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But as cold hands are angry with the fire,
And mend it still;

So I do lay the want of my desire,

Not on my sins, or coldness, but Thy will.

Yet hear, O God, only for His blood's sake,
Which pleads for me:

For though sins plead too, yet like stones they make
His blood's sweet current much more loud to be.

THE CHURCH-FLOOR

MARK you the floor? that

stone,

square

and speckled

Which looks so firm and strong,

Is Patience:

And the other black and grave, wherewith each one Is checker'd all along,

Humility:

The gentle rising, which on either hand
Leads to the quire above,

Is Confidence:

But the sweet cement, which in one sure band
Ties the whole frame, is Love

And Charity.

Hither sometimes Sin steals, and stains
The marble's neat and curious veins :

But all is cleansed when the marble weeps.
Sometimes Death, puffing at the door,
Blows all the dust about the floor:

But while he thinks to spoil the room, he sweeps.
Blest be the Architect, whose art

Could build so strong in a weak heart.

THE WINDOWS

LORD, how can man preach Thy eternal word?

He is a brittle crazy glass:
Yet in Thy temple Thou dost him afford

This glorious and transcendent place,
To be a window, through Thy grace.

But when Thou dost anneal in glass Thy story,
Making Thy life to shine within

The holy preachers, then the light and glory

More reverend grows, and more doth win;
Which else shows waterish, bleak, and thin.

Doctrine and life, colours and light, in one

When they combine and mingle, bring A strong regard and awe: but speech alone Doth vanish like a flaring thing,

And in the ear, not conscience ring.

TRINITY-SUNDAY

LORD, Who hast formed me out of mud

And hast redeemed me through Thy blood,

And sanctified me to do good;

E

Purge all my sins done heretofore;
For I confess my heavy score,
And I will strive to sin no more.

Enrich my heart, mouth, hands in me,
With faith, with hope, with charity ;
That I may run, rise, rest with Thee.

CONTENT

PEACE, muttering thoughts, and do not grudge

to keep

Within the walls of your own breast:
Who cannot on his own bed sweetly sleep,
Can on another's hardly rest.

Gad not abroad at every quest and call
Of an untrained hope or passion:
To court each place or fortune that doth fall,
Is wantonness in contemplation.

Mark how the fire in flints doth quiet lie,
Content and warm to itself alone :
But when it would appear to other's eye,
Without a knock it never shone.

Give me the pliant mind, whose gentle measure
Complies and suits with all estates;

Which can let loose to a crown, and yet with pleasure
Take up within a cloister's gates.

This soul doth span the world, and hang content From either pole unto the centre:

Where in each room of the well-furnished tent

He lies warm, and without adventure.

The brags of life are but a nine days' wonder:
And after death the fumes that spring
From private bodies, make as big a thunder
As those which rise from a huge king.

Only thy chronicle is lost and yet

Better by worms be all once spent,
Than to have hellish moths still gnaw and fret
Thy name in books, which may not rent.

When all thy deeds, whose brunt thou feel'st alone,
Are chawed by others' pens and tongues,

And as their wit is, their digestion,

Thy nourished fame is weak or strong.

Then cease discoursing, soul; till thine own ground;
Do not thyself or friends importune.
He that by seeking hath himself once found,
Hath ever found a happy fortune.

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THE QUIDDITY

Y God a verse is not a crown;

MY No point of honour, or gay suit,

No hawk, or banquet, or renown,
Nor a good sword, nor yet a lute:

It cannot vault, or dance, or play;
It never was in France or Spain;
Nor can it entertain the day
With a great stable or domain.

It is no office, art, or news;
Nor the exchange or busy hall :
But it is that, which while I use,

I am with Thee, and "most take all."

HUMILITY

I SAW the Virtues sitting hand in hand

In several ranks upon an azure throne, Where all the beasts and fowls, by their command, Presented tokens of submission.

Humility, who sat the lowest there

To execute their call,

When by the beasts the presents tendered were, Gave them about to all.

The angry lion did present his paw,
Which by consent was given to mansuetude.
The fearful hare her ears, which by their law
Humility did reach to fortitude.

The jealous turkey brought his coral chain,
That went to temperance.
On justice was bestowed the fox's brain,

Killed in the way by chance.

At length the crow, bringing the peacock's plume,
(For he would not) as they beheld the grace
Of that brave gift, each one began to fume,
And challenge it, as proper to his place,

Till they fell out; which when the beasts espied,
They leapt upon the throne;

And if the fox had lived to rule their side,

They had deposed each one.

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