These two fair suns in heav'nly spheres are plac'd, Her mid-day bliss no future night admits; His locks like raven's plumes, or shining jet, Her amber hair like to the sunny ray, With gold enamels fair the silver white; There heav'nly loves their pretty sportings play, Firing their darts in that wide flaming light: Her dainty neck, spread with that silver mould, Where double beauty doth itself unfold, In the own fair silver shrines, and borrow'd gold. His breast a rock of purest alabaster, Where Love's self sailing, shipwreck'd often sitteth. Her's a twin-rock, unknown, but to th' ship-master, Which harbours him alone, all other splitteth. Where better could her love than here have nested? Or he his thoughts than here more sweetly feasted? Then both their love and thoughts in each are ever rested. Atlas. Run now you shepherd-swains; ah! run you thither, Where this fair bridegroom leads the blessed way: And haste, you lovely maids, haste you together With this sweet bride, while yet the sun-shine day Guides your blind steps; while yet loud summons call, That every wood and hill resounds withal, Come Hymen, Hymen come, drest in thy golden pall. The sounding echo back the music flung, While heavenly spheres unto the voices play'd. But lo! the day is ended with my song, And sporting bathes with that fair ocean maid : Stoop now thy wing, my muse, now stoop thee low: Hence may'st thou freely play, and rest thee now; While here I hang my pipe upon the willow bough. THE POOR MAN TO THE SCORNFUL RICH MAN. IF well thou viewst us, with no squinted eye, Our ends and births alike; in this, as I, My little fills my little-wishing mind; Thou, having more than much, yet seekest more: Though still thou get'st, yet is thy want not spent, Whatever man possesses, God hath lent, To reckon how, and when, and where he spent ; The more thou hast, thy debt still grows the more. But seeing, God himself descended down His meat, his house, his grave were not his own, Let me be like my Head, whom I adore : MISERY AND HAPPINESS. Most wretched soul, that, here carousing pleasure, With all his heaven on earth; and, ne'er distress'd, Enjoys those fond delights without all measure, Ah, greatest curse, so to be ever bless'd! Most blessed soul, that, lifted up with wings PSALM XLII. METAPHRASED. Look, as an hart with sweat and blood embrued, When, O my God! when shall I come in place I dine and sup with sighs, with groans and tears, While all my foes mine ears with taunting load"Who now thy cries, who now thy prayer hears? Where is (say they) where is thy boasted God?" My molten heart, deep plung'd in sad despairs, Runs forth to thee in streams of tears and prayers. With grief I think on days, those sweet now-past When to thy house my troops with joy I led: Why droop'st, my soul? why faint'st thou in my breast? Wait still with praise: his presence is thy rest. My famish'd soul, driv'n from thy sweetest word, tears. His early light with morn these clouds shall clear, These dreary clouds, and storms of sad despairs, Sure am I in the night his songs to hear, Sweet songs of joy, as well as he my prayers: I'll say "My God, why slight'st thou my distress, 66 While all my foes my weary soul oppress ? My cruel foes both thou and me upbraid; They cut my heart, they vaunt that bitter word— Where is thy trust? Where is thy hope?' they said; Where is thy God? Where is thy boasted Lord ?'" Why droop'st, my soul? Why faint'st thou in my breast? Wait still with praise: his presence is thy rest. G |