 | Manuductio ad Coelum. A Poem. In Two Parts. I. Of Joy and Sadness. How a good Man ought to rejoice. He that looks before him is not cast down. Several Antidotes against Sorrow. II. Of Patience: The Occasions and Effects of it. The Signs of it. An Exhortation to it; with Instructions how to behave our selves in Adversity. The necessity of Perseverance. Extracted out of the Writings of the Holy Fathers and Ancient Philosophers, by John Bona [i.e. Sir James Chamberlayne] a Cistertian Abbot: and turned into Verse by James Chamberlayne |  |
18
VI.
In the concerns of others, it may be
We so may act Arts of Hypocrisie,
And show such Symptoms of a constant mind,
And Speech so well compact, that it would blind
The most discerning Eye; but in our own
Our cunning fails us, and the Cheat is shown.
We so may act Arts of Hypocrisie,
And show such Symptoms of a constant mind,
And Speech so well compact, that it would blind
The most discerning Eye; but in our own
Our cunning fails us, and the Cheat is shown.
Our Duty 'tis to shed a Pious Tear,
With those that Weep, and in Affliction are;
But though our Tears in common be, there's no
Reason the Cause of them must be so too.
We are as much as in us lies, to be
A Friend to those who are in Misery,
If we receive an injury, let this
Be well consider'd, that there nothing is
That can befall us, but there doth belong
Two handles to't, a right one, and a wrong;
Take it but by the right, and then we shall
Not look upon our selves as wrong'd at all.
With those that Weep, and in Affliction are;
But though our Tears in common be, there's no
Reason the Cause of them must be so too.
We are as much as in us lies, to be
A Friend to those who are in Misery,
If we receive an injury, let this
Be well consider'd, that there nothing is
That can befall us, but there doth belong
Two handles to't, a right one, and a wrong;
Take it but by the right, and then we shall
Not look upon our selves as wrong'd at all.
The Man's unjust. If we do take't that way,
These Furies haunt us, which our Peace destroy;
Revengful Anger, and wild Violence,
Which make a Mountain of each small Offence.
But if we take it on the other side,
He's one for whom the Blessed Jesus dy'd;
Redeem'd with us by the same precious Blood,
To the same Glory called out, and woo'd;
The turning of our thoughts this way, be sure
Will to our minds a lasting Calm procure.
These Furies haunt us, which our Peace destroy;
Revengful Anger, and wild Violence,
Which make a Mountain of each small Offence.
But if we take it on the other side,
He's one for whom the Blessed Jesus dy'd;
Redeem'd with us by the same precious Blood,
To the same Glory called out, and woo'd;
The turning of our thoughts this way, be sure
Will to our minds a lasting Calm procure.
We likewise may (and herein Wisdom's shown)
Upon it pass this short reflexion;
In matter of reproof we sooner shall,
From a professed Foe the truth of all
Our Follies hear, than from a Bosom Friend,
For 'tis his study to find faults, and bend
His most malicious Pow'rs to search into
Our weakness more, and stricter than we do;
If we commit the thing that we should not,
Or do neglect to do the thing we ought,
We shall be sure to hear on't, for he'l soon
Blazon our failings over all the Town.
Let's therefore walk so warily, that we
May make some profit of his Enmitie,
And we shall be more careful when we know
That there's a Spy upon what-er'e we do.
Upon it pass this short reflexion;
In matter of reproof we sooner shall,
From a professed Foe the truth of all
20
For 'tis his study to find faults, and bend
His most malicious Pow'rs to search into
Our weakness more, and stricter than we do;
If we commit the thing that we should not,
Or do neglect to do the thing we ought,
We shall be sure to hear on't, for he'l soon
Blazon our failings over all the Town.
Let's therefore walk so warily, that we
May make some profit of his Enmitie,
And we shall be more careful when we know
That there's a Spy upon what-er'e we do.
| Manuductio ad Coelum. A Poem. In Two Parts. I. Of Joy and Sadness. How a good Man ought to rejoice. He that looks before him is not cast down. Several Antidotes against Sorrow. II. Of Patience: The Occasions and Effects of it. The Signs of it. An Exhortation to it; with Instructions how to behave our selves in Adversity. The necessity of Perseverance. Extracted out of the Writings of the Holy Fathers and Ancient Philosophers, by John Bona [i.e. Sir James Chamberlayne] a Cistertian Abbot: and turned into Verse by James Chamberlayne | |