Either man's work or his own gifts; who best 10

Bear his mild yoke, they serve him beft: his state Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed,

And post o'er land and ocean without rest;
They also serve who only stand and wait.

XX.
To Mr. LAWRENCE.

Lawrence, of virtuous father virtuous son,

Now that the fields are dank, and ways are mire, Where shall we sometimes meet, and by the fire

Help waste a fullen day, what may be won From the hard seafon gaining ? time will run S

On smoother, till Favonius re-inspire The frozen earth, and clothe in fresh attire The lilly' and rose, that neither sow'd nor spun. What neat repast hall feast us, light and choice,

Of Attic taste, with wine, whence we may rise 10

To hear the lute well touch'd, or artful voice Warble immortal notes and Tuscan air?

He who of those delights can judge, and fpare To interpose them oft, is not unwise.

XXI.
To CYRIAC SKINNER.

Cyriac, whose grandfire on the royal bench
Of British Themis, with no mean applause
Proncunc'd and in his volumes taught our laws,

Which others at their bar so often wrench ;
To day deep thoughts resolve with me to drench 5

In mirth, that after no repenting draws ;
Let Euclid rett and Archimedes pause,
And whatthe Swede intends, and what the French,

Το

To measure life learn thou betimes, and know

Toward solid good what leads the neareft way; '10

For other things mild Heav'n a time ordains, And disapproves

that care, though wife in how, That with superfluous burden loads the day, And when God sends a chearful hour, refrains.

XXII.

2
To the same.
Cyriac, this three years day these eyes, though clear,
To outward view, of blemish or of spot,
Bereft of light their seeing have forgot,

Nor to their idle orbs doth fight appear
Of fun, or moon, or star throughout the year, 5

Or man, or woman. Yet I argue not
Against Heav'n's hand or will, nor bate a jot

Of heart or hope ; but still bear up and steer
Right onward. What supports me, doit thou ask?

Theconfcience, Friend, to have left them overply'd
In liberty's defense, my nobie task,
of which all Europe talks from side to side.
This thought might lead me through the world'svain
Content though blind, had I no better guide. [mask

XXIII.

On his deceased WIFE.
Methought I saw my late espoused saint

Brought to me like Alcestis from the grave,
Whom Jove's great son to her glad huiband gave,

Rescued from death by force, though pale and faint.
Mine, as whom washid from spot of child-bed taint 5

Purification in the old Law did lave,
And fuch, as yet once more I trust to have
Full light of her in Heav'n without restraint, ,

Camc

Came vested all in white, pure as her mind ;

Her face was veild, yet to my fancied fight "

Love, sweetness, goodness, in her person hind
So clear, as in no face with more delight.

But O as to embrace me she inclin'd,
I wak’d, the fled, and day brought back my night

PS A

L M S.

Psalm I. Done into verse, 1653

B

Less’d is the man who hath not walk'd astray

In counsel of the wicked, and i'th'way
Of finners hath not stood, and in the seat
Of scorners hath not sat. Bụt in the great
Jehovah's law is ever his delight,

5
And in his law he studies day and night.
He shall be as a tree which planted grows
By watry streams, and in his season knows
To yield his fruit, and his leaf shall not fall,
And what he takes in hand shall prosper all
Not so the wicked, but as chaff which fann'd
The wind drives, so the wicked shall not ktand
In judgment, or abide their trial then,
Nor finners in th' assembly of just men.
For the Lord knows th' upright way of the just, is
And the

way

of bad men to ruin must,
PsAL. II. done Aug. 8. 1653. Terzette,
HY do the Gentiles tumult, and the nations
Muse a vain thing, the kings of th'earth up-

stand
With pow'r, and princes in their congregations
Lay deep their plots together through each land

WH

IO

15

Against the Lord and his Messiah dear ?

5 Let us break off, say they, by strength of hand Their bonds, and cast from us, no more to wear,

Their twisted cords : Hewho in Heav'n doth dwell

Shall laugh, the Lord ihall seoff them, then fevere
Speak to them in his wrath, and in his fell
And fierce ire trouble them ; but I, faith he,

Anointed have my King (though ye rebel)
On Sion my holy' hill. A firm decree

I will declare; the Lord to me hath said
Thou art my Son, I have begotten thee
This day; ask of me, and the grant is made ;

As thy possession I on thee beltow

Th' Heathen, and as thy conquest to be fway'd Earth's utmoft bounds: them shalt thou bring fulllow

With iron scepter bruis'd, and them difperfe. 20

Like to a potter's vefsel shiver'd so.
And now be wilè at length ye Kings averse,
Be taught ye Judges of the earth, with fear

i
Jehovah serve, and let your joy converse
With trembling; kiss the Son lest he appear 25

In anger and ye perish in the way,

If once his wrath take fire like fuel fere.
Happy all those who have in him their stay.
Psal. III. Aug. 9. 1653. When he fled from

Abfalom.

L

ORD how many are my foes !

How many thofe
That in arms against me rise !

Many are they
That of

my

life distrustfully thus say,
No help for him in God there lies.
But thou Lord art my fhield, my glory,

Thee through my story

$

Th

Th'exalter of

my

head I count;
Aloud I cry'd
Unto Jehovah, he full soon reply'd
And heard me from his holy mount.
I lay and flept, I wak'd again,

For
my

sustain
Was the Lord. Of many

millions

15 The populous rout I fear not, though incamping round about They pitch against me their pavilions, Rife, Lord, lave me my God, for thou Halt smote ere now

20 On the cheek-hone all my foes,

Of men abhiprr’d Haft broke the teeth. This help was from the Lord; Thy blessing on thy people flows.

PsAL, IV, Aug. 10. 1653.

A

NSWER me when I call,

God of my righteousness,
In straits and in distress
Thou didst me disinthrall
And set at large ; now spare,

3
Now pity me, and hear my earnest pray'r.
Great ones how long will ye
My glory have in scorn,
How long be thus forborn
Still to love vanity
To love, to seek, to prize

Things false and vain, and nothing else but lies? Yet know the Lord hath chofe, Chose to himself apart, The good and meek of heart

$$ (For whom to choose he knows)

Jehovah