Humility, who held the plume, at this Did weep so fast, that the tears trickling down They drive them soon away; And then amerced them, double gifts to bring FRAILTY LORD, in my silence how do I despise What upon trust Is styled, honour, riches, or fair eyes; But is fair dust! I surname them gilded clay, But when I view abroad both regiments, The world's, and Thine; Thine clad with simpleness, and sad events; The other fine, Full of glory and gay weeds, That which was dust before, doth quickly rise, O brook not this, lest if what even now My foot doth tread, Affront those joys, wherewith Thou didst endow, And long since wed My poor soul, e'en sick of love; It may a Babel prove, Commodious to conquer heaven and Thee CONSTANCY WHO is the honest man? He that doth still and strongly good pursue, To God, his neighbour, and himself most true: Whom neither force nor fawning can Unpin, or wrench from giving all their due. Whose honesty is not So loose or easy, that a ruffling wind Who, when great trials come, Nor seeks, nor shuns them; but doth calmly stay, Till he the thing and the example weigh : All being brought into a sum, What place or person calls for, he doth pay. Whom none can work or woo, To use in anything a trick or sleight; His words and works and fashion too Who never melts or thaws At close temptations: when the day is done, Who, when he is to treat With sick folks, women, those whom passions sway, Allows for that, and keeps his constant way : Whom others' faults do not defeat; But though men fail him, yet his part doth play. Whom nothing can procure. When the wide world runs bias, from his will To writhe his limbs, and share, not mend the ill. This is the marksman safe and sure, Who still is right, and prays to be so still. AFFLICTION MY heart did heave, and there came forth, O God! By that I knew that Thou wast in the grief, To guide and govern it to my relief, Making a sceptre of the rod : Hadst Thou not had Thy part, Sure the unruly sigh had broke my heart. But since Thy breath gave me both life and shape, The sigh then only is A gale to bring me sooner to my bliss. Thy life on earth was grief, and Thou art still A point of honour, now to grieve in me, Thou dying daily, praise Thee to Thy loss. THE STAR RIGHT spark, shot from a brighter place, So well as there? Yet, if thou wilt from thence depart, First with thy fire-work burn to dust So disengaged from sin and sickness, Then with our trinity of light, Motion, and heat; let's take our flight Before didst bow. Get me a standing there, and place Sin and my heart: That so among the rest I may Glitter, and curl, and wind as they : Sure thou wilt joy by gaining me O SUNDAY DAY mos. calm, most bright, The fruit of this, the next world's bud, The indorsement of supreme delight, Writ by a Friend, and with His blood; The couch of time; care's balm and bay; The week were dark, but for thy light: Thy torch doth show the way. The other days and thou Make up one man; whose face thou art, |