Divine poems :: :: University of Virginia Library

No man is borne unto himselfe alone;
Who lives unto himselfe, he lives to none:
The World's a body', each man a member is,
To adde some measure to the publike blisse;
Where much is giv'n, there much shall be requir'd,
Where little, lesse; for riches are but hyr'd;
Wisedome is sold for sweat; Pleasures for paine;
Who lives unto himselfe, he lives in vaine;
To be a Monarch is a glorious thing;
Who lives not full of Care, he lives no King;
The boundlesse glory of a King is such,
To sweeten Care, because his Care is much;
The Sun (whose radiant beames reflect so bright)
Comforts and warmes, as well as it gives light,
By whose example Phœbe (though more dim)
Does counterfeit his beames, and shines from him:
So mighty Kings are not ordain'd alone
To pearch in glory on the Princely Throne,
But to direct in Peace, command in Warre
Those Subjects, for whose sakes they onely are;
So loyall Subjects must adapt them to
Such vertuous actions as their Princes doe:
So shall his people, even as well as He,
Princes (though in a lesser volume) be.

So often as I fixe my serious eye
Vpon Assuerus Feast, me thinkes, I spye

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The Temple dance, me thinkes my ravisht eare,
(Rapt with the secret musicke that I heare)
Attends the warble of an Angels tongue,
Resounding forth this sense-bereaving Song;
Vashti shall fall, and Ester rise,
Sion shall thrive, when Haman dyes.
Blest are the meetings, and the Banquets blest,
Where Angels caroll musicke to the Feast;

How doe our wretched times degenerate
From former ages! How intemperate
Hath lavish custome made our bedrid Age,
Acting obscœne Scenes on her drunken Stage!
Our times are guided by a lewder lot,
As if that world another world begot:
Their friendly feasts were fill'd with sweet sobriety
Ours, with uncleane delights, and base ebriety;
Theirs, the unvalued prise of Love intended;
Ours seeke the cause whereby our Love is ended;
How in so blind an Age could those men see!
And in a seeing Age, how blinde are we!