His bones are full of the sinnes of his youth.
JOB 20. 11.
1
The swift-foot Post of Time hath now begun
His second Stage;
The dawning of our Age
Is lost and spent without a Sun:
The light of Reason did not yet appeare
Within th'Horizon of this Hemispheare.
2
The infant Will had yet none other guide,
But twilight Sense;
And what is gayn'd from thence
But doubtfull Steps, that tread aside?
Reason now draws her Curtains; Her clos'd eyes
Begin to open, and she calls to rise.
3
Youths now disclosing Buds peeps out, and showes
Her Aprill head;
And from her grass greene bed,
Her virgin Primerose early blowes;
Whil'st waking Philomel prepares to sing
Her warbling Sonets to the wanton Spring.
4
His Stage is pleasant, and her way seemes short,
All strow'd with flowers;
The daies appeare but howers,
Being spent in time-beguiling sport.
Here griefes do neither press, nor doubts perplex;
Here's neither feare, to curb; nor care, to vex.
5
His downie Cheek growes proud, and now disdaines
The Tutors hand;
He glories to command
The proud neckt Steed with prouder Reynes:
The strong breath'd Horne must now salute his eare,
With the glad downefall of the falling Deare.
6
His quicknos'd Armie, with their deepmouth'd sounds,
Must now prepare
To chase the tim'rous Hare
About his, yet unmorgag'd, Grounds;
The ev'll he hates, is Counsell, and delay,
And feares no mischief, but a rainie day.
7
The thought he takes, is how to take no thought
For bale, nor blisse;
And late Repentance is
The last deare Pen'worth that he bought:
He is a daintie Morning, and he may,
If lust o'recast him not, b'as faire a Day.
8
Proud Blossom, use thy Time; Times headstrong Horse
Will post away;
Trust not the foll'wing day,
For ev'ry day brings forth a worse:
Take Time at best: Beleeve't, thy daies will fall
From good, to bad; From bad, to worst of all.
St. AMB.
Humility is a rare thing in a young man, therefore to be admired: When youth
is vigorous, when strength is firme, when blood is hot, when Cares are
strangers, when mirth is free, then Pride swells, and humility is despised.
