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Poems

By the most deservedly Admired Mrs Katherine Philips: The matchless Orinda. To which is added Monsieur Corneille's Pompey & Horace Tragedies. With several other Translations out of French

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Translation of Thomas a Kempis into Verse, out of Mons. Corneille's lib. 3. Cap. 2. Englished.

Translation of Thomas a Kempis into Verse, out of Mons. Corneille's lib. 3. Cap. 2. Englished.

Speak, Gracious Lord, thy servant hears,
For I both am and will be so,
And in thy pleasant paths will go
When the Sun shines, or disappears.
Give me thy Spirit, that I may perceive,
What by my Soul thou would'st have done,
Let me have no desire but one,
Thy will to practice and believe.
But yet thy Eloquence disarm,
And as a whisper to my heart,
Let it like dew plenty impart,
And like that let it freely charm.

197

The Jews fear'd Thunder-bolts would fall,
And that thy words would Death procure,
Nor in the Desart could endure
To hear their Maker speak at all.
They court Moses to declare thy will,
And begg'd to hear no more thy voice,
They could not stand the dreadful noise,
Lest it should both surprise and kill.
Without those terrours, I implore,
And other favours I entreat,
With confident, though humble heat,
I beg what Samuel did of yore.
Though thou art all that I can dread,
Thy voice is musick to my ears,
Speak Lord then, for thy Servant hears;
And will obey what thou hast said.
I ask no Moses that for thee should speak,
Nor Prophet to enlighten me,
They all are taught and sent by thee,
And 'tis thy voice I only seek.
Those beams proceed from thee alone,
Which through their words on us do flow;
Thou without them canst all bestow
But they without thee can give none.
They may repeat the sound of words,
But not confer their hidden force,
And without thee, their best discourse,
Nothing but scorn to men affords.
Let them thy Miracles impart,
And vigorously thy will declare;
Their voice, perhaps, may strike the Ear,
But it can never move the heart.

198

Th' obscure and naked Word they sow,
But thou dost open our dim Eye,
And the dead letter to supply,
The Living Spirit dost bestow.
Mysterious truth's to us they brought,
But thou expound'st the Riddle too,
And thou alone, canst make us do
All the great things that they have taught
They may indeed the way direct,
But thou inablest us to walk;
I'th ear alone sticks all they talk,
But thou dost even the Heart dessect.
They wash the surface of the mind,
But all her fruit, thy Goodness claims,
All that e're enlightens, or enflames,
Must be to that alone assign'd.