 | The Muses Sacrifice |  |
An Inuocation against vse of offending, or bad Custome.
Deare Lord! while I bethinke me of the Ils
that me surround; and waigh the Woes I feele
Through mine owne fault (which me with Sorrow fils)
from Life to Death I ready am to reele.
that me surround; and waigh the Woes I feele
Through mine owne fault (which me with Sorrow fils)
from Life to Death I ready am to reele.
The Sunne of my Care-clouded life hath past
his full Meridian; and, doth now decline
To Seas of griefes, where Age doth sincke at last;
and, at each breath, Death seekes it to define.
his full Meridian; and, doth now decline
To Seas of griefes, where Age doth sincke at last;
and, at each breath, Death seekes it to define.
Vse of offending, in my passed Dayes,
doth passe my strēgth to change, thogh faine I wold
Custome (to Nature turn'd) my Nature swayes;
and of my selfe, the while, I haue no hold.
doth passe my strēgth to change, thogh faine I wold
Custome (to Nature turn'd) my Nature swayes;
and of my selfe, the while, I haue no hold.
Yet, if, I dye ere so bad vse I leaue,
my life must leaue me hopelesse at my death;
For, what I giue to God I shall receiue;
and, as I spend, so shall I yeeld my Breath.
my life must leaue me hopelesse at my death;
For, what I giue to God I shall receiue;
and, as I spend, so shall I yeeld my Breath.
63
I minde to mend; but still procrastinate;
for, my Familiar, Sinne, is loth to part;
And doth my halfe-dead body animate
to vse her still; so, wounds, and heales my Heart.
for, my Familiar, Sinne, is loth to part;
And doth my halfe-dead body animate
to vse her still; so, wounds, and heales my Heart.
But sith I am not sure to breath once more,
and that my life and death are well-neere met,
And Death t'eternall Weale or woe's the Doore,
why sinne I now, my lifes Sunne neere is set?
and that my life and death are well-neere met,
And Death t'eternall Weale or woe's the Doore,
why sinne I now, my lifes Sunne neere is set?
What is in Sinne, that it should so bewitch?
A bitter-sweete (if Sweete it be) and makes
The Body glad, but still the Soule to grutch;
and eu'n from life the vitall-vertue takes.
A bitter-sweete (if Sweete it be) and makes
The Body glad, but still the Soule to grutch;
and eu'n from life the vitall-vertue takes.
The wisest yet, that euer breath'd this Aire
of Humane Race, well tride it to be so,
Whose equall Wealth and Wisedome did repaire
to all in Nature, but this Sweete to know.
of Humane Race, well tride it to be so,
Whose equall Wealth and Wisedome did repaire
to all in Nature, but this Sweete to know.
And yet he found the Sow'r excell'd the Sweet:
the Sweet but short, the Sow'r surmounting Time:
Wee want his Meanes, his high Delights to meete;
yet hazard we our soules to them to climbe!
the Sweet but short, the Sow'r surmounting Time:
Wee want his Meanes, his high Delights to meete;
yet hazard we our soules to them to climbe!
Lord, make me wise by his experience,
who, in great wealth and Wisedome, plaid the Foole:
And for meere Folly was at huge expence;
then, let his follies me still wisely schoole.
who, in great wealth and Wisedome, plaid the Foole:
And for meere Folly was at huge expence;
then, let his follies me still wisely schoole.
[63]
Yea, let me learne of Him that all doth teach;
of whom the wisest learne Sinnes snares to shunne;
He was a King, and Preacher; and did preach
that All is vanitie beneath the Sunne.
of whom the wisest learne Sinnes snares to shunne;
He was a King, and Preacher; and did preach
that All is vanitie beneath the Sunne.
If all be vaine beneath, and true he sayes,
let me aboue the Sunne seeke true delight;
Which I shall finde by walking in thy Wayes,
so thou (deare Lord) consort me with thy Spright.
let me aboue the Sunne seeke true delight;
Which I shall finde by walking in thy Wayes,
so thou (deare Lord) consort me with thy Spright.
O then consort me so, and with his pow'r
enable me all lets to ouer-runne;
Let me not stay one Minute of an How'r
to ioy in any thing beneath the Sunne.
enable me all lets to ouer-runne;
Let me not stay one Minute of an How'r
to ioy in any thing beneath the Sunne.
But in thy Sunne of Iustice let me ioy,
which fils the Heau'ns and Earth with purest light:
Then, let all other ioyes my soule annoy,
that so in him I may alone delight:
Thou canst doe this; then doubt I not thy Will,
Which still is good, then my good-will fulfill.
which fils the Heau'ns and Earth with purest light:
Then, let all other ioyes my soule annoy,
that so in him I may alone delight:
Thou canst doe this; then doubt I not thy Will,
Which still is good, then my good-will fulfill.
| The Muses Sacrifice | |