Who did so sweetly Death's sad taste convey, Farewell, deare flow'rs; sweetly your time ye spent, And after death for cures. I follow straight, without complaints or grief; Since if my scent be good, I care not if It be as short as yours. 68.SUBMISSION. But that Thou art my wisdome, Lord, My minde would be extreamly stirr'd For missing my designe. Were it not better to bestow Some place and power on me? 10 15 5 Then should Thy praises with me grow, But when I thus dispute and grieve, 10 And share in my degree. I do resume my fight; And pilfring what I once did give, Disseize Thee of Thy right. How know I, if Thou shouldst me raise, That I should then raise Thee? Perhaps great places and Thy praise dispossess 15 Wherefore unto my gift I stand, I will no more advise; Onely do Thou lend me a hand, 69.JUSTICE. I cannot skill of these Thy wayes: = consider 20 Lord, Thou didst make me, yet Thou woundest me; Lord, Thou dost wound me, yet Thou dost relieve me ; Lord, Thou relievest, yet I die by Thee; Lord, Thou dost kill me, yet Thou dost reprieve me. 5 But when I mark my life and praise, For I do praise Thee, yet I praise Thee not; 70. ¶ CHARMS AND KNOTS. Who reade a chapter when they rise, IO A poor man's rod, when Thou dost ride, Who shuts his hand hath lost his gold; 5 Who opens it hath it twice-told. Who goes to bed and doth not pray Maketh two nights to ev'ry day. Who by aspersions throw a stone Who looks on ground with humble eyes When th' hair is sweet through pride or lust, The powder doth forget the dust. Take one from ten, and what remains? In shallow waters heav'n doth show; ΙΟ 15 71. AFFLICTION. My God, I read this day That planted Paradise was not so firm As was and is Thy floting Ark, whose stay And strengthen it in ev'ry age, When waves do rise and tempests rage. At first we liv'd in pleasure, Thine own delights Thou didst to us impart; To make us Thine; yet that we might not part, 5 ΙΟ There is but joy and grief: If either will convert us, we are Thine; And sev'rall baits in either kinde Furnish Thy table to Thy minde. Affliction, then, is ours; at the Nativity We are the trees, whom shaking fastens more; While blustring windes destroy the wanton bowres, And ruffle all their curious knots and store. My God, so temper joy and wo 16 20 [stakes That Thy bright beams may tame Thy Bow. 72.¶MORTIFICATION. How soon doth man decay! When clothes are taken from a chest of sweets To swaddle infants, whose young breath. Those clouts are little winding-sheets, Which do consign and send them unto Death. When boyes go first to bed, They step into their voluntarie graves; Sleep binds them fast, onely their breath Makes them not dead : Successive nights, like rolling waves, Convey them quickly who are bound for Death. 5 ΤΟ When Youth is frank and free, And calls for musick, while his veins do swell, All day exchanging mirth and breath In companie, That musick summons to the knell Which shall befriend him at the house of Death. When Man grows staid and wise, Getting a house and home, where he may move Within the circle of his breath, Schooling his eyes, That dumbe inclosure maketh love Unto the coffin that attends his death. When Age grows low and weak, 15 20 25 Marking his grave, and thawing ev'ry year, When he would speak, A chair or litter shows the biere Which shall convey him to the house of Death. Man, ere he is aware, Hath put together a solemnitie, And drest his hearse, while he has breath As yet to spare; 30 Yet, Lord, instruct us so to die, 35 That all these dyings may be LIFE in death. |