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Show <58 TO EMS. V Th' Experienced Prince then reafon had, W h o faid of pleafure, It is mad. i A Prayer. ETernal Reafon, Glorious Majefty, Compar'd to w h o m what ban be faid to be ? Whofe Attributes are Thee, uho art alone Caufe of all various things, and yet but O n e \ Whofe Effence can no more be fearch'd by Man, Than Heav'n thy Throne be grafped with a Span. Yet if this great Creation was defign'd T o feveral ends fitted for every kind \ Sure M a n (the World's Epitome) muft be Form'd to the belt, that is to ftudy thee. And as our Dignity, 'tis Duty too, Which is fumm d up in this, to know and do. Thefe comely rows of Creatures fpell thy Name, Whereby w e grope to find from whence they came, By thy own Chain of Caufes brought to think There muft be one, then find that higheft Link. Thus all created Excellence w e fee Is a refemblance faint and dark of thee. Such fhadows are produc'd by the Moon-beams O f Trees or Houfes in the running ftreams. Yet by Impreflions born with us w e find H o w good, great, juft thou art, h o w unconfin'd. Here w e are fwallowed up and gladly dwell, Safely adoring what w e cannot tell. All w e know is, thou art fupremely good, And doft delight to be fo underftood. A fpicy Mountain on the Univerfe, O n which thy richeft Odours do difperfe. But as the Sea to fill a Veffel heaves, More greedily than any Cask receives, Befieging round to find .fome gap in it. Which will a new Infufion admit: So p o E M s. e9 So doft thou covet that thou mayft difpence Upon the empty World thy Influence; Lov'ft to disburfe thy felf in kindnefs: Thus The King of Kings waits to be gracious. O n this account, O God, enlarge m y heart T o entertain what thou Wouldft fain impart *T Nor let that Soul, by feveral titles thine, And moft capacious form'd for things Divine (So nobly meant, that when it moft doth mifi Tis in miftaken pantings after Blifs ) ' Degrade it felf in fordid things delight, Or by prophaner mixtures lofe its right. O h ! that with fixt unbroken thoughts it m ay Admire the light which does obfcure the day And fince 'tis Angels work it hath to do May its compofure be like Angefe too i W h e n fhall thefe clogs of Senfe and Fancy break That I may hear the God within m e fpeak ? ' W h e n with a filent and retired art Shall I with all this empty hurry part t T o the Still Voice above, m y Soul advance \ M y light and ;oy plac'd in his Countenance i By whofe difpence m y Soul to fuch frame brought M a y tame each trech'rous, fix each fcatt'rin? thonah* With fuch diftinctions all things here b S l § ' And fo to feparate each drofs from eold, That nothing m y free Soul may fatjsfie,' But t' imitate, enjoy, and ftudy thee. ' To Mris. M. A. upon Abfence. i. Th now fince I began to die Four Months, yet ftill Igafping live j Wrapp d up in forrow do I lie, Hoping, yet doubting a Reprieve. Adam |