Nature, and name, to be made good, VII Where Nature's laws no leave will give, VIII The receiving mouth here makes Here dividers, single he Bears home no less, all they no more, IX Though in Itself this sov'reign Feast Χ When the blest Signs thou broke shalt see, Who, howsoe'er clad, cannot come In broken forms a stable Faith XI Lo, the Life-food of angels then The children's Bread, the Bridegroom's Wine, XII Lo, the full, final Sacrifice XIII Jesu Master, just and true, : Our Food, and faithful Shepherd too; As with Thyself Thou feed'st Thy sheep. XIV O let that love which thus makes Thee Lift our lean souls, and set us up Convictors of Thine Own full cup, Coheirs of Saints. That so all may Drink the same wine; and the same way: Not change the pasture, but the place, To feed of Thee in Thine Own Face. Amen. PRAYER AN ODE WHICH WAS PREFIXED TO A LITTLE PRAYERBOOK GIVEN TO A YOUNG GENTLEWOMAN LO here a little volume, but great book! (Fear it not, sweet, It is no hypocrite), Much larger in itself than in its look. To find the rest Of a rich binding in your breast. It is, in one choice handful, Heaven and all Which here contracts itself, and comes to lie As from a snowy fortress of defence, Against the ghostly foes to take your part, Let constant use but keep it bright, To holy hands and humble hearts, Than sin hath snares, or Hell hath darts. The hands be pure That hold these weapons; and the eyes Here is a friend shall fight for you, That studies this high art, Dear soul, be strong, Mercy will come ere long, And bring his bosom fraught with blessings, Flowers of never-fading graces, To make immortal dressings For worthy souls, whose wise embraces To gad abroad Among the gay mates of the god of flies; To dance in th' sunshine of some smiling 1 Turtle doves. 2 Beelzebub. Cf. Paradise Lost, II. 299. 2 Sphere of sweet and sugar'd lies; Of false, perhaps as fair, Home to the heart, and sets the house on fire Yet does not stay To ask the windows' leave to Delicious deaths, soft exhalations Of soul; dear and divine annihilations; A thousand unknown rites Of joys, and rarefied delights; An hundred thousand goods, glories, and graces; And many a mystic thing, Which the divine embraces Of the dear Spouse of spirits, with them will bring; That dull mortality must not know a name. Of blessings, and ten thousand more (If when He come He find the heart from home) |