I muse, which shows more love, The day or night; that is the gale, this th' harbour; That is the walk, and this the arbour; Or that the garden, this the grove. My God, thou art all love. Not one poore minute 'scapes thy breast, 37. CHURCH-MONUMENTS. WHILE that my soul repairs to her devotion, Drives all at last. Therefore I gladly trust My bodie to this school, that it may learn To sever the good fellowship of dust, And spoil the meeting. What shall point out them, When they shall bow, and kneel, and fall down flat To kisse those heaps, which now they have in trust? Deare flesh, while I do pray, learn here thy stemme And true descent; that when thou shalt grow fat, E And wanton in thy cravings, thou mayst know, 38. CHURCH-MUSICK. SWEETEST of sweets, I thank you: when displeasure Did through my bodie wound my minde, You took me thence; and in your house of pleasure A daintie lodging me assign'd. Now I in you without a bodie move, Rising and falling with your wings: We both together sweetly live and love, Yet say sometimes, God help poore Kings. Comfort, I'll die; for if you poste from me, But if I travell in your companie, You know the way to heaven's doore. 39. CHURCH-LOCK AND KEY. I KNOW it is my sinne, which locks thine eares, Out-crying my requests, drowning my tears; But as cold hands are angrie with the fire, So I do lay the want of my desire, Not on my sinnes, or coldnesse, but thy will. Yet heare, O God, onely for his bloud's sake, For though sinnes plead too, yet like stones they make 40. THE CHURCH-FLOORE. MARK you the floore? that square and speckled stone, Which looks so firm and strong, Is Patience: And th' other black and grave, wherewith each one Is checker'd all along, Humilitie: The gentle rising, which on either hand Leads to the quire above, Is Confidence: But the sweet cement, which in one sure band Ties the whole frame, is Love And Charitie. Hither sometimes Sinne steals, and stains The marble's neat and curious veins : But all is cleansed when the marble weeps. Sometimes Death, puffing at the doore, Blows all the dust about the floore: But while he thinks to spoil the room, he sweep3. Blest be the Architect, whose art Could build so strong in a weak heart. 41. THE WINDOWS. LORD, how can man preach thy eternall word? He is a brittle crazie glasse: Yet in thy temple thou dost him afford This glorious and transcendent place, But when thou dost anneal in glasse thy storie, Making thy life to shine within The holy preacher's, then the light and glorie More rev'rend grows, and more doth win; Which else shows watrish, bleak, and thin. Doctrine and life, colours and light, in one When they combine and mingle, bring 42. TRINITIE SUNDAY. LORD, who hast formed me out of mud, Purge all my sinnes done heretofore; And I will strive to sinne no more. Enrich my heart, mouth, hands in me, With faith, with hope, with charitie ; 43. CONTENT. PEACE mutt'ring thoughts, and do not grudge to keep Gad not abroad at ev'ry quest and call Mark how the fire in flints doth quiet lie, Give me the pliant mind, whose gentle measure Which can let loose to a crown, and yet with pleasure This soul doth span the world, and hang content Where in each room of the well-furnisht tent He lies warm, and without adventure. |