I looked on thy furniture so fine, And made it fine to me; Thy glorious household-stuffe did me entwine, Such starres I counted mine: both heav'n and earth What pleasures could I want, whose King I served, Thus argu'd into hopes, my thoughts reserved Therefore my sudden soul caught at the place, At first thou gav'st me milk and sweetnesses; My dayes were straw'd with flow'rs and happinesse ; My flesh began unto my soul in pain, Sicknesses cleave my bones, Consuming agues dwell in ev'ry vein, And tune my breath to grones : When I got health, thou took'st away my life, Thus thinne and lean without a fence or friend, Whereas my birth and spirit rather took The way that takes the town; Thou didst betray me to a lingring book, I was entangled in the world of strife, eniv. Ichales. Yet, for I threatened oft the siege to raise, Thou often didst with academick praise Melt and dissolve my rage. I took thy sweetened pill, till I came neare; Yet lest perchance I should too happie be In my unhappinesse, 1 Turning my purge to food, thou throwest me Thus doth thy power cross-bias me, not making Now I am here, what thou wilt do with me None of my books will show : I reade, and sigh, and wish I were a tree; For sure then I should grow To fruit or shade: at least some bird would trust Yet, though thou troublest me, I must be meek; Well, I will change the service, and go seek Ah my deare God! though I am clean forgot, 19: REPENTANCE. LORD, I confesse my sinne is great ; Is one undressing, A steadie aiming at a tombe. Man's age is two houres work, or three ; If life be told From what life feeleth, Adam's fall. Oh let thy height of mercie then Cut me not off for my most foul transgression : My foolishnesse ; My God, accept of my confession. Sweeten at length this bitter bowl, Which thou hast pour'd into my soul; Thy wormwood turn to health, windes to fair weather, For if thou stay, I and this day, As we did rise we die together. When thou for sinne rebukest man, Forthwith he waxeth wo and wan: Bitternesse fills our bowels; all our hearts Pine, and decay, And drop away, And carrie with them th' other parts. But thou wilt sinne and grief destroy; That so the broken bones may joy, And tune together in a well-set song, Full of his praises Who dead men raises. Fractures well cur'd make us more strong. 20. FAITH. LORD, how couldst thou so much appease Thy wrath for sinne, as when man's sight was dimme, And could see little, to regard his ease, And bring by Faith all things to him? Hungrie I was, and had no meat: I did conceit a most delicious feast; I had it straight, and did as truly eat, There is a rare outlandish root, That I can walk to heav'n well neare. I owed thousands and much more: I did believe that I did nothing owe, And liv'd accordingly; my creditor Beleeves so too, and lets me go. Faith makes me any thing, or all What can be lower than the common manger? Faith puts me there with Him, who sweetly took If blisse had lien in art or strength, A peasant may beleeve as much As a great clerk, and reach the highest stature. While grace fills up uneven nature. [crouch, When creatures had no reall light Inherent in them, thou didst make the sunne, Impute a lustre, and allow them bright: And in this show, what Christ hath done. That which before was darkned clean With bushie groves, pricking the looker's eie, D |