1 Pet. 1.4. | Confirm’d by him who did its substance frame: | No time its strong foundations can decay, | Its renew’d glory fadeth not away. Joel 2.30. | The other heavens which it doth enfold, Esa. 34.4. | In tract of time as garments shall wax old, Ps. 102.26. | And all their outworn glory shall expire 1 Pet. 3.7,12. | In the worlds dreadful last devouring fire; | But this shall still unchangeable remain, | While all the rolling Spheres which it contains | Shall be again into their Chaos whirl’d | At the last dissolution of the world. | For God, who made this blessed place to be | The habitation of his Sanctitie, Rev. 21.27. | Admitting nothing into it that’s vile, | Nothing that can corrupt, or can defile, | Never withdraws his gracious presence thence Es. 4.5. | But is on all the Glory a defence. | Nor are his Gates ere shut by night or day, | His only dread keeps all foes far away. | He not for need, but for Majestick state, Angels. | Innumerable hosts of Angels did create | To be his outguards, in respect of whom Esa. 48.2. | He doth his name El-tzeboim assume. Mat. 26.53. | These perfect, pure Intelligences be, 2 Sam. 14.17. | Excel in Might, and in Celeritie, 2 Thes. 1.7. | Whose sublime natures, and whose agile powers, Dan. 9.21. | Are vastly so superiour unto ours, Es. 6.6. | Our narrow thoughts cannot to them extend, Col. 2.18. | And things so far above us comprehend, | As in themselves, although in part we know, | Some scantlings by appearances below, | And sacred Writ, wherein we find there be Rom. 8.38. | Distinguisht Orders in their Hierarchie; 1 Thes. 4.16. | Arch-Angels, Cherubims, and Seraphims, Ps. 103.20,21. | Who celebrate their God with holy Hymns. Gen. 3.24. | Ten thousand thousand vulgar Angels stand Dan. 7.10. | All in their ranks, waiting the Lords command, Mat. 6.10. | Which with prompt inclination of their will, | And chearful, swift obedience they fulfil; | Whether he them to save poor men employ, Psal. 91.11,12. | Or send them arm’d, proud rebels to destroy; 2 King. 19.35. | Whether he them to mighty Monarchs send, Gen. 32.1. | Or bid them on poor Pilgrim Saints attend, Luk. 2.13,14. | Whether they must in heavenly lustre go, Gen. 32.1,2. | Or walk in mortal mean disguise below: Gen. 19.1. | So kind, so humble are they, though so high, Psa. 104.4. | They do it with the same alacrity. Lu. 16.20. | Why blush we not at our vain pride, when we | Such condescension in Heavens Courtiers see, | That they who sit on heavenly thrones above, | Scorn not to serve poor worms with fervent Love? | And joyful praises to th’ Almighty sing, Mat. 13.39. | When they a mortal to their own home bring? | How gracious is the Lord of all, that He | Should thus consider poor mortalitie, | Such powers for us, into those powers diffuse, | Such glorious servants, in our service, use? | Who whether they, with Light, or Heaven, had | Creation, were within the six days made. | But leave we looking through the vail, nor pry | Too long on things wrapt up in mystery, Heb. 12.22. | Reserv’d to be our wonder at that time, | When we shall up to their high mountain climb. | Besides th’ Empyrean heaven we are told | Of divers other heavens which we behold | Only by Reasons eye, yet were not they | If made at least distinguisht the first day. | Then from the height we cannot comprehend, | Let us to our inferiour world descend. Earth’s | The Earth at first was a vast empty place, Chaos. | A rude congestion without form or grace, Gen. 1.2. | A confus’d mass of undistinguisht seed, | Darkness the deep, the Deep the solid hid: | Where things did in unperfect Causes sleep, | Until Gods Spirit mov’d the quiet deep, | Brooding the creatures under wings of Love, | As tender birds hatcht by a Turtle Dove. | Light first of all its radiant wings display’d, Gen. 1.3,4,5. | God call’d forth Light: that word the creature made. | Whether it were the natures more divine, | Or the bright mansion where just souls must shine, | Or the first matter of those Tapers which | The since-made firmament do still enrich, | It is not yet agreed among the wise: | But thus the day did out of Chaos rise, | And casts its bright beams on the floating world, | O’re which soon envious night her black mists hurl’d, | Damping the new-born splendour for a space, | Till the next morning did her shadows chace: | With restor’d beauty and triumphant force, | Returning to begin another course, | An emblem of that everlasting feud Joh. 3.19,20,21. | ’Twixt sons of light, and darkness still pursued; Col. 1.12,13. | And of that frail imperfect state wherein | The wasting lights of mortal men begin; 1 Pet. 1.24. | Whose comforts, honours, lives, soon as they shine | Must all to sorrows, changes, death resign; | Even their wisdomes and their vertues light | Are hid by envies interposing night. | But though these splendors all in graves are thrown, Psa. 97.11. | Whereever the true seed of light is sown, | The Powers of Darkness may contend in vain, | It shall a conquerour rise and ever reign. | For when God the victorious morning view’d, | Approving his own work he said ’twas good: | And of inanimate creatures sure the best, | As that which shews and beautifies the rest, | Those melancholy thoughts which night creates | And seeds in mortal bosomes, dissipates: | In its own nature subtile, swift and pure, | Which no polluted mirrour can endure. | By it th’ Almighty Maker doth dispence | To earthy creatures, heavenly influence; | By it with angels swiftness are our eyes, | Exalted to the glory of the skies, | In whose bright character the light divine, | Which flesh cannot behold, doth dimly shine. | Thus was the first Day made; God so call’d Light, | Sever’d from Darkness, Darkness was the Night.
|