Schola Cordis or the Heart of it Selfe, gone away from God ::

In the soft table of thine heart I'll write
A new Law, which I newly will indite.
Hard stony tables did containe the old:
But tender leaves of flesh shall this infold.

Ode. 26.

1

What will thy sight
Availe thee, or my light,
If there be nothing in thine heart to see
Acceptable to me?
A self-writ heart will not
Please me, or doe thee any good, I wot,
The paper must be thine,
The writing mine.

2

What I indite
'Tis I alone can write,
And write in bookes that I my self have made.
'Tis not an easie trade
To read or write, in hearts:
They that are skilfull in all other arts,
When they take this in hand,
Are at a stand.

106

3

My Law of old
Tables of stone did hold,
Wherein I writ what I before had spoken,
Yet were they quickly broken:
A signe the Covenant
Contain'd in them would due observance want.
Nor did they long remaine
Coppy'd again.

4

But now I'll try
What force in flesh doth lie:
Whether thine heart renew'd afford a place
Fit for my Law of grace.
This covenant is better
Then that, though glorious, of the killing letter.
This gives life, not by merit,
But by my Spirit,

5

When in mens hearts,
And their most inward parts,
I by my Spirit write my Law of love,
They then begin to move,
Not by themselves, but me,
And their obedience is their liberty.
There are no slaves, but those
That serve their foes.

6

When I have writ
My Covenant in it,
View thine heart by my light, and thou shalt see
A present fit for me.
The worth for which I look,

107

Lies in the lines, not in the leaves of th'book.
Course paper may be lin'd
With words refin'd.

7

And such are mine.
No furnace can refine
The choisest silver so to make it pure,
As my Law put in ure
Purgeth the hearts of men:
Which being rul'd, and written with my Pen,
My Spirit, ev'ry letter
Will make them better.

University of Virginia Library

The table of the Heart.

Epigr. 26.

Ode. 26.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7