O that my wayes were directed to keepe thy statutes.
1
Thus I, the object of the worlds disdaine,
With Pilgrim-pace, surround the weary earth;
I onely relish what the world counts vaine;
Her mirth's my griefe; her sullen Griefe, my mirth;
Her light, my darknesse; and her Truth, my Error;
Her freedome is my Jayle; and her delight my Terror.
2
Fond earth! Proportion not my seeming love
To my long stay; let not thy thoughts deceive thee;
Thou art my Prison, and my Home's above;
My life's a Preparation but to leave thee:
Like one that seeks a doore, I walke about thee,
With thee I cannot live; I cannot live without thee.
3
The world's a Lab'rinth, whose anfractious wayes
Are all compos'd of Rubs, and crook'd Meanders;
No resting here; Hee's hurried back that stayes
A thought; And he that goes unguided, wanders:
Her way is dark; her path untrod, unev'n;
So hard's the way from earth; so hard's the way to Heav'n.
4
This gyring Lab'rinth is betrench'd about
On either hand, with streames of sulphrous fire,
Streames closely sliding, erring in and out,
But seeming pleasant to the fond descrier;
Where if his footsteps trust their owne Invention,
He fals without redresse, and sinks beyond Demension.
5
Where shall I seek a Guide? Where shall I meet
Some lucky hand to led my trembling paces?
What trusty Lanterne will direct my feet
To scape the danger of these dang'rous places?
What hopes have I to passe without a Guide?
Where one gets falsely through, a thousand fall beside.
6
An unrequested Starre did gently slide
Before the Wisemen, to a greater Light;
Back-sliding Isr'el found a double Guide;
A Pillar, and a Cloud; by day, by night:
Yet, in my desp'rate dangers, which be farre
More great than theirs, I have nor Pillar, Cloud, nor Starre.
7
O, that the pineons of a clipping Dove
Would cut my passage, through the empty Ayre;
Mine eyes being seeld, how would I mount above
The reach of danger, and forgotten Care!
My backward eyes should ne'r commit that fault,
Whose lasting Guilt should build a Monument of Salt.
8
Great God, that art the flowing Spring of Light,
Enrich mine eyes with thy refulgent Ray:
Thou art my Path; direct my steps aright;
I have no other Light, no other Way:
Ile trust my God, and him alone pursue;
His Law shalbe my Path; his heav'nly Light my Clue.
S. AUGUST. Soliloq. Cap. 4.
O Lord, who art the Light, the Way, the Truth, the Life; in whom there is no
darknesse, The way without which there is wandring; The Truth, without which
there is errour; Life, without which there is death; Say, Lord, let there be
light, and I shall see light, and eschue darknesse; I shall see the way, and
avoid wandring; I shall see the truth, and shun errour; I shall see life, and
escape death; Illuminate. O illuminate my blind soule, which sits in darknesse
and the shadow of death, and direct my feet in the way of peace.
