The poetical works of Thomas Traherne faithfully reprinted from the author's original manuscript together with Poems of Felicity reprinted from the Burney manuscript and Poems from Various Sources: Edited with preface and notes by Gladys I. Wade |
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| 3. | § 3. POEMS FROM CHRISTIAN ETHICKS. |
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 | The poetical works of Thomas Traherne |  |
§ 3. POEMS FROM CHRISTIAN ETHICKS.
I
[For Man to Act as if his Soul did see]
For Man to Act as if his Soul did see
The very Brightness of Eternity;
For Man to Act as if his Love did burn
Above the Spheres, even while its in its Urne;
For Man to Act even in the Wilderness,
As if he did those Sovereign Joys possess,
Which do at once confirm, stir up, enflame,
And perfect Angels; having not the same!
It doth increase the Value of his Deeds,
In this a Man a Seraphim exceeds:
The very Brightness of Eternity;
For Man to Act as if his Love did burn
Above the Spheres, even while its in its Urne;
For Man to Act even in the Wilderness,
As if he did those Sovereign Joys possess,
Which do at once confirm, stir up, enflame,
And perfect Angels; having not the same!
It doth increase the Value of his Deeds,
In this a Man a Seraphim exceeds:
To Act on Obligations yet unknown,
To Act upon Rewards as yet unshewn,
To keep Commands whose Beauty's yet unseen,
To cherish and retain a Zeal between
Sleeping and Waking; shews a constant care;
And that a deeper Love, a Love so Rare,
That no Eye Service may with it compare.
To Act upon Rewards as yet unshewn,
To keep Commands whose Beauty's yet unseen,
To cherish and retain a Zeal between
Sleeping and Waking; shews a constant care;
And that a deeper Love, a Love so Rare,
That no Eye Service may with it compare.
The Angels, who are faithful while they view
His Glory, know not what themselves would do,
Were they in our Estate! A Dimmer Light
Perhaps would make them erre as well as We;
And in the Coldness of a darker Night,
Forgetful and Lukewarm Themselves might be.
Our very Rust shall cover us with Gold,
Our Dust shall sprinkle while their Eyes behold
The Glory Springing from a feeble State,
Where meer Belief doth, if not conquer Fate,
Surmount, and pass what it doth Antedate.
His Glory, know not what themselves would do,
Were they in our Estate! A Dimmer Light
Perhaps would make them erre as well as We;
And in the Coldness of a darker Night,
Forgetful and Lukewarm Themselves might be.
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Our Dust shall sprinkle while their Eyes behold
The Glory Springing from a feeble State,
Where meer Belief doth, if not conquer Fate,
Surmount, and pass what it doth Antedate.
II
[All Musick, Sawces, Feasts, Delights and Pleasures]
All Musick, Sawces, Feasts, Delights and Pleasures,Games, Dancing, Arts consist in govern'd Measures;
Much more do Words, and Passions of the Mind
In Temperance their sacred Beauty find.
III
[As in a Clock, 'tis hinder'd-Force doth bring]
As in a Clock, 'tis hinder'd-Force doth bringThe Wheels to order'd Motion, by a Spring;
Which order'd Motion guides a steddy Hand
In useful sort at Figures just to stand;
Which, were it not by Counter-ballance staid,
The Fabrick quickly would aside be laid
As wholly useless: So a Might too Great,
But well proportion'd, makes the World compleat.
Power well-bounded is more Great in Might,
Than if let loose 'twere wholly Infinite.
He could have made an endless Sea by this,
But then it had not been a Sea of Bliss;
A Sea that's bounded in a finite shore,
Is better far because it is no more.
Should Waters endlessly exceed the Skies,
They'd drown the World, and all whate'er we prize.
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Had burnt the World, and quite consum'd the same.
That Flame would yield no splendor to the Sight,
'Twould be but Darkness though 'twere Infinite.
One Star made Infinite would all exclude,
An Earth made Infinite could ne're be view'd.
But all being bounded for each others sake,
He bounding all did all most useful make.
And which is best, in Profit and Delight,
Though not in Bulk, he made all Infinite.
He in his Wisdom did their use extend,
By all, to all the World from End to End.
In all Things, all Things service do to all:
And thus a Sand is Endless, though most small.
And every Thing is truly Infinite,
In its Relation deep and exquisite.
IV
[Were all the World a Paradice of Ease]
Were all the World a Paradice of Ease
'Twere easie then to live in Peace.
Were all men Wise, Divine, and Innocent,
Just, Holy, Peaceful, and Content,
Kind, Loving, True, and alwaies Good,
As in the Golden-Age they stood;
'Twere easie then to live
In all Delight and Glory, full of Love,
Blest as the Angels are above.
'Twere easie then to live in Peace.
Were all men Wise, Divine, and Innocent,
Just, Holy, Peaceful, and Content,
Kind, Loving, True, and alwaies Good,
As in the Golden-Age they stood;
'Twere easie then to live
In all Delight and Glory, full of Love,
Blest as the Angels are above.
But we such Principles must now attain,
(If we true Blessedness would gain)
As those are, which will help to make us reign
Over Disorders, Injuries,
Ingratitudes, Calamities,
Affronts, Oppressions, Slanders, Wrongs,
Lies, Angers, bitter Tongues,
The reach of Malice must surmount, and quell
The very Rage, and Power of Hell.
(If we true Blessedness would gain)
As those are, which will help to make us reign
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Ingratitudes, Calamities,
Affronts, Oppressions, Slanders, Wrongs,
Lies, Angers, bitter Tongues,
The reach of Malice must surmount, and quell
The very Rage, and Power of Hell.
V
[Mankind is sick, the World distemper'd lies]
1
Mankind is sick, the World distemper'd lies,Opprest with Sins and Miseries.
Their Sins are Woes; a long corrupted Train
Of Poyson, drawn from Adam's vein,
Stains all his Seed, and all his Kin
Are one Disease of Life within.
They all torment themselves!
The World's one Bedlam, or a greater Cave
Of Mad-men, that do alwaies rave.
2
The Wise and Good like kind Physicians are,That strive to heal them by their Care.
They Physick and their Learning calmly use,
Although the Patient them abuse.
For since the Sickness is (they find)
A sad Distemper of the Mind;
All railings they impute,
All Injuries, unto the sore Disease,
They are expresly come to ease!
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3
If we would to the Worlds distemper'd MindImpute the Rage which there we find,
We might, even in the midst of all our Foes,
Enjoy and feel a sweet Repose:
Might pity all the Griefs we see,
Anointing every Malady
With precious Oyl and Balm;
And while ourselves are Calm, our Art improve
To rescue them, and shew our Love.
4
But let's not fondly our own selves beguile;If we Revile 'cause they Revile,
Our selves infected with their sore Disease,
Need others Helps to give us ease.
For we more Mad then they remain,
Need to be cut, and need a Chain
Far more than they. Our Brain
Is craz'd; and if we put our Wit to theirs,
We may be justly made their Heirs.
5
But while with open eyes we clearly seeThe brightness of his Majesty;
While all the World, by Sin to Satan sold,
In daily Wickedness grows old,
Men in Chains of Darkness lye,
In Bondage and Iniquity,
And pierce and grieve themselves!
The dismal Woes wherein they crawl, enhance
The Peace of our Inheritance.
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6
We wonder to behold our selves so nighTo so much Sin and Misery,
And yet to see our selves so safe from harm!
What Amulet, what hidden Charm
Could fortifie and raise the Soul
So far above them; and controul
Such fierce Malignity!
The brightness and the glory which we see
Is made a greater Mystery.
7
And while we feel how much our GOD doth loveThe Peace of Sinners, how much move,
And sue, and thirst, intreat, lament and grieve,
For all the Crimes in which they live,
And seek and wait, and call again,
And long to save them from the pain
Of Sin, from all their Woe!
With greater thirst, as well as grief we try,
How to relieve their Misery.
8
The life and splendour of Felicity,Whose floods so overflowing be,
The streams of Joy which round about his Throne,
Enrich and fill each Holy One,
Are so abundant, that we can
Spare all, even all to any Man!
And have it all our selves!
Nay have the more! We long to make them see
The sweetness of Felicity.
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9
While we contemplate their Distresses, how,Blind Wretches, they in bondage bow,
And tear and wound themselves, and vex and groan,
And chafe and fret so near His Throne,
And know not what they ail, but lye
Tormented in their Misery
(Like Mad-men that are blind)
In works of darkness nigh such full Delight:
That they might find and see the sight,
10
What would we give! that they might likewise seeThe Glory of his Majesty!
The joy and fulness of that high delight,
Whose Blessedness is infinite!
We would even cease to live, to gain
Them from their misery and pain,
And make them with us reign.
For they themselves would be our greatest Treasures
When sav'd, our own most Heavenly Pleasures.
11
O holy JESUS who didst for us die,And on the Altar bleeding lie,
Bearing all Torment, pain, reproach, and shame,
That we by vertue of the same,
Though enemies to God, might be
Redeem'd, and set at liberty.
As thou didst us forgive,
So meekly let us Love to others shew,
And live in Heaven on Earth below!
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12
Let's prize their Souls, and let them be our Gems,Our Temples and our Diadems,
Our Brides, our Friends, our fellow-Members, Eyes
Hands, Hearts and Souls, our Victories,
And Spoils and Trophies, our own Joyes!
Compar'd to Souls all else are Toyes!
O JESUS, let them be
Such unto us, as they are unto thee,
Vessels of Glory and Felicitie!
13
How will they love us, when they find our CareBrought them all thither where they are!
When they conceive, what terrour 'tis to dwell
In all the punishments of Hell:
And in a lively manner see,
O Christ, eternal Joyes in thee!
How will they all delight
In praising thee for us, with all their might,
How sweet a Grace, how infinite!
VI
[Contentment is a sleepy thing!]
Contentment is a sleepy thing!If it in Death alone must die;
A quiet Mind is worse than Poverty!
Unless it from Enjoyment spring!
That's Blessedness alone that makes a King!
Wherein the Joyes and Treasures are so great,
They all the powers of the Soul employ,
And fill it with a Work compleat,
While it doth all enjoy.
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Enrich Content, and make our Courage higher.
Content alone's a dead and silent Stone:
The real life of Bliss
Is Glory reigning in a Throne,
Where all Enjoyment is.
The Soul of Man is so inclin'd to see,
Without his Treasures no man's Soul can be,
Nor rest content Uncrown'd!
Desire and Love
Must in the height of all their Rapture move,
Where there is true Felicity.
Employment is the very life and ground
Of Life it self; whose pleasant Motion is
The form of Bliss:
All Blessedness a life with Glory Crown'd.
Life! Life is all: in its most full extent
Stretcht out to all things, and with all Content!
VII
[And if the Glory and Esteem I have]
And if the Glory and Esteem I have,Be nothing else than what my Silver gave;
If for no other ground
I am with Love or Praises crown'd,
'Tis such a shame, such vile, such base Repute
'Tis better starve, than eat such empty Fruit.
| The poetical works of Thomas Traherne | |