As if a starre were duller than a clod,

Which knows his way without a guide:

Just so the other heav'n they also serve,
Divinitie's transcendent skie :

Which with the edge of wit they cut and carve.
Reason triumphs, and faith lies by.

Could not that wisdome, which first broacht the wine, Have thicken'd it with definitions?

And jagg'd his seamlesse coat, had that been fine, With curious questions and divisions?

But all the doctrine, which he taught and gave, Was cleare as heav'n, from whence it came. At least those beams of truth, which onely save, Surpasse in brightnesse any flame.

Love God, and love your neighbour. Watch and
Do as you would be done unto.

O dark instructions, ev'n as dark as day!

Who can these Gordian knots undo?

But he doth bid us take his bloud for wine.
Bid what he please; yet I am sure,

To take and taste what he doth there designe,
Is all that saves, and not obscure.

Then burn thy Epicycles, foolish man ;

pray.

Break all thy spheres, and save thy head; Faith needs no staffe of flesh, but stoutly can To heav'n alone both go, and leade.

107.

EPHES. IV. 30.

Grieve not the Holy Spirit, etc.

AND art thou grieved, sweet and sacred Dove,
When I am sowre,

And crosse thy love?

Grieved for me? the God of strength and power Griev'd for a worm, which when I tread, I passe away and leave it dead?

Then weep,

mine eyes, the God of love doth grieve: Weep foolish heart,

And weeping live;

For death is drie as dust. Yet if ye part,
End as the night, whose sable hue

Your sinnes expresse; melt into dew.

When sawcie mirth shall knock or call at doore,
Cry out, Get hence,

Or cry no more.

Almightie God doth grieve, he puts on sense:
I sinne not to my grief alone,

But to my God's too; he doth grone.

O take thy lute, and tune it to a strain,
Which may with thee

All day complain.

There can no discord but in ceasing be.

Marbles can weep; and surely strings

More bowels have, than such hard things.

Lord, I adjudge myself to tears and grief,
Ev'n endlesse tears

Without relief.

If a cleare spring for me no time forbears,
But runnes, although I be not drie;
I am no Crystall, what shall I?

Yet if I wail not still, since still to wail
Nature denies ;

And flesh would fail,

If my deserts were masters of mine eyes:
Lord, pardon, for thy sonne makes good
My want of tears with store of bloud.

108. THE FAMILIE.

WHAT doth this noise of thoughts within my heart, As if they had a part?

What do these loud complaints and pulling fears, As if there were no rule or eares?

But, Lord, the house and familie are thine,
Though some of them repine.

Turn out these wranglers, which defile thy seat:
For where thou dwellest all is neat.

First Peace and Silence all disputes controll,
Then Order plaies the soul;

And giving all things their set forms and houres,
Makes of wilde woods sweet walks and bowres.

Humble Obedience neare the doore doth stand,
Expecting a command:

Then whom in waiting nothing seems more slow,
Nothing more quick when she doth go.

Joyes oft are there, and griefs as oft as joyes;
But griefs without a noise:

Yet speak they louder, then distemper'd fears:
What is so shrill as silent tears?

This is thy house, with these it doth abound:
And where these are not found,

Perhaps thou com'st sometimes, and for a day;
But not to make a constant stay.

109. THE SIZE.

CONTENT thee, greedie heart.

Modest and moderate joyes to those, that have
Title to more hereafter when they part,

Are passing brave.

Let th' upper springs into the low
Descend and fall, and thou dost flow.

What though some have a fraught

Of cloves and nutmegs, and in cinamon sail ?
If thou hast wherewithall to spice a draught,
When griefs prevail,

And for the future time art heir

To th' Isle of spices, Is't not fair?

To be in both worlds full

Is more then God was, who was hungrie here.
Wouldst thou his laws of fasting disanull ?

Enact good cheer?

Lay out thy joy, yet hope to save it?
Wouldst thou both eat thy cake, and have it?

K

Great joyes are all at once;

But little do reserve themselves for more:

Those have their hopes; these what they have renounce, And live on score:

Those are at home; these journey still,

And meet the rest on Sion's hill.

Thy Saviour sentenc'd joy,

And in the flesh condemn'd it as unfit,

At least in lump: for such doth oft destroy;
Whereas a bit

Doth tice us on to hopes of more,
And for the present health restore.

A Christian's state and case

Is not a corpulent, but a thinne and spare,
Yet active strength: whose long and bonie face
Content and care

Do seem to equally divide,

Like a pretender, not a bride.

Wherefore sit down, good heart;

Grasp not at much, for fear thou losest all.
If comforts fell according to desert,

They would great frosts and snows destroy :
For we should count, Since the last joy.

Then close again the seam,

Which thou hast open'd; do not spread thy robe In hope of great things. Call to mind thy dream, An earthly globe,

On whose meridian was engraven,

These seas are tears, and heav'n the haven.