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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 | The poetical works of Thomas Traherne |  |
The Inference.
I.
Well-guided Thoughts within possess
The Treasures of all Blessedness.
Things are indifferent; nor giv
Joy of themselvs, nor griev.
The very Deity of God torments
The male-contents
Of Hell; To th' Soul alone it provs
A welcom Object, that Him lovs.
Things tru affect not, while they are unknown:
But Thoughts most sensibly, tho quite alone.
The Treasures of all Blessedness.
Things are indifferent; nor giv
Joy of themselvs, nor griev.
The very Deity of God torments
The male-contents
Of Hell; To th' Soul alone it provs
A welcom Object, that Him lovs.
Things tru affect not, while they are unknown:
But Thoughts most sensibly, tho quite alone.
Thoughts are the inward Balms or Spears;
The living Joys, or Griefs and Fears;
The Light, or els the Fire; the Theme
On which we pore or dream.
Thoughts are alone by Men the Objects found
That heal or wound.
Things are but dead: they can't dispense
Or Joy or Grief: Thoughts! Thoughts the Sense
Affect and touch. Nay, when a Thing is near
It can't affect but as it doth appear.
The living Joys, or Griefs and Fears;
The Light, or els the Fire; the Theme
On which we pore or dream.
Thoughts are alone by Men the Objects found
That heal or wound.
Things are but dead: they can't dispense
Or Joy or Grief: Thoughts! Thoughts the Sense
Affect and touch. Nay, when a Thing is near
It can't affect but as it doth appear.
Since then by Thoughts I only see;
Since Thought alone affecteth me;
Since these are Reall things when shewn;
And since as Things are known
Or thought, they pleas or kill: What Care ought I
(Since Thoughts apply
Things to my Mind) those Thoughts aright
To frame, and watch them day and night;
Suppressing such as will my Conscience stain,
That Hev'nly Thoughts me hev'nly Things may gain.
Since Thought alone affecteth me;
Since these are Reall things when shewn;
And since as Things are known
195
(Since Thoughts apply
Things to my Mind) those Thoughts aright
To frame, and watch them day and night;
Suppressing such as will my Conscience stain,
That Hev'nly Thoughts me hev'nly Things may gain.
Ten thousand thousand Things are dead;
Ly round about me; yet are fled,
Are absent, lost, and from me gon;
And those few Things alone,
Or griev my Soul, or gratify my Mind,
Which I do find
Within. Let then the Troubles dy,
The noisom Poisons buried ly:
Ye Cares and Griefs avaunt, that breed Distress
Let only those remain which God will bless.
Ly round about me; yet are fled,
Are absent, lost, and from me gon;
And those few Things alone,
Or griev my Soul, or gratify my Mind,
Which I do find
Within. Let then the Troubles dy,
The noisom Poisons buried ly:
Ye Cares and Griefs avaunt, that breed Distress
Let only those remain which God will bless.
How many Thousands see the Sky,
The Sun and Moon, as well as I?
How many more that view the Seas,
Feel neither Joy nor Eas?
Those Things are dead and dry and banished.
Their Life is led
As if the World were yet unmade:
A Feast, fine Cloaths, or els a Trade,
Take up their Thoughts; and, like a grosser Skreen
Drawn o'r their Soul, leav better Things unseen.
The Sun and Moon, as well as I?
How many more that view the Seas,
Feel neither Joy nor Eas?
Those Things are dead and dry and banished.
Their Life is led
As if the World were yet unmade:
A Feast, fine Cloaths, or els a Trade,
Take up their Thoughts; and, like a grosser Skreen
Drawn o'r their Soul, leav better Things unseen.
But O! let me the Excellence
Of God, in all His Works, with Sense
Discern: Oh! let me celebrat
And feel my blest Estate:
Let all my Thoughts be fixt upon His Throne;
And Him alone
For all His gracious Gifts admire,
Him only with my Soul desire:
Or griev for Sin. That with du Sense, the Pleasure
I may possess of His Eternal Treasure.
Of God, in all His Works, with Sense
Discern: Oh! let me celebrat
And feel my blest Estate:
Let all my Thoughts be fixt upon His Throne;
And Him alone
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Him only with my Soul desire:
Or griev for Sin. That with du Sense, the Pleasure
I may possess of His Eternal Treasure.
II.
David a Temple in his Mind conceiv'd;
And that Intention was so well receiv'd
By God, that all the Sacred Palaces
That ever were did less His Glory pleas.
And that Intention was so well receiv'd
By God, that all the Sacred Palaces
That ever were did less His Glory pleas.
If Thoughts are such; such Valuable Things;
Such reall Goods; such human Cherubins;
Material Delights; transcendent Objects; Ends
Of all God's Works, which most His Ey intends.
O! What are Men, who can such Thoughts produce,
So excellent in Nature, Valu, Use?
Which not to Angels only grateful seem,
But God, most Wise, himself doth them esteem
Worth more than Worlds? How many thousand may
Our Hearts conceiv and offer evry Day?
Holy Affections, grateful Sentiments,
Good Resolutions, virtuous Intents,
Seed-plots of activ Piety; He values more
Than the Material World He made before.
To such as these the Blessed-Virgin-Mother
Of God's own Son, (rather than any other)
Apply'd her Mind; for, of her pious Care
To treasure up those Truths which she did hear
Concerning Christ, in thoughtful Heart, w're told;
But not that e'r with Offerings of Gold
The Temple she enricht. This understood,
How glorious, how divine, how great, how good
May we becom! How like the Deity
In managing our Thoughts aright! A Piety
More grateful to our God than building Walls
Of Churches, or the Founding Hospitalls:
Wherin He givs us an Almighty Power
To pleas Him so, that could we Worlds creäte,
Or more New visible Earths and Hev'ens make,
'Twould be far short of this; which is the Flower
And Cream of Strength. This we might plainly see,
But that we Rebels to our Reason be.
Shall God such sacred Might on us bestow?
And not employ't to pay the Thanks we ow?
Such grateful Offerings able be to giv;
Yet them annihilat, and God's Spirit griev
Consider that for All our Lord hath don,
All that He can receiv is this bare Sum
Of God-like Holy Thoughts: These only He
Expects from Us, our Sacrifice to be.
Such reall Goods; such human Cherubins;
Material Delights; transcendent Objects; Ends
Of all God's Works, which most His Ey intends.
O! What are Men, who can such Thoughts produce,
So excellent in Nature, Valu, Use?
Which not to Angels only grateful seem,
But God, most Wise, himself doth them esteem
Worth more than Worlds? How many thousand may
Our Hearts conceiv and offer evry Day?
Holy Affections, grateful Sentiments,
Good Resolutions, virtuous Intents,
Seed-plots of activ Piety; He values more
Than the Material World He made before.
To such as these the Blessed-Virgin-Mother
Of God's own Son, (rather than any other)
Apply'd her Mind; for, of her pious Care
To treasure up those Truths which she did hear
Concerning Christ, in thoughtful Heart, w're told;
But not that e'r with Offerings of Gold
The Temple she enricht. This understood,
How glorious, how divine, how great, how good
197
In managing our Thoughts aright! A Piety
More grateful to our God than building Walls
Of Churches, or the Founding Hospitalls:
Wherin He givs us an Almighty Power
To pleas Him so, that could we Worlds creäte,
Or more New visible Earths and Hev'ens make,
'Twould be far short of this; which is the Flower
And Cream of Strength. This we might plainly see,
But that we Rebels to our Reason be.
Shall God such sacred Might on us bestow?
And not employ't to pay the Thanks we ow?
Such grateful Offerings able be to giv;
Yet them annihilat, and God's Spirit griev
Consider that for All our Lord hath don,
All that He can receiv is this bare Sum
Of God-like Holy Thoughts: These only He
Expects from Us, our Sacrifice to be.
| The poetical works of Thomas Traherne | |