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HERBERT.

Thou art all health, health thriving till it make
A full eternity: thou art a mass

Of strange delights, where we may wish and take.
Ladies, look here; this is the thankful glass,

That mends the looker's eyes: this is the well

That washes what it shews. Who can endear

Thy praise too much? thou art heaven's lieger * herc, Working against the states of death and hell.

Thou art joy's handsel: heaven lies flat in thee,
Subject to every mounter's bended knee.

Oh that I knew how all thy lights combine,
And the configurations of their glory!
Seeing not only how each verse doth shine,
But all the constellations of the story.

This verse marks that, and both do make a motion
Unto a third, that ten leaves off doth lie.
Then, as dispersed herbs do watch a potion,
These three make up some Christian's destiny.

Such are thy secrets, which my life makes good,
And comments on thee: for in every thing
Thy words do find me out, and parallels bring,
And in another make me understood.

Stars are poor books, and oftentimes do miss :
This book of stars lights to eternal bliss.

Church Music.

Sweetest of sweets, I thank you; when displeasure
Did through my body wound my mind,

You took me thence, and in your house of pleasure
A dainty lodging me assign'd,

Now I in you without a body move,
Rising and falling with your wings:

* Resident ambassador.

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We both together sweetly live and love,

Yet say sometimes, "God help poor kings!""

Comfort, I'll die; for if you post from me,

Sure I shall do so, and much more:

But if I travel in your company,

You know the way to heaven's door.

Constancy.

Who is the honest man?

He that doth still, and strongly, good pursue,
To God, his neighbour, and himself most true:
Whom neither force nor fawning can
Unpin, or wrench from giving all their due:

Whose honesty is not

So loose or easy, that ruffling wind

Can blow away, or glitt'ring look it blind:
Who rides his sure and even trot,

While the world now rides by, now lags behind :

Who, when great trials come,

Nor seeks, nor shuns them; but doth calmly stay, Till he the thing and the example weigh:

All being brought into a sum,

What place or person calls for, he doth pay:

Whom none can work, or woo,

To use in anything a trick or sleight;
For above all things he abhors deceit ;

His words and works, and fashion too,
All of a piece, and all are clear and straight:

Who never melts or thaws

At close temptations: when the day is done,
His goodness sets not, but in dark can run :
The sun to others writeth laws,

And is their virtue-Virtue is his sun:

ᎻᎬᎡᏴᎬᎡᎢ.

Who, when he is to treat

With sick folks, women, those whom passions sway,
Allows for that, and keeps his constant way:
Whom others' faults do not defeat;

But though men fail him, yet his part doth play:

Whom nothing can procure,.

When the wide world runs bias, from his will
To writhe his limbs, and share, not mend the ill.
This is the mark-man, safe and sure,

Who still is right, and prays to be so still,

Peace.

Sweet Peace, where dost thou dwell? I humbly crave,
Let me once know.

I sought thee in a secret cave,

And ask'd if Peace were there. A hollow wind did seem to answer, No; Go, scek elsewhere.

I did; and going, did a rainbow note:
Surely, thought I,

This is the lace of Peace's coat:

I will search out the matter;
But while I look'd, the clouds immediately
Did break and scatter.

Then went I to a garden, and did spy
A gallant flower,

The Crown Imperial: Sure, said I,
Peace at the root must dwell;

But when I digg'd, I saw a worm devour
What shew'd so well.

At length I met a reverend good old man:
Whom, when for Peace

I did demand, he thus began:

There was a Prince of old

At Salem dwelt, who lived with good increase

Of flock and fold.

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He sweetly lived; yet sweetness did not save

His life from foes,

But after death out of his grave

There sprang twelve stalks of wheat;

Which many wondering at, got some of those To plant and set.

It prosper'd strangely, and did soon disperse.
Through all the earth:

For they that taste it do rehearse
That virtues lie therein;

A secret virtue, bringing Peace and Mirth
By flight of sin.

Take of this grain, which in my garden grows,
And grows for you:

Make bread of it, and then repose;
And Peace, which everywhere

With so much earnestness you do pursue,
Is only there.

Sunday.

O day most calm, most bright,
The fruit of this, the next world's bud,
Th' indorsement of supreme delight,
Writ by a Friend, and with His blood;
The couch of time; care's balm and bay;
The week were dark, but for thy light:
Thy torch doth shew the way.

The other days and thou

Make up one man; whose face thou art,
Knocking at heaven with thy brow:
The working-days are the back-part;
The burden of the week lies there,
Making the whole to stoop and bow,
Till thy release appear.

Man had straight forward gone

To endless death; but thou dost pull,

HERBERT.

And turn us round to look on One,
Whom, if we were not very dull,

We could not choose but look on still;
Since there is no place so alone

The which He doth not fill.

Sundays the pillars are

On which heaven's palace arched lies.
The other days fill up the spare
And hollow room with vanities.

They are the fruitful beds and borders
In God's rich garden: that is bare

Which parts their ranks and orders.

The Sundays of man's life,

Threaded together on Time's string,
Make bracelets to adorn the wife
Of the eternal glorious King.
On Sunday heaven's gates stand ope;
Blessings are plentiful and rife,

More plentiful than hope.

This day my Saviour rose,

And did enclose this light for His :
That as each beast his manger knows,
Man might not of his fodder miss.
Christ hath took in this piece of ground,
And made a garden there for those

Who want herbs for their wound.

The rest of our Creation

Our great Redeemer did remove

With the same shake, which at His passion
Did th' earth and all things with it move.

As Samson bore the doors away,

Christ's hands, though nail'd, wrought our salvation,
And did unhinge that day.

The brightness of that day

We sullied by our foul offence;

Wherefore that robe we cast away,

Having a new at His expense,

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