Then have we too our guardian fires and clouds; Our Scripture-dew drops fast: We have our sands and serpents, tents and shrouds ; Alas! our murmurings come not last. But where's the cluster? where's the taste Of mine inheritance? Lord, if I must borrow, Let me as well take up their joy, as sorrow. But can he want the grape, who hath the wine? I have their fruit and more. Blessed be God, who prosper'd Noah's vine, And made it bring forth grapes good store. Who of the law's sour juice sweet wine did make, CI. LOVE UNKNOWN. im DEAR friend, sit down, the tale is long and sad : But he (I sigh to say) Look'd on a servant, who did know his eye A stream of blood, which issued from the side And have good cause: there it was dipt and dyed, Enforceth tears. Indeed 'tis true. I did and do commit Many a fault more than my lease will bear; (I sigh to tell) Who was to take it from me, slipt his hand, Began to spread and to expatiate there : Which I had lost, I hasted to my bed: But when I thought to sleep out all these faults, (I sigh to speak) I found that some had stuff'd the bed with thoughts, I would say thorns. Dear, could my heart not break, When with my pleasures e'en my rest was gone? Full well I understood, who had been there: For I had given the key to none, but one: It must be he. Your heart was dull, I fear. Did oft possess me, so that when I pray'd, Who took the debt upon him. Truly, Friend, For ought I hear, your Master shows to you More favour than you wot of. Mark the end. The Font did only, what was old, renew: The Caldron suppled, what was grown too hard : The Thorns did quicken, what was grown too dull : All did but strive to mend, what you had marr'd. Wherefore be cheer'd, and praise him to the full Each day, each hour, each moment of the week, Who fain would have you be, new, tender, quick. CII. MAN'S MEDLEY. HARK, how the birds do sing, All creatures have their joy, and man hath his. Man's joy and pleasure Rather hereafter, than in present, is. To this life things of sense Make their pretence : In the other Angels have a right by birth : And makes them one, [earth. With the one hand touching heaven, with the other In soul he mounts and flies, He wears a stuff whose thread is coarse and round, After the trimming, not the stuff and ground. Not, that he may not here Taste of the cheer: But as birds drink, and straight lift up their head; So must he sip, and think Of better drink He may attain to, after he is dead. But as his joys are double, So is his trouble. He hath two winters, other things but one: And he of all things fears two deaths alone. Yet even the greatest griefs Could he but take them right, and in their ways. Hath found the art To turn his double pains to double praise. CIII. THE STORM. IF as the winds and waters here below My sighs and tears as busy were above; Sure they would move And much affect thee, as tempestuous times Stars have their storms, e'en in a high degree, As well as we. A throbbing conscience spurred by remorse Hath a strange force: It quits the earth, and mounting more and more, Dares to assault thee, and besiege thy door. There it stands knocking, to thy music's wrong, And drowns the song. Glory and honour are set by till it An answer get. Poets have wrong'd poor storms: such days are best; They purge the air without, within the breast. CIV. PARADISE. I BLESS thee, Lord, because I GROW |