These are the words and works of life; this do, And live; who doth not thus, hath lost heav'n's way. O lose it not! look up, wilt change those lights For chains of darknes and eternal nights? CORRUPTION. SURE it was so. Man in those early days Was not all stone and earth; He shin'd a little, and, by those weak rays, Had some glimpse of his birth. [whence He saw heaven o'er his head, and knew from He came condemned hither; And, as first love draws strongest, so from hence His mind sure progress'd thither. Things here were strange unto him; swet and till, Nor did those last, but, like himself, dyed still They seem'd to quarrel with him; for that act, He drew the curse upon the world, and crackt This made him long for home, as loath to stay He sigh'd for Eden, and would often say, "Ah! what bright days were those!" Nor was heav'n cold unto him; for each day In some green shade or fountain. Almighty love! where art thou now? mad man He raves, and swears to stir nor fire nor fan, I see, thy curtains are close-drawn; thy bow Sin triumphs still, and man is sunk below All's in deep sleep and night; thick darkness lyes And hatcheth o'er thy people But hark! what trumpet's that? what angel cries, "Arise! thrust in thy sickle!" H. SCRIPTURES. WELCOME, dear book, soul's joy and food! the feast Of spirits; heav'n extracted lyes in thee. Thou art life's charter, the dove's spotless nest Where souls are hatch'd unto eternitie. In thee the hidden stone, the manna lies; The word in characters, God in the voice. O that I had deep cut in my hard heart groans Return upon himself the law and stones. Read here, my faults are thine. This book and I Will tell thee so; sweet Saviour, thou didst dye! UNPROFITABLENES. How rich, O Lord, how fresh thy visits are! Each snarling blast shot through me, and did shear I smell a dew like myrrh, and all the day But, ah, my God! what fruit hast thou of this? To wait upon thy wreath? Thus thou all day a thankless weed dost dress, And when th' hast done, a stench or fog is all The odour I bequeath. CHRIST'S NATIVITY. I. AWAKE, glad heart! get up, and sing! The sun doth shake Light from his locks, and, all the way II. Awake, awake! heark how th' wood rings, Awake! awake! Man is their high-priest, and should rise III. I would I were some bird, or star, Above this inne And rode of sin! Then either star or bird should be Shining or singing still to thee. IV. I would I had in my best part Fit roomes for thee! or that my heart Thy manger was! But I am all filth and obscene; Yet, if thou wilt, thou can'st make clean. V. Sweet Jesu! will then; let no more O release him! And let once more, by mystick birth, II. How kind is Heav'n to man! If here Straight there is joy, and ev'ry sphere And shall we then no voices lift? Are mercy and salvation Not worth our thanks? Is life a gift Shall He that did come down from thence, Shall he be now cast off? no sense Can neither love nor suff'rings bind? |