George Withers' Emblemes

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In elfry Stormc,^ ftandeth faft,
Whofe dwelling* on the Rocke itptae'd.
ILLVSTR. XXVIII.
Book.
|Hat thing foevcr fome will have expreft,
As typified by this Halcyons-nest,
I fhall not thinke this Emblem ill-appli'd.
If, by the fan»e,the Church bee fignifi'd.
For, as it is (by fomc,) affirm'd of thefe,
That, whilft they breed, the fury cf the feas
Is through the world alayd ;
and, that their Brood
R ermines in fafetic, then, aroidft the flood:
So, when the Christian Church was in her birth,
There was a generall Peace throughout the earth;
And, thofe tumulruous Waves, which after that
Began to rile, and bee enrag'd thereat,
Were calmed fo, that Hee was borne in peace,
From whom,the faithfull off-firing did encreafe.
They, likewife, on a Recke, their dwellings have,
As here you fee ; and, though the raging Wave,
Of dreadfull Seas, hath beaten, ever fince,
Aga'mft the Fortrejfe of their ftrong defence.
Yet, ftill it ffands \ and, fafe, it fhall abide,
Ev'n in the midft of all their foming pride.
Vpon this Rocke fo place me, oh my God
That, whatfoever Tempefts bee abroad,
I may not feare the fu- y of my Foe ;
Nor bee in danger of ai overthrow.
My life is full of Stormes ; the Waters roule,
As if they meant to fwallow up my foule.
The Tides oppofe ; the furious winds doc roare
;
My Cable's weake, my tacklings, Lord.are poore,
And, my fraile veffeU cannot long endure;
Yet, reach to mee thy hand, and I'm fecure.
That'.