TO HEAVEN. GOOD and great God! can I not think of thee, That, laden with my sins, I seek for ease? To ought but grace, or aim at other end. As thou art all, so be thou all to me, First, midst, and last, converted one and three, My faith, my hope, my love; and in this state, My judge, my witness, and my advocate. Where have I been this while exil'd from thee? And whither rapt, now thou but stoop'st to me? Dwell, dwell here still: O, being ev'rywhere, How can I doubt to find thee ever here! I feel my griefs too, and there scarce is ground TO THE HOLY TRINITY. O HOLY, blessed, glorious Trinity The faithful man's believed mystery, Help, help to lift Myself up to thee, harrow'd, torn, and bruis'd All-gracious God, the sinner's sacrifice, For thy acceptance. O, behold me right, To thee more sweet? Eternal Father, God, who didst create To worship thee: Eternal God the Son, who not deny❜dst To take our nature; becam❜st man, and dy❜dst, To pay our debts, upon thy cross, and cry'dst All's done in me : Eternal Spirit, God from both proceeding, For acts of grace: Increase those acts, O glorious Trinity Of persons, still one God in unity! Till I attain the long'd-for mystery Of seeing your face. Beholding one in three, and three in one, The gladdest light dark man can think upon; Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost, you three, Distinct in persons, yet in unity One God to see. My Maker, Saviour, and my Sanctifier : Among thy saints elected to abide, And with thy angels placed, side by side, But in thy presence, truly glorify'd Shall I there rest! FRANCIS QUARLES. BORN 1592-DIED 1644. FRANCIS QUARLES, a religious poet, was born in 1592. He was appointed cupbearer to Elizabeth, Electress of Bohemia, and afterwards was secretary to Archbishop Usher. He was a zealous royalist, and, on the ruin of his party, lost all his books, manuscripts, and other property. His death was said to be accelerated by the misfortunes of his party and by personal chagrin. He is a quaint and conceited writer; but his piety appears sincere, and he possesses considerable liveliness of fancy. Mr Campbell thinks that "A considerable resemblance to Young may be traced in the blended strength and extravagance, and ill-assorted wit and devotion of Quarles." EMBLEM I. "My soul hath desired thee in the night.—ISAIAH." How often have I vainly grop'd about, The sun she seeks, whose rising beams can fright WHOM HAVE I IN HEAVEN BUT THEE. I LOVE, and have some cause to love, the She is my Maker's creature, therefore good; I love the Air, her dainty sweets refresh My drooping soul, and to new sweets invite me. Hershrill-mouthed choir sustain me with their flesh, And with their Polyphonian notes delight me. But what's the Air, or all the sweets that she Can bless my soul withal, compared with Thee? I love the Sea, she is my fellow-creature, My careful purveyor, she provides me store; She walls me round, she makes my diet greater, She wafts my treasure from a foreign shore. But, Lord of Oceans, when compared with Thee, What is the Ocean or her wealth to me? |