We are the earth; and they,
tke moles within us, heave, and caft about:
And till they foot and clutch their prey,
They never cool, much leffe give out.
To fmith can make fuch locks but they have keyes. losets are halls to them ; and hearts, high-wayes.
oth fhut them out,so that they cannot enter 3 Or, if they enter, cannot reft,
But quickly feek fome new adventure. nooth open hearts no fastning have; but fiction oth give a hold and handle to affliction.
Wherefore my faults and finnes,
ord, I acknowledge; take thy plagues away:
For fince confeffion pardon winnes,
I challenge here the brightest day,
'he cleareft diamond : let them do their beft,
'hey shall be thick and cloudy to my breast.
Hwhat a thing is man! how farre from power
From fettled peace and rest!
He is fome twentie fev'rall men at least
Each fev'rall houre.
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 finne
Will lose a pleasure.
Now he will fight it out, and to the warres ;
Now eat his bread in peace,
And fnudge in quiet; now he fcorns increase;
Now all day fpares.
He builds an houfe,which quickly down must go,
As if a whirlwind blew
And crufht the building: and it's partly true,
His mind is fo.
O what a fight were Man,if his attires
Did alter with his mind;
And,like a Dolphinés skinne, his clothes combin'd
With his defires!
Surely if each one faw anothers heart,
There would be no commerce,
No fale or bargain paffe: 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 fpurn
Our own falvation.
¶The bunch of grapes.
JOy, I did lock thee up, but some bad man
Hath let thee out again:
And now,me thinks, I am where I began
Seven yeares ago; one vogue and vein,
One aire of thoughts ufurps my brain.
I did toward Canaan draw; but now I am
Brought back to the Red fea,the sea of fhame!
For as the Jews of old by Gods command
Travell'd, and faw no town;
So now each Chriftian hath his journeys spann'd:
Their ftorie pennes and sets us down.
A fingle deed is small renown.
Gods works are wide, and let in future times:
His ancient juftice overflows our crimes.
Then have we too our guardian fires and clouds;
Our Scripture-dew drops fast:
We have our fands and ferpents, tents and fhrowds; Alas! our murmurings come not laft.
But where's the clufter? 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 Noahs vine,
And made it bring forth grapes good store.
But much more him I must adore,
Who of the Laws fowre juice fweet wine did make,
Ev'n God himself, being preffed for my fake.
Eare Friend, fit down, the tale is long and sad: And in my faintings I prefume your love Will more complie then help. A Lord I had, And have, of whom fome grounds which may imI hold for two lives, and both lives in me. To him I brought a difh of fruit one day, And in the middle plac'd my heart. But he (I figh to fay)
Lookt on a fervant, who did know his eye
Better then you know me, or (which is one)
Then I my felf. The fervant inftantly
Quitting the fruit, feiz'd on my heart alone,
And threw it in a font, wherein did fall
A ftream of bloud, which iffu'd from the fide
Of a great rock: I well remember all,
And have good cause: there it was dipt and di'd,
And wafht, 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 then my leafe will bear;
Yet ftill askt pardon, and was not deni'd.
But you fhall heare. After my heart was well,
And clean and fair, as I one even-tide
(I figh to tell)
Walkt by my self abroad, I faw a large
And fpacious furnace flaming, and thereon
A boyling caldron, round about whofe verge
Was in great letters fet AFFLICTION.
The greatneffe 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 offerers heart. Your heart was hard, 1 fear.
Indeed 'tis true. I found a callous matter
Began to spread and to expatiate there:
But with a richer drug then fcalding water
I bath'd it often, ev'n with holy bloud,
Which at a board, while many drunk bare wine,
A friend did fteal into my cup for good,
Ev'n taken inwardly, and moft divine
To fupple hardneffes. But at the length
Out of the caldron getting, foon I fled
Unto my house, where to repair the ftrength
Which I had loft, I hafted to my bed.
But when I thought to fleep out all these faults
(I figh to speak)
I found that fome had ftuff'd the bed with thoughts,
I would fay thorus. Deare, 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 giv'n the key to none but one:
It must be he. Your heart was dull, I fear.
Indeed a flack and fleepie ftate of minde
Did oft poffeffe me; fo that when I pray'd,
Though my lips went, my heart did stay behinde.
But all my fcores were by another paid,
Who took the debt upon him. Truely, Friend
For ought I heare, your Mafter shows to you
More favour then you wot of. Mark the end.
The Font did onely 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 praise him to the full
Each day, each houre, each moment of the week,
Who fain would bave you be new, tender, quick.
Mans medley.
Hark how the birds do fing,
And woods do ring.
All creatures have their joy: and man hath his.
Yet, if we rightly measure, dr
Mans joy and pleasure
Rather hereafter, then in prefent, is.
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