Poetical Fragments, Poem 3 – Poem 6
3. The Reſolution.
PSAL. 119. 96.
Written when I was Silenced and caſt out, &c.
LORD, I have caſt up the Account
What it will coſt to come to thee:
I find to what it will amount
A ſerious Chriſtian to be.
When Fleſh was weighing, thou put'ſt in
Thy Love, and the Eternal Crown,
Againſt a Feather, and a Sin:
And yet it thought theſe weigh'd thee down.
Fool, as I was, I took its word,
And choſe what Fleſh did recommend:
How could I more have wrong'd my Lord?
Or more his Love and Name offend?
It had been wiſer to have thought,
The Earth is weigh'd down by a Fly:
Than to prefer a thing of nought,
Before the Love of the Moſt High.
I ſee now what falſe Scales can do,
In a deceitful partial hand:
I will no more believe a Foe;
But to the holy Covenant ſtand.
1.
Will Friends turn Foes? That cannot be:
They were my greateſt Foes before,
That would have kept my Soul from thee,
Their Malice now can do no more.
I'll bid theſe cruel Friends farewel:
Even Satan would be ſuch a Friend;
He'd pleaſe and flatter me to Hell:
And thither doth their friendſhip tend.
He wants not Friends that hath thy Love,
And may converſe, and walk with thee:
And with thy Saints here and above;
With whom for ever I muſt be.
In the Communion of Saints,
Is Wiſdom, Safety and Delight:
And when my heart declines and faints,
It's raiſed by their Heat and Light.
Thy Spirit in them ſpeaks and prayes:
Their ſpeech is holy, clean and quick:
Dead hearted fools talk but of toyes:
Their ſpeech and mirth even makes me ſick.
2.
Muſt Lies and ſlanders me defame?
That Innocence may not be known?
Muſt proud men's malice blot my Name,
With Epithets that are their own?
Thou juſtifi'ſt when Men accuſe,
Thou'lt anſwer all the ſpite of tongues;
And do them right whom men abuſe,
And plenteouſly repair their wrongs.
It's no great matter what Men deem,
Whether they count me good or bad!
In their applauſe and beſt eſteem,
There's no contentment to be had.
I ſtand not to the Bar of Man;
It's thy diſpleaſure makes me ſad:
My thoughts and actions thou wilt ſcan:
If thou approve me I am glad.
3.
Muſt I before the Ruling Power,
Be call'd with ſhame to plead my Cauſe?
And judged as an evil doer,
And as a breaker of their Laws?
So was the Lord of Life accus'd,
Slander'd and ſcorn'd with cruel ſpight:
And as a Malefactor us'd,
And one that claimed Caeſar's right.
Falſe witneſs cloudeth Innocence:
Truth ſeemeth conquer'd by a Lie.
Patience for bears a juſt defence;
And Life it ſelf is judg'd to die.
Methinks I ſee thee cloath'd with ſcorn;
And ſpit upon, and buffeted;
And crowned with the piercing Thorn;
Away to Execution led.
It moſt amazeth me to think,
Thou bareſt the repute of Sin!
The bitter Cup which thou didſt drink,
Had nothing bitterer therein.
The Sun did well to hide his face,
When Sin did Righteouſneſs eclipſe:
And the moſt Juſt is with diſgrace
A Sinner judg'd by ſinners lips.
Thy ſteps, Lord, in this dirt I ſee;
And loſt my Soul from God ſhould ſtray,
I'll bear my Croſs and follow thee;
Let others chuſe the fairer way.
My face is meeter for the Spit;
I am more ſuitable to ſhame;
And to the taunts of ſcornful wit:
It's no great matter for my Name.
4.
Muſt I be driven from my Books?
From Houſe, and Goods, and deareſt Friends?
One of thy ſweet and gracious looks,
For more than this will make amends.
The World's thy Book: There I can read,
Thy Power, Wiſdom, and thy Love:
And thence aſcend by Faith, and feed
Upon the better things above.
I'll read thy works of Providence:
Thy Spirit, Conſcience, and thy Rod
Can teach without book all the ſenſe,
To know the World, my Self, and God.
Few Books may ſerve, when Thou wilt teach:
Many have ſtoln my precious time:
I'll leave my Books to hear thee Preach:
Church-work is beſt when thou doſt chime.
As for my Houſe, it was my Tent,
While there I waited on thy Flock:
That work is done; that time is ſpent:
There neither was my Home nor Stock.
Would I in all my Journey have
Still the ſame Inn and Furniture?
Or eaſe and pleaſant dwellings crave,
Forgetting what thy Saints endure?
My Lord hath taught me how to want
A place wherein to put my head:
While he is mine, I'll be content,
To beg or lack my daily bread.
Heav'n is my roof, Earth is my floor:
Thy Love can keep me dry and warm:
Chriſt and thy Bounty are my ſtore:
Thy Angels guard me from all harm.
As for my Friends, they are not loſt:
The ſeveral Veſſels of thy Fleet,
Though parted now by Tempeſts toſt,
Shall ſafely in the Haven meet.
Still we are centred all in thee;
Members though diſtant, of one Head:
In the ſame Family we be
By the ſame Faith and Spirit led.
Before thy Throne we daily meet,
As Joynt-Petitioners to thee:
In ſpirit we each other greet,
And ſhall again each other ſee.
The Heavenly Hoſts world without end
Shall be my company above:
And thou my Beſt and Sureſt Friend:
Who ſhall divide me from thy Love?
5.
Muſt I forſake the Soil and Air,
Where firſt I drew my vital breath?
That way may be as near and fair:
Thence I may come to thee by death.
All Countries are my Father's Lands:
Thy Sun, thy Love doth ſhine on all:
We may in all lift up pure hands,
And with acceptance on thee call.
Thoſe baniſh'd are that go from thee,
Strange to thy Service, Love and Grace:
And, loſt in ſin, do never ſee
Thy Kingdom, and thy pleaſed face.
May but my Soul dwell near my God,
And walk with him in Faith and Love,
No matter where be my abode,
Till to his Glory I remove.
6.
What if in Priſon I muſt dwell?
May I not there converſe with thee?
Save me from ſin, thy wrath, and Hell,
Call me thy Child; and I am free.
No walls or bars can keep thee out:
None can confine a holy Soul:
The Streets of Heav'n it walks about;
None can its Liberty controul.
Alas, my darkened mind is chain'd
To Earth and Fleſh through unbelief!
It looks and longs by diſtance pain'd:
When wilt thou hear and ſend relief?
O looſe theſe Chains of Sin and Fleſh!
Enlarge my heart in thy Commands:
Could I but love thee as I wiſh,
How light would be all other bands?
7.
Muſt I feel Sickneſſes and ſmart,
And ſpend my daies and nights in pain?
Yet if thy Love refreſh my heart,
I need not overmuch complain.
This Fleſh hath drawn my Soul to ſin;
If it muſt ſmart, Thy Will be done!
O fill me with thy Joyes within,
And then I'll let it grieve alone.
Then to its ſufferings I'll conſent
To be avenged on my Foe,
That pain may help me to repent,
And ſin may be conſum'd by woe.
Pain will be ſhort; Joyes will be long.
Yet, Lord, remember man is weak!
Drop in thy Cordials: make me ſtrong,
Leſt heart and hope, with Fleſh ſhould break.
8.
I know my Fleſh muſt turn to duſt,
My parted Soul muſt come to thee,
And undergo thy Judgment juſt,
And in the endleſs world muſt be.
In this there's moſt of Fear and Joy,
Becauſe there's moſt of Sin and Grace,
Sin will this mortal frame deſtroy,
But Chriſt will bring me to thy face.
Here's Faith's great Tryal: Pain may force;
And Pride may willingneſs pretend;
A ſtupid Fool die like his Horſe,
And Heathens make a Beaſt-like end.
Frail ſinful Fleſh is loth to die:
Senſe to the unſeen world is ſtrange:
The doubting Soul dreads the Moſt High,
And trembleth at ſo great a change.
Yet Faith can ſee beyond the Skies,
Where now our Head in Glory is:
And above Fleſh and Senſe can riſe,
Unto the World of Saints in bliſs.
Cleanſing the Soul from Fleſh and Sin,
Abſtracting it from things below;
It draws the Veil, and entering in,
Love's glorious Myſteries can know.
Put forth thy Beams and Hand of Grace:
Open mine Eyes: Take up my Heart:
Acquaint it with the Holy Place,
The Joyes and Glory where thou art.
O let me not be ſtrange at home!
Strange to the Sun, and Life of Souls:
Chooſing this low and darkened Room;
Familiar with Worms and Moles!
Shall I be ſtrange unto my Head?
The World of Knowledge, Love and Joyes?
Converſing here among the Dead,
And taken up with Dreams and Toyes?
And ſtrange to Angels, who attend
On Man, and in his good delight;
And, though unſeen, do us defend;
Miniſtring for us day and night?
Am I the firſt that go this way?
How many Saints are gone before?
How many enter every day
Into thy Kingdom by this door?
Chriſt was once dead, and in a Grave:
Yet conquer'd Death, and roſe again:
And by this Method he will ſave
His Servants that with him ſhall Reign.
Shall I draw back and fear the End
Of all my Sorrows, Tears and Pain?
To which my Life and Labours tend,!
Without which all had been in vain?
Can I for ever be content
Without true Happineſs and Reſt?
Is Earth become ſo excellent,
That I ſhould take it for my beſt?
Or can I think of finding here
That which my Soul ſo long hath ſought?
Should I refuſe thoſe Joyes through fear,
Which bounteous Love ſo dearly bought?
All that doth taſt of Heav'n is good:
When Heavenly Light doth me inform;
When Heavenly Life ſtirs in my Blood;
When Heavenly Love my Heart doth warm.
No wonder if Time's womb be ſtreight,
And Souls through pain and ſtrangeneſs go
Into the glorious World of Light,
Which Death tranſlateth them unto.
This ſtrangeneſs will be quickly over,
When once the Heaven-born Soul is there:
One ſight of God will it recover
From all this backwardneſs and fear.
To us, Chriſt's loweſt parts; his feet,
Union and Faith muſt yet ſuffice,
To guide and comfort us: It's meet
We truſt our Head who hath our Eyes.
Chriſt ſeeth all that I would ſee:
The Way and End to Him are known:
He hath prepar'd the Place for me:
He'l Love and Uſe me as his Own.
How many guiltleſs creatures die,
To be a feaſt or food for me?
Who love their Lives as well as I?
And hath not God more right to me?
Muſt I be priviledg'd alone?
Or no man Die until he pleaſe?
And God depoſed from his Throne,
And humane generation ceaſe?
Though all theſe Reaſons I can ſee,
Why I ſhould willingly ſubmit,
And comfortably come to thee;
My God, thou muſt accompliſh it.
The Love which fill'd up all my daies,
Will not forſake me to the end:
This broken Body thou wilt raiſe:
My Spirit I to thee commend.
Decemb. 3. 1663.
4. Divine Love's Reſt. (Written on Herbet's Poems.)
THe amorous Needle knows no other REST,
But at its dear attractive Loadſtone's breaſt.
Though lying dead before the Potent touch,
Its Object and Affection were not ſuch.
The Oily Body married to a Spark,
Which ſome cold Flint had lockt up in the dark,
By the unſeen Hot Soul is made ſo bright,
As if in it that Soul appear'd to ſight;
Which in revenge for its reſtraint and toil,
Still working up wards, waſts the loving Oil;
Having a higher Love, is not content,
Until it reach its proper Element.
Thus Heav'n-born Souls, but lately dead in ſin;
By Faith and Love the heavenly Life begin:
And daily mounting upwards, take their flight,
From Fleſh and Earth unto the World of Light:
Where Darkneſs, Sin or Grief ſhall never enter:
Where all the Saints are one in God their Center.
Where Love reveals it ſelf with open face,
Raviſhing Souls prepar'd by Saving Grace.
Love is their Kingdom: it's a world of Love,
Which they were hatcht for by the holy Dove.
Here he is kindling the coeleſtial fire,
Which knows its riſe, and doth to God aſpire;
God who is all, ſhall there have all my ſtore;
And yet my Friends have not the leſs, but more:
Love is now panting, groaning in my breaſt:
Love will be then my Soul's Eternal Feaſt.
Love now ſalutes us in the Goſpel ſtory:
But then Eternal Love will be our Glory.
Up then, my Soul, and ſwiftly Heavenward tend,
Where Love ſhall have no check, no bounds, no end.
5. On David's Pſalms.
MY God! ſince firſt thy Love this heart did touch;
It ſaith, I cannot love my God too much.
It looketh up, and panteth for that Grace,
Which may exalt it, and unveil thy face.
Darkneſs and Diſtance are its grievous Chains;
Sad doubts and fears do feed its griping pains.
It ſighs, and wonders thou canſt be ſo ſtrange;
Where thou haſt freely made ſo great a change.
Long it hath ſearch't in hope to find the Art,
To raiſe and warm a dull and heavy Heart:
And now I find it practiſed by One,
That now is praiſing thee before thy Throne.
Here are the ſacred words: Here's David's Lyre:
But where's the quickening coeleſtial fire?
I know the Eye of Heav'n is on my Heart:
God looks my Soul ſhould bear the chiefeſt part.
It's winged Faith, and flaming Love within,
That muſt the pleaſant Melody begin:
The holy Spirit muſt tune and touch each ſtring;
Elſe ſmootheſt Verſe will be a harſh dull thing;
Diſplay thy Love; ſhoot down thy vital Raies!
Teach this cold heart the works of Love & Praiſe!
O then, what Life and Joy theſe Pſalms will bring,
When it's thy Spirit, and my Soul that ſing!
And though low ſtreins with ſtops, are here my beſt,
Yet Perfect Love and Praiſe ſhall be my REST.
6. The Threefold Nativity.
Prima dies hominem peperit, ſanctumque ſecunda
Natalis: pariet Mors tertia glorificatum.
MY firſt Birth-day brought forth a Man, in ſin:
But one that could not work, nor go, nor ſpeak.
My ſecond did a Life of Grace begin,
But ſuch, alas, as yet's diſeas'd and weak.
The third from fleſhly bonds will me releaſe,
And bring me to the world of glorious Light:
Where all my ſins and vexing griefs ſhall ceaſe;
And Faith ſhall end in perfect Love and Sight:
This Death begins; but 'tis the Reſurrection,
That fully ſhall obliterate ſins ſtory;
And ſtate both Soul and Body in perfection,
Where Grace and Nature ſhall be crown'd with Glory.
As Nature taught me firſt complaining cryes,
Before it did acquaint me with Delight:
So Grace with grief firſt fill'd my Heart and Eyes,
Before it ſhewed me the joyful ſight.
Why ſhould not Death then be a ſtraiter Door,
Than either that of Nature or of Grace?
Which brings us unto the Eternal Store,
Of Joy and Glory in God's ſhining face?