A paraphrase upon the canticles and some select hymns of the New and Old Testament, with other occasional compositions in English verse. By Samuel Woodford |
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An Extasie of Divine Love. |
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 | A paraphrase upon the canticles |  |
An Extasie of Divine Love.
Aquesta Divina Union, &c.
I
That sacred Bond of Charity,Wherein I uncorrupted Live,
Makes God the Captive Chain receive,
But my pinion'd Heart sets free,
Tho causing still such love in me,
To see Heav'ns King my Pris'ner lie,
That I die, 'cause I cannot die.
II
How teadious now this Life is grown,The way to Death how hard and long;
How dark the Dunge'on th' Ir'ns how strong,
With which my' unwilling Soul's kept down,
And has no trust but hope alone!
These thoughts my Troubles raise so high,
That I die, 'cause I cannot die.
89
III
Bitter Life, shalt thou be to me,Where I my God can ne're enjoy;
But if my Love has no alloy,
My hope as try'd and pure may be;
Ah! come my Lord, and set me free!
Take off this weight, which makes me cry,
That I die, 'cause I cannot die.
IV
By hope alone it is I Live,Hope that I bear the seeds of Death,
And dying once, a second Birth
Secures that Hope, and Life do's give;
O Death, I'll ne're thy coming grieve,
When Life succeeds, through hope so nigh,
That I die, 'cause I cannot die.
V
Who can the Charms of Love refuse?Ah Life, no more my Heart betray,
'Tis only thou stand'st in my way,
Which rather than my Love, I'll loose,
And Death for my great Champion choose;
So much alate thy Enemy,
That I die, 'cause I cannot die.
VI
The Life alone, that's hid above,Can of true Life the Title claim;
That Toy, which here usurps the Name,
90
And a worse Foe than Death does prove;
Death, for whose sake I Life so flie,
That I die, 'cause I cannot die.
VII
What can I give, frail Life, but theeTo th' God, who in me deigns to live?
Yet how can I the nothing give
Till he first grants me Liberty?
O let me die his Face to see!
But that's so distant from my Eye,
That I die, 'cause I cannot die.
VIII
Beside, my God, from thee away,Who would not of a Life complain,
That terrible, and full of pain,
Suffers a thousand Deaths each Day,
A Mortal, but a slow decay?
And this so swells my Misery,
That I die, 'cause I cannot die.
IX
All Creatures love their Element,And pleasure there enjoy and rest;
And if by Death they are disseas'd
To their first nothing they are sent:
But I'm beyond kind Death's extent,
And yet so many hardships try,
That I die, 'cause I cannot die.
91
X
When in the Eucharist my dull Soul,Eating thy Flesh it self would ease,
A thousand thoughts for entrance press,
And there not to enjoy Thee whole,
Whole, and alone, I a 'new condole;
For 'tis the Voice of every Sigh,
That I die, cause I cannot die.
XI
I please my self ith' Hopes, 'tis true,E're long, my God, of seeing Thee;
But fearing lest they false should be,
My Torments with my Fears renew,
And both so close my Soul pursue,
Hoping mid both so heartily,
That I die, 'cause I cannot die.
XII
Lord, from this Death deliver me,And Life thus beg'd at length bestow!
Why should I still be kept below?
Look how I die for love of Thee!
And since enjoy'd Thou canst not be
In this Lifes death, regard my cry,
That I die, 'cause I cannot die.
XII
My dying Life I'll then lament,And living Death in Tears bewail;
For my Sins sake those Foes prevail,
92
To my release at length consent,
Nor let me grieve eternally,
That I die, 'cause I cannot die.
L'Envoy.
Blest Soul! that hither couldst arrive,How do I love yet envy Thee,
Wishing my self this Extasie,
And that th' Example Thou dost give,
Would make me less afraid to live;
And to each close of Thine reply!
That I die, cause I cannot die!
20. May, 1668.
| A paraphrase upon the canticles | |