I Love, and have some cause to love, the earth,—
She is my Maker’s creature, therefore good;
She is my mother, for she gave me birth;
She is my tender nurse, she gives me food:
But what ’s a creature, Lord, compared with thee?
Or what ’s my mother or my nurse to me?
I love the air,—her dainty sweets refresh
My drooping soul,...
This is the month, and this the happy morn,
Wherein the Son of heaven’s eternal king,
Of wedded maid and virgin mother born,
Our great redemption from above did bring—
For so the holy sages once did sing—
That He our deadly forfeit should release,
And with His Father work us a perpetual peace.
That glorious form, that light...
Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Does his successive journeys run,—
His kingdom spread from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.
From north to south the princes meet
To pay their homage at His feet,
While western empires own their Lord,
And savage tribes attend His word.
To Him shall endless prayer be made...
In the hour of my distress,
When temptations me oppress,
And when I my sins confess,
Sweet Spirit, comfort me!
When I lie within my bed,
Sick at heart, and sick in head,
And with doubts discomforted,
Sweet Spirit, comfort me!
When the house doth sigh and weep,
And the world is drowned in sleep,
Yet mine...
To write a verse or two is all the praise
That I can raise;
Mend my estate in any wayes,
Thou shalt have more.
I go to church; help me to wings, and I
Will thither flie;
Or, if I mount unto the skie,
I will do more.
Man is all weaknesse: there is no such thing...
E’en like two little bank-dividing brooks,
That wash the pebbles with their wanton streams,
And having ranged and searched a thousand nooks,
Meet both at length in silver-breasted Thames,
Where in a greater current they conjoin:
So I my Best-Belovèd’s am; so He is mine.
E’en so we met; and after long pursuit,
E’en so we...
Come, my way, my truth, my life—
Such a way as gives us breath;
Such a truth as ends all strife;
Such a life as killeth death.
Come my light, my feast, my strength—
Such a light as shows a feast;
Such a feast as mends in length;
Such a strength as makes His guest.
Come my joy, my love, my heart!
Such a joy as...
From “Hudibras,” Part I.
HE was of that stubborn crew
Of errant saints, whom all men grant
To be the true church militant;
Such as do build their faith upon
The holy text of pike and gun;
Decide all controversies by
Infallible artillery,
And prove their doctrine orthodox
By apostolic blows and knocks;
Call fire,...
A Thanksgiving to God for a House in the Green Parish of Devonshire
LORD, thou hast given me a cell
Wherein to dwell,
A little house, whose humble roof
Is weather proof;
Under the sparres of which I lie,
Both soft and drie;
Where thou, my chamber for to ward,
Hast set a guard
Of...
Sweet Peace, where dost thou dwell? I humbly crave,
Let me once know.
I sought thee in a secret cave;
And asked if Peace were there.
A hollow wind did seem to answer, “No!
Go, seek elsewhere.”
I did; and, going, did a rainbow note:
“Surely,” thought I,
“This is the lace of Peace’s coat....
