| OCR Text |
Show 6o TOE M S. As in the Moon's Eclipfe fome Pagans thought Their barbarous Clamours her deliverance wrought So w e fuppofe that Truth opprefled lies, And needs a Refcue by our Enmities. But 'tis Injuftice, and the Mind's Difeafe, T o think of gaining Truth by lofing Peace. Knowledge and Love, if true, do ftill unite $ God's L ove and Knowledge are both Infinite. And though indeed Truth docs delight to lie At fome Remotenefs from a C o m m o n Eye* Yet 'tis not in a Thunderer a Noife, But in foft whifpers and the ftillcr Voice. W h y fhould w e then Knowledge fo rudely treat, Making our W e a p o n what was meant our Meat f 'Tis Ignorance that makes us quarrel fo *, The Soul that's dark will be contracted too. Chimeras make a noife, fwelling and vain, And foon refolve to their o w n fmoak again. But a true Light the Spirit doth dilate, And robs it of its proud and fullen ftate ; Makes Love admir'd becaufe 'tis underftood, And makes us Wife becaufe it makers us Good. 'Tis to a right Profpect of things that we O e our Uprightnefs and our Charity. For w h o refifts a beam when fhining bright, Is not a Sinner of a common height. That ftate's a forfeiture, and helps are fpent, Not more a Sin, than 'tis a Punifltment. The coul which fees things in their Native frame, Without Opinion's Mask or Cuftom's Natne, Cannot be clogg'd to Senfe, or count that high Which hath its Fftimation from a Lye. (Mean fordid things, which by miftake w e prize, And abfent covet, but enjoy'd defpife.) , But fcorning thefe hath robb'd them of their art, Either to fwell or to fubdue the Heart 5 And learn'd that generous frame to be above The World in'hopes, below it all in love : c I Touch'd I "POEMS. 6l Touch'd with Divine and Inward I ife doth run, Not refting till it hath its Centre won ; Moves fteadily until it fafe doth lie I'th' Root of all its Immortality ; And refting here hath yet activity T o grow more like unto the Deity ; Good, Univerfal, Wife, and Juft as he, (The fame in kind, though diffnng in degree) Till at the laft 'tis fwallowed up and grown With God and with the whole Creation one ; It felf, fo fmall a part, i'th Whole is loft, And Generals have Particulars engroft. That dark contracted Perfonality, Like Mifts before the Sun, will from it flie. And then the Soul, one fhining fphere, at length With true I ove s wifdom fill'd and purged ftrength Beholds her higheft good with open face, ? And like him all the World flie can embrace. To the Honoured Lady E. C. Madam, IDo not write to you that Men may know H o w much I'm honoured that I may do fo i Nor hope (though I your rich Example give) T o write with more fuccefs than I can live, T o cure the Age \ nor think I can be juft, W h o only dare to write, becaufe I muft. I'm full of you, and fomething muft exprefs, T o vent m y wonder and your pow'r confefs. Had I ne'er heard of your Illuftrious Name, Nor known the Scotch or Englifh antient Fame; Yet if your glorious Frame did but appear, I could have foon read all your Grandeur there. I could have feen in each Majeftick Ray, What Greatnefs Anceftors could e'er convey j |
