The Hesperides & Noble Numbers Part 101

When sleep shall bathe his body in mine eyes, I will believe that then my body dies: And if I chance to wake and rise thereon, I'll have in mind my resurrection, Which must produce me to that General Doom, To which the peasant, so the prince, must come, To hear the Judge give sentence on the throne, Without the least hope of affection.

Tears, at that day, shall make but weak defence, When h.e.l.l and horror fright the conscience.

Let me, though late, yet at the last, begin To shun the least temptation to a sin; Though to be tempted be no sin, until Man to th' alluring object gives his will.

Such let my life a.s.sure me, when my breath Goes thieving from me, I am safe in death; Which is the height of comfort: when I fall, I rise triumphant in my funeral.

_Affection_, partiality.

231. CLOTHES FOR CONTINUANCE.

Those garments lasting evermore, Are works of mercy to the poor, Which neither tettar, time, or moth Shall fray that silk or fret this cloth.

_Tettar_, scab.

232. TO G.o.d.

Come to me, G.o.d; but do not come To me as to the General Doom In power; or come Thou in that state When Thou Thy laws did'st promulgate, Whenas the mountain quaked for dread, And sullen clouds bound up his head.

No; lay Thy stately terrors by To talk with me familiarly; For if Thy thunder-claps I hear, I shall less swoon than die for fear.

Speak Thou of love and I'll reply By way of Epithalamy, Or sing of mercy and I'll suit To it my viol and my lute; Thus let Thy lips but love distil, Then come, my G.o.d, and hap what will.

_Mountain_, orig. ed. _mountains_.

233. THE SOUL.

When once the soul has lost her way, O then how restless does she stray!

And having not her G.o.d for light, How does she err in endless night!

234. THE JUDGMENT-DAY.

In doing justice G.o.d shall then be known, Who showing mercy here, few prized, or none.

235. SUFFERINGS.

We merit all we suffer, and by far More stripes than G.o.d lays on the sufferer.

236. PAIN AND PLEASURE.

G.o.d suffers not His saints and servants dear To have continual pain or pleasure here; But look how night succeeds the day, so He Gives them by turns their grief and jollity.

237. G.o.d'S PRESENCE.

G.o.d is all-present to whate'er we do, And as all-present, so all-filling too.

238. ANOTHER.

That there's a G.o.d we all do know, But what G.o.d is we cannot show.

239. THE POOR MAN'S PART.

Tell me, rich man, for what intent Thou load'st with gold thy vestiment?

Whenas the poor cry out: To us Belongs all gold superfluous.

240. THE RIGHT HAND.

G.o.d has a right hand, but is quite bereft Of that which we do nominate the left.

241. THE STAFF AND ROD.

Two instruments belong unto our G.o.d: The one a staff is and the next a rod; That if the twig should chance too much to smart, The staff might come to play the friendly part.

242. G.o.d SPARING IN SCOURGING.

G.o.d still rewards us more than our desert; But when He strikes, He quarter-acts His part.

243. CONFESSION.

Confession twofold is, as Austin says, The first of sin is, and the next of praise.

If ill it goes with thee, thy faults confess: If well, then chant G.o.d's praise with cheerfulness.

244. G.o.d'S DESCENT.

G.o.d is then said for to descend, when He Doth here on earth some thing of novity; As when in human nature He works more Than ever yet the like was done before.

245. NO COMING TO G.o.d WITHOUT CHRIST.

Good and great G.o.d! how should I fear To come to Thee if Christ not there!

Could I but think He would not be Present to plead my cause for me, To h.e.l.l I'd rather run than I Would see Thy face and He not by.

246. ANOTHER TO G.o.d.

Though Thou be'st all that active love Which heats those ravished souls above; And though all joys spring from the glance Of Thy most winning countenance; Yet sour and grim Thou'dst seem to me If through my Christ I saw not Thee.

247. THE RESURRECTION.