We are the earth, and they,
Like moles within us, heave and cast about:
And till they foot and clutch their prey,
They never cool, much lefs give out.
No fmith can make fuch locks, but they have keys:
Clofets are halls to them; and hearts highways:
Doth fhut them out, so that they cannot enter;
Or if they enter, cannot rest,
But quickly feek fome new adventure. Smooth open hearts no fast'ning have; but fiction Doth give a hold and handle to affliction.
Wherefore my faults and fins,
Lord, I acknowledge: take thy plagues away:
For fince confeffion pardon wins,
I challenge here the brightest day,
The cleareft diamond: let them do their best,
They shall be thick and cloudy to my breast.
H what a thing is man; how far from power,
From fettled peace and reft!
He is fome twenty fevral, men at least
One while he counts of heav'n, as of his treasure :
But then a thought creeps in,
And calls him coward, who for fear of fin.
Will lofe a pleasure.
Now he will fight it out, and to the wars;
Now eat his bread in peace,
And fnudge in quiet; now he fcorns increase;
Now all day spares.
He builds a house, which quickly down must go,
As if a whirlwind blew
And crush'd the building: and its partly true,
His mind is fo.
O what a fight were man, if his attires
Did alter with his mind!
And like a dolphin's fkin, his clothes combin'd
With his defires!
Surely, if each one saw another's heart,
There would be no commerce,
No fale or bargain pass: all would disperse,
And live apart.
Lord, mend, or rather make us: one creation
Will not fuffice our turn:
Except thou make us daily, we shall spurn
Our own falvation.
The Bunch of Grapes.
OY, I did lock thee up, but fome bad man
Hath let thee out again :
And now, methinks, I am where I began
Seven years ago; one vogue and vein,
One air of thoughts ufurps my brain.
I did towards Canaan draw; but now I am
Brought back to the Red Sea, the sea of shame.
For as the Jews of old by God's command
Travell'd, and faw no town;
So now each Christian hath his journey spann'd:
Their ftory pens and fets us down.
A fingle deed is small renown.
God's works are wide, and let it in future times :
His ancient justice overflows our crimes.
Then have we too our guardian-fires and clouds;
Our fcripture-dew drops fast:
We have our fands and ferpents, tents and shrouds :
Alas! our murmurings come not last.
But where's the cluster? Where's the tafte
Of mine inheritance? Lord, if I must borrow,
Let me as well take up their joy as forrow.
But can he want the grape who hath the wine?
I have their fruit and more.
Bleffed be God, who profper'd Noah's vine,
And made it bring forth grapes good store.
But much more him I must adore,
Who of the law's four juice fweet wine did make,
Ev'n God himself being preffed for my fake.
DEAR friend, fit down, the tale is long and fad
And in my faintings I prefume your love Will more comply than help. A Lord I had, And have, of whom fome grounds, which may improve, I hold for two lives, and both lives in me.
To him I brought a dish of fruit one day,
And in the middle plac'd my heart. But he (I figh to fay)
Look'd on a fervant, who did know his eye
Better than you knew me, or which is one)
Than I myself. The fervant inftantly
Quitting the fruit, feiz'd on my heart alone,.
And threw it in a font, wherein did fall
A ftream of blood, which iffued from the fide
Of a great rock : I well remember all,
And have good caufe: There it was dipt and dy'd,
And wash'd, and wrung: The very wringing yet
Enforceth tears. Your heart was foul, I fear.
Indeed 'tis true. I did and do commit
Many a fault, more than my leafe will bear;
Yet ftill afk'd pardon, and was not deny'd.
But you shall hear. After my heart was well,
And clean and fair, as I one even-tide
(I figh to tell)
Walk'd by myself abroad, I faw a large
And fpacious furnace flaming, and thereon
A boiling caldron, round about whofe verge
Was in great, letters fet AFFLICTION.
The greatnefs fhew'd the owner. So I went
To fetch a facrifice out of my fold,
Thinking with that, which I did thus prefent,
To warm his love, which I did fear grew cold.
But as my heart did tender it, the man
Who was to take it from me, flipt his hand,
And threw my heart into the fcalding pan;
My heart that brought it (do you understand ?)
The offerer's heart. Your heart was hard, I fear.
Indeed 'tis true, I found a callous matter
Began to fpread and to expatiate there:
But with a richer drug than fcalding water
I bath'd it often, ev'n with holy blood,
Which at a board, while many drunk bare wine,
A friend did fteal into my cup for good,
Ev'n taken inwardly, and most divine,
To fupple hardneffes. But at the length
Out of the caldron getting, foon I fled
Unto my house, where to repair the strength
Which I had loft, I hafted to my bed:
But when I thought to fleep out all these faults,
(I figh to fpeak)
I found that fome had fluff'd the bed with thoughts,
I would fay thorns. Dear, could my heart not break,
When with my pleasures ev'n my reft 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.
Indeed a flack and fleepy state of mind
Did oft poffefs me fo, that when I pray'd,
Though my lips went, my heart did stay behind.
But all my scores were by another paid,
Who took the debt upon him. Truly, friend,
For ought I hear, your Master fhews to you
More favour than you wot of. Mark the end,
The font did only what was old renew:
The caldron fuppled what was grown too hard.
The thorns did quicken what was grown too dull;
All did but ftrive to mend what you had marr’d.
Wherefore be cheer'd, and praife him to the full
Each day, each hour, each moment of the week,
Who fain would have you be new, tender, quick.
Man's Medley.
ARK how the birds do fing,
HAR And woods do ring
All creatures have their joy, and man hath his.
Yet, if we rightly measure,
Man's joy and pleasure
Rather hereafter, than in prefent, is.
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