Several Poems, Poem 8 – Poem 10
The Fleſh and the Spirit.
IN ſecret place where once I ſtood
Cloſe by the Banks of Lacrim flood
I heard two ſiſters reaſon on
Things that are paſt, and things to come;
One fleſh was call'd, who had her eye
On worldly wealth and vanity;
The other Spirit, who did rear
Her thoughts unto a higher ſphere:
Siſter, quoth Fleſh, what liv'ſt thou on
Nothing but Meditation?
Doth Contemplation feed thee ſo
Regardleſly to let earth goe?
Can Speculation ſatiſſy
Notion without Reality?
Doſt dream of things beyond the Moon
And doſt thou hope to dwell there ſoon?
Haſt treaſures there laid up in ſtore
That all in th' world thou count'ſt but poor
Art fancy ſick, or turn'd a Sot
To catch at ſhadowes which are not?
Come, come, Ile ſhew unto thy ſence,
Induſtry hath its recompence.
What canſt deſire, but thou maiſt ſee
True ſubſtance in variety?
Doſt honour like? acquire the ſame,
As ſome to their immortal fame:
And trophyes to thy name erect
Which wearing time ſhall ne're deject.
For riches doſt thou long full fore?
Behold enough of precious ſtore.
Earth hath more ſilver, pearls and gold,
Then eyes can ſee, or hands can hold.
Affect's thou pleaſure? take thy fill,
Earth hath enough of what you will.
Then let not goe, what thou maiſt find,
For things unknown, only in mind,
Spir. Be ſtill thou unregenerate part,
Diſturb no more my ſetled heart,
For I have vow'd, (and ſo will doe)
Thee as a ſoe, ſtill to purſue
And combate with thee will and muſt,
Untill I ſee thee laid in th' duſt.
Siſters we are, ye twins we be.
Yet deadly feud twixt thee and me;
For from one father are we not,
Thou by old Adam waſt begot,
But my ariſe is from above
Whence my dear father I do love.
Thou ſpeak'ſt me fair but hat'ſt me ſore,
Thy flatt'ring ſhews …e truſt no more.
How oft thy ſlave, haſt thou me made,
when I believ'd, what thou haſt ſaid,
And never had more cauſe of woe
Then when I did what thou bad'ſt doe.
Ile ſtop mine ears at theſe thy charms,
And count them for my deadly harms,
Thy ſinfull pleaſures I doe hate,
Thy riches are to me no bait,
Thine honours doe, nor will I love;
For my ambition lyes above.
My greateſt honour it ſhall be
When I am victor over thee,
And triumph ſhall, with laurel head,
When thou my Captive ſhalt be led,
How I do live, thou need'ſt not ſcoff,
For I have meat thou know'ſt not off;
The hidden Manna I doe eat,
The word of life it is my meat.
My thoughts do yield me more content
Then can thy hours in pleaſure ſpent.
Nor are they ſhadows which I catch,
Nor fancies vain at which I ſnatch,
But reach at things that are ſo high,
Beyond thy dull Capacity;
Eternal ſubſtance I do ſee,
With which inriched I would be:
Mine Eye doth pierce the heavens, and ſee
What is luviſible to thee.
My garments are not ſilk nor gold,
Nor ſuch like traſh which Earth doth hold,
But Royal Robes I ſhall have on,
More glorious then the gliſtring Sun;
My Crown not Diamonds, Pearls, and gold,
But ſuch as Angels heads infold.
The City where I hope to dwell,
There's none on Earth can parallel;
The ſtately Walls both high and ſtrong,
Are made of pretious Jaſper ſtone;
The Gates of Pearl, both rich and clear,
And Angels are for Porters there;
The Streets thereof tranſparent gold,
Such as no Eye did e're behold,
A Chryſtal River there doth run,
Which doth proceed from the Lambs Throne:
Of Life, there are the waters ſure,
Which ſhall remain for ever pure,
Nor Sun, nor Moon, they have no need,
For glory doth from God proceed:
No Candle there, nor yet Torch light,
For there ſhall be no darkſome night.
From ſickneſs and infirmity,
For evermore they ſhall be free,
Nor withering age ſhall e're come there,
But beauty ſhall be bright and clear;
This City pure is not for thee,
For things unclean there ſhall not be:
If I of Heaven may have my fill,
Take thou the world, and all that will.
The Ʋanity of all worldly things.
AS he ſaid vanity, ſo vain ſay I,
Oh! vanity, O vain all under Sky;
Where is the man can ſay, lo I have found
On brittle Earth a Conſolation ſound?
What is't in honour to be ſet on high?
No, they like Beaſts and Sons of men ſhall d…
And whil'ſt they live, how oft doth turn their …
He's now a captive, that was King of …ate
What is't in wealth, great Treaſ…res to obtain?
No that's hut labour, anxiou… care and pain,
He heaps up riches, and he heaps up ſorrow,
It's his to day, but who's his …eir to morrow?
What then? Content in pleaſures canſt thou find,
More vain then all, that's but to graſp the wind.
The ſenſual ſenſes for a time they pleaſe,
Mean while the conſcience rage, who ſhall appeaſe?
What is't in beauty? No that's but a ſnare,
They're foul enough to day, that once were ſai….
What is't in ſtowring youth, or manly age?
The firſt is prone to vice▪ the laſt to rage.
Where is it then, in wiſdom, learning arts?
Sure if on earth, it muſt be in thoſe parts:
Yet theſe the …ſeſt man of men did find
But vanity, vexation of mind.
And he that knowes the moſt, doth ſtill bemoan
He knows not all that here is to be known.
What is it then, to doe as Stoicks tell.
Nor laugh, nor we…p, let things go ill or well.
Such Stote are but Stocks ſuch teaching vain,
While man is man, he ſhall have eaſe or pain.
If not in honour beauty, age nor treaſure
Nor yet in learning wiſdome youth nor pleaſure,
Where ſhall I climb, ſound, ſeek ſearch or find
That Summum Bonum which may ſtay my mind?
There is a path, no vultures eye hath ſeen,
Where Lion fierce, nor lions whelps have been,
Which lea…s unto that living Cryſtal Fount,
Who drinks thereof, the world doth nought account
The depth & ſea have ſaid tis not in me,
With pearl and gold, it ſhall not valued be.
For Saphire, Onix, Topaz, who would change:
Its hid from eyes of men, they count it ſtrange.
Death and deſtruction the fame hath heard,
But where & what it is, from heaven's declar'd,
It br…ngs to honour, which ſhall ne're decay,
It ſtores with wealth which time can't wear away.
It yieldeth pleaſures far beyond conceit,
And truly beautifies without deceit,
Nor ſtrength, nor wiſdome nor freſh youth ſhall ſade
Nor death ſhall ſee. but are immortal made.
This pearl of price, this tree of l…e, this ſpring
Who is poſſeſſed of, ſhall reign a King
Nor change of ſtate, nor cares ſhall ever ſee,
But wear his crown unto eternity.
This ſatiates the Soul, this ſtayes the mind,
And all the reſt, but Vanity we find.
FINIS
The Author to her Book.
THou ill-form'd offspring of my feeble brain,
Who after birth did'ſt by my ſide remain,
Till ſnatcht from thence by friends, leſs wiſe then true
Who thee abroad, expos'd to publick view,
Ma…e thee in raggs, halting to th' preſs to trudg,
Where errors were not leſſened (all may judg)
At thy return my bluſhing was not ſmall,
My rambling brat (in print) ſhould mother call,
I caſt thee by as one unfit for light,
Thy Viſage was ſo irkſome in my ſight;
Yet being mine own, at length affection would
Thy blemiſhes amend, if ſo I could:
I waſh'd thy face, but more defects I ſaw,
And rubbing off a ſpot, ſtill made a flaw.
I ſtretcht thy joynts to make thee even feet,
Yet ſtill thou run'ſt more hobling then is meet;
In better dreſs to trim thee was my mind,
But nought ſave home-ſpun Cloth, i'th' houſe I find
In this array, 'mongſt Vulgars mayſt thou roam
In Criticks hands, beware thou doſt not come;
And take thy way where yet thou art not known,
If for thy Father askt, ſay, thou hadſt none:
And for thy Mother ſhe alas is poor,
Which caus'd her thus to ſend thee out of door.