Whose drops of blood paid the full price
That was requir'd to make us gay,

And fit for Paradise.

Thou art a day of mirth:

And where the week-days trail on ground,
Thy flight is higher, as thy birth:
Oh! let me take thee at the bound,

Leaping with thee from seven to seven,
Till that we both, being toss'd from earth,
Fly hand in hand to heaven!

Employment.

He that is weary, let him sit:
My soul would stir

And trade in courtesies and wit,
Quitting the fur,

To cold complexions needing it.

Man is no star, but a quick coal
Of mortal fire:

Who blows it not, nor doth control
A faint desire,

Lets his own ashes choke his soul.

When th' elements did for place contest
With Him whose will
Ordain'd the highest to be best,
The earth sat still,

And by the others is opprest.

Life is a business, not good cheer;
Ever in wars.

The sun still shineth there or here,
Whereas the stars

Watch an advantage to appear.

Oh, that I were an orange tree,
That busy plant!

VOL. III.

"Here will I smell my remnant out, and tie

My life within this band."

But Time did beckon to the flowers, and they
By noon most cunningly did steal away,

And wither'd in my hand.

H

85

My hand was next to them, and then my heart;
I took, without more thinking, in good part
Time's gentle admonition;

Who did so sweetly death's sad taste convey,
Making my mind to smell my fatal day,

Yet sugaring the suspicion.

Farewell, dear flowers; sweetly your time ye spent, Fit, while ye liv'd, for smell or ornament,

And after death for cures.

I follow straight, without complaints or grief;
Since, if my scent be good, I care not if
It be as short as yours.

Prayer.

Of what an easy quick access,
My blessed Lord, art Thou! how suddenly
May our requests Thine ear invade!
To shew that state dislikes not easiness,

If I but lift mine eyes, my suit is made:

Thou canst no more not hear, than Thou canst die.

Of what supreme almighty power

Is Thy great arm, which spans the east and west,
And tacks the centre to the sphere!

By it do all things live their measur'd hour:
We cannot ask the thing which is not there,
Blaming the shallowness of our request.

Of what unmeasurable love

Art Thou possess'd, who when Thou couldst not die, Wert fain to take our flesh and curse,

And for our sakes in person sin reprove!

That by destroying that which tied Thy purse,
Thou might'st make way for liberality.

Since then these three wait on Thy throne,

Ease, Power, and Love; I value prayer so,
That were I to leave all but one,

Wealth, fame, endowments, virtues, all should go:

O sacred Providence, who from end to end
Strongly and sweetly movest! shall I write,
And not of Thee, through whom my fingers bend
To hold my quill? Shall they not do Thee right?

Of all the creatures both in sea and land
Only to man Thou hast made known Thy ways,
And put the pen alone into his hand,

And made him secretary of Thy praise.

Beasts fain would sing; birds ditty to their notes;
Trees would be tuning on their native lute

To Thy renown: but all their hands and throats
Are brought to man, while they are lame and mute.

Man is the world's high-priest; he doth present
The sacrifice for all; while they below
Unto the service mutter an assent,-

Such as springs use that fall, and winds that blow.

He that to praise and laud Thee doth refrain
Doth not refrain unto himself alone,

But robs a thousand, who would praise Thee fain;
And doth commit a world of sin in one.

Wherefore, most sacred Spirit, I here present,
For me and all my fellows, praise to Thee:
And just it is that I should pay the rent,
Because the benefit accrues to me.

We all acknowledge both Thy power and love

To be exact, transcendent, and divine;

Who dost so strongly and so sweetly move,

While all things have their will, yet none but Thine.

For either Thy command or Thy permission
Lay hands on all; they are Thy right and left;