In smiles and tears

To weep, to sing, Thy death, my life.

Rom[ans] cap. 8. ver. 19.

Etenim res creatæ exerto capite observantes expectant revelationem filiorum Dei.

ND do they so? have they a sense
Of ought but influence?

Can they their heads lift, and expect,

And grone too? why th' elect,

Can do no more; my volumes sed

They were all dull, and dead;

They judg'd them senslesse, and their state
Wholly inanimate.

Go, go; Seal up thy looks,

And burn thy books!

2.

I would I were a stone, or tree,

Or flowre by pedigree,

Or some poor high-way herb, or spring
To flow, or bird to sing!

Then should I-tyed to ore sure state-
All day expect my date;

But I am sadly loose, and stray

Mi

A giddy blast each way;

O let me not thus range!

Thou canst not change.

3.

Sometimes I sit with Thee, and tarry
An hour or so, then vary.

Thy other creatures in this scene
Thee only aym, and mean;

Some rise to seek Thee, and with heads
Erect, peep from their beds;

Others, whose birth is in the tomb,
And cannot quit the womb,

Sigh there, and grone for Thee,
Their liberty.

4.

O let me not do lesse! shall they
Watch, while I sleep or play?

Shall I Thy mercies still abuse

With fancics, friends, or newes? O brook it not! Thy bloud is mine,

And my soul should be Thine; O brook it not! why wilt Thou stop After whole showres one drop?

Sure, Thou wilt joy to see

Thy sheep with Thee.

THE RELAPSE.

Y God, how gracious art Thou! I had slipt
Almost to Hell,

M

And on the verge of that dark, dreadful pit

Did hear them yell;

But O Thy love! Thy rich, almighty love,
That sav'd my soul,

And checkt their furie, when I saw them move,
And heard them howl!

O my sole Comfort, take no more these wayes,
This hideous path,

And I wil mend my own without delayes:
Cease thou Thy wrath!

I have deserv'd a thick, Egyptian damp,

-Dark as my deeds

Should mist' within me, and put out that lamp
Thy Spirit feeds;

A darting conscience full of stabs, and fears;
No shade but yewgh,

Sullen, and sad ecclipses, cloudie spheres,
These are my due,

But He that with His blood—a price too deere—
My scores did pay,

Bid me, by vertue from Him, chalenge here
The brightest day;

Sweet, downie thoughts, soft lilly-shades, calm streams,

Joyes full, and true,

Fresh, spicie mornings, and eternal beams,

These are His due.

THE RESOLVE.

HAVE consider'd it; and find

A longer stay

Is but excus'd neglect. To mind
One path, and stray

Into another, or to none,

Cannot be love;

When shall that traveller come home,

That will not move?

If thou would'st thither, linger not,

Catch at the place ;

Tell youth, and beauty they must rot,
They'r but a case;

Loose, parcell'd hearts wil freeze: the sun
With scatter'd locks

Scarce warms, but by contraction

Can heat the rocks.

'The' as needed by the scansion of the verse, is

supplied. G.

Call in thy powers; run, and reach
Home, with the light;

Be there, before the shadows stretch,
And span up night;

Follow the cry no more: there is
An ancient way,

All strewed with flowres and happiness,
And fresh as May;

There turn, and turn no more; Let wits,
Smile at faire cies,

Or lips; but who there weeping sits,
Hath got the prize.

THE MATCH.

EAR friend 2 whose holy, ever-living lines
Have done much good

To many, and have checkt my blood,
My fierce, wild blood, that still heaves, and in-

clines,

1 = the common cry, and therefore the multitude. The expression is taken from hunting terms. Similarly a little onward in "Rules and Lessons" (st. 9, line 1st) we have "seek not the same steps with the crowd". G. 2 George Herbert. See our Memorial-introduction for more on him. G.