Wherefore, most sacred Spirit, I here present,
For me and all my fellows, praise to thee:
And just it is that I should pay the rent,
Because the benefit accrues to me.
We all acknowledge both thy power and love
To be exact, transcendent, and divine;
Who dost so strongly and so sweetly move,
While all things have their will,-yet none but thine.
For either thy command or thy permission
Lay hands on all; they are thy right and left.
The first puts on with speed and expedition;
The other curbs sin's stealing pace and theft.
Nothing escapes them both; all must appear,
And be disposed, and dressed, and tuned by thee,
Who sweetly temper'st all. If we could hear
Thy skill and art, what music would it be !
Thou art in small things great; not small in any :
Thy even praise can neither rise nor fall.
Thou art in all things one; in each thing many:
For thou art infinite in one, and all.
Tempests are calm to thee; they know thy hand,
And hold it fast, as children do their father's,
Which cry and follow. Thou hast made poor sand
Check the proud sea, even when it swells and gathers.
Thy cupboard serves the world; the meat is set
Where all may reach; no beast but knows his feed.
Birds teach us hawking; fishes have their net;
The great prey on the less; they, on some weed.
Nothing engendered doth prevent his meat.
Flies have their table spread, ere they appear.
Some creatures have in winter what to eat;
Others do sleep, and envy not their cheer.
How finely dost thou times and seasons spin,
And make a twist chequered with night and day!
Which, as it lengthens, winds, and winds us in;
As bowls go on, but turning all the way.
Each creature hath a wisdom for his good.
The pigeons feed their tender offspring, crying,
When they are callow; but withdraw their food,
When they are fledge, that need may teach them flying.
Bees work for man; and yet they never bruise
Their master's flower, but leave it, having done,
As fair as ever, and as fit to use:
So both the flower doth stay, and honey run.
Sheep eat the grass, and dung the ground for more:
Trees after bearing drop their leaves for soil:
Springs vent their streams, and, by expense, get store:
Clouds cool by heat; and baths, by cooling, boil.
Who hath the virtue to express the rare
And curious virtues both of herbs and stones?
Is there an herb for that? Oh, that thy care
Would shew a root that gives expressions?
And if an herb hath power, what have the stars!
A rose, besides his beauty, is a cure.
Doubtless our plagues and plenty, peace and wars,
Are there much surer than our art is sure.
Thou hast hid metals: man may take them thence;
But at his peril; when he digs the place,
He makes a grave; as if the thing had sense,
And threatened man, that he should fill the space.
Even poisons praise thee. Should a thing be lost?
Should creatures want, for want of heed, their due?
Since, where are poisons, antidotes are most;
The help stands close, and keeps the fear in view.
The sea, which seems to stop the traveller,
Is by a ship the speedier passage made.
The winds, who think they rule the mariner,
Are ruled by him, and taught to serve his trade.
And as thy house is full, so I adore
Thy curious art in marshalling thy goods.
The hills with health abound; the vales, with store; The south, with marble; north, with furs and woods.
Hard things are glorious; easy things, good cheap ;
The common all men have; that which is rare,
Men therefore seek to have, and care to keep.
The healthy frosts with summer fruits compare.
Light, without wind, is glass; warm, without weight,
Is wool and furs; cool, without closeness, shade ;
Speed, without pains, a horse; tall, without height,
A servile hawk; low, without loss, a spade.
All countries have enough to serve their need:
If they seek fine things, thou dost make them run
For their offence; and then dost turn their speed
To be commerce and trade from sun to sun.
Nothing wears clothes, but man; nothing doth need,
But he, to wear them. Nothing useth fire,
But man alone; to shew his heavenly breed:
And only he hath fuel in desire.
When th' earth was dry, thou mad'st a sea of wet;
When that lay gathered, thou didst broach the mountains;
When yet some places could no moisture get,
The winds grew gardeners, and the clouds good fountains.
Rain! do not hurt my flowers; but gently spend
Your honey drops; press not to smell them here:
When they are ripe, their odor will ascend,
And at your lodging, with their thanks, appear.
How harsh are thorns, to pears! and yet they make
A better hedge, and need less reparation.
How smooth are silks, compared with a stake,
Or with a stone! yet make no good foundation.
Sometimes thou dost divide thy gifts to man;
Sometimes unite. The Indian nut aloné
Is clothing, meat and trencher, drink and can,
Boat, cable, sail and needle; all in one.
Most herbs, that grow in brooks, are hot and dry;
Cold fruits warm kernels help against the wind:
The lemon's juice and rind cure mutually.
The whey of milk doth loose, the milk doth bind.
Thy creatures leap not, but express a feast,
Where all the guests sit close, and nothing wants.
Frogs marry fish and flesh; bats, bird and beast;
Sponges, non-sense and sense; mines, th'earth and plants.
To shew thou art not bound, as if thy lot
Were worse than ours, sometimes thou shiftest hands. Most things move th' under jaw; the crocodile not. Most things sleep lying; th' elephant leans, or stands.
But who hath praise enough? nay, who hath any ? None can express thy works, but he that knows them; And none can know thy works, which are so many, And so complete, but only He that owes them.
All things that are, though they have several ways,
Yet in their being join with one advice
To honor thee; and so I give thee praise
In all my other hymns, but, in this, twice.
Each thing that is, although in use and name
go for one, hath many ways in store
To honor thee and so each hymn thy fame
Extolleth many ways; yet this one more.
I GAVE to Hope a watch of mine; but he
An anchor gave to me.
Then an old prayer-book I did present;
And he an optic sent.
With that I gave a vial full of tears;
But he a few green ears.
Ah loiterer! I'll no more-no more I'll bring;
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