England's Antiphon Part 20

HIS LITANY TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.

In the hour of my distress, When temptations me oppress, And when I my sins confess, Sweet Spirit, comfort me.

When I lie within my bed, Sick in heart, and sick in head, And with doubts discomforted, Sweet Spirit, comfort me.

When the house doth sigh and weep, And the world is drowned in sleep, Yet mine eyes the watch do keep, Sweet Spirit, comfort me.

When the artless doctor sees _without skill._ No one hope, but of his fees, And his skill runs on the lees, Sweet Spirit, comfort me.

When his potion and his pill, His or none or little skill, Meet for nothing but to kill, Sweet Spirit, comfort me.

When the pa.s.sing-bell doth toll, And the furies in a shoal Come to fright a parting soul, Sweet Spirit, comfort me.

When the tapers now burn blue, And the comforters are few, And that number more than true, Sweet Spirit, comfort me.

When the priest his last hath prayed, And I nod to what is said, 'Cause my speech is now decayed, Sweet Spirit, comfort me.

When G.o.d knows I'm tossed about, Either with despair or doubt, Yet, before the gla.s.s be out, Sweet Spirit, comfort me.

When the tempter me pursu'th With the sins of all my youth, And half d.a.m.ns me with untruth, Sweet Spirit, comfort me.

When the flames and h.e.l.lish cries Fright mine ears and fright mine eyes, And all terrors me surprise, Sweet Spirit, comfort me.

When the judgment is revealed, And that opened which was sealed; When to thee I have appealed, Sweet Spirit, comfort me.

THE WHITE ISLAND, OR PLACE OF THE BLEST.

In this world, the Isle of Dreams, While we sit by sorrow's streams, Tears and terrors are our themes, Reciting;

But when once from hence we fly, More and more approaching nigh Unto young eternity, Uniting;

In that whiter island, where Things are evermore sincere; Candour here and l.u.s.tre there, Delighting:

There no monstrous fancies shall Out of h.e.l.l an horror call, To create, or cause at all, Affrighting.

There, in calm and cooling sleep We our eyes shall never steep, But eternal watch shall keep, Attending

Pleasures such as shall pursue Me immortalized and you; And fresh joys, as never too Have ending.

TO DEATH.

Thou bid'st me come away; And I'll no longer stay Than for to shed some tears For faults of former years; And to repent some crimes Done in the present times; And next, to take a bit Of bread, and wine with it; To don my robes of love, Fit for the place above; To gird my loins about With charity throughout, And so to travel hence With feet of innocence: These done, I'll only cry, "G.o.d, mercy!" and so die.

ETERNITY.

O years and age, farewell!

Behold I go Where I do know Infinity to dwell.

And these mine eyes shall see All times, how they Are lost i' th' sea Of vast eternity,

Where never moon shall sway The stars; but she And night shall be Drowned in one endless day.

THE GOODNESS OF HIS G.o.d.

When winds and seas do rage, And threaten to undo me, Thou dost their wrath a.s.suage, If I but call unto thee.

A mighty storm last night Did seek my soul to swallow; But by the peep of light A gentle calm did follow.

What need I then despair Though ills stand round about me; Since mischiefs neither dare To bark or bite without thee?

TO G.o.d.

Lord, I am like to mistletoe, Which has no root, and cannot grow Or prosper, but by that same tree It clings about: so I by thee.

What need I then to fear at all So long as I about thee crawl?

But if that tree should fall and die, Tumble shall heaven, and down will I.

Here are now a few chosen from many that--to borrow a term from Crashaw--might be called

DIVINE EPIGRAMS.

G.o.d, when he's angry here with any one, His wrath is free from perturbation; And when we think his looks are sour and grim, The alteration is in us, not him.

G.o.d can't be wrathful; but we may conclude Wrathful he may be by similitude: G.o.d's wrathful said to be when he doth do That without wrath, which wrath doth force us to.

'Tis hard to find G.o.d; but to comprehend Him as he is, is labour without end.

G.o.d's rod doth watch while men do sleep, and then The rod doth sleep while vigilant are men.

A man's trangression G.o.d does then remit, When man he makes a penitent for it.

G.o.d, when he takes my goods and chattels hence, Gives me a portion, giving patience: What is in G.o.d is G.o.d: if so it be He patience gives, he gives himself to me.