Poetical Works of Edmund Waller and Sir John Denham Part 34

What use of oaths, of promise, or of test, Where men regard no G.o.d but interest? 30 What endless war would jealous nations tear, If none above did witness what they swear?

Sad fate of unbelievers, and yet just, Among themselves to find so little trust!

Were Scripture silent, Nature would proclaim, Without a G.o.d, our falsehood and our shame.

To know our thoughts the object of his eyes, Is the first step t'wards being good or wise; For though with judgment we on things reflect, Our will determines, not our intellect. 40 Slaves to their pa.s.sion, reason men employ Only to compa.s.s what they would enjoy.

His fear to guard us from ourselves we need, And Sacred Writ our reason does exceed; For though heaven shows the glory of the Lord, Yet something s.h.i.+nes more glorious in His Word; His mercy this (which all His work excels!) His tender kindness and compa.s.sion tells; While we, inform'd by that celestial Book, Into the bowels of our Maker look. 50 Love there reveal'd (which never shall have end, Nor had beginning) shall our song commend; Describe itself, and warm us with that flame Which first from heaven, to make us happy, came.

[1] 'Late philosophy': that of Copernicus.

CANTO II.

The fear of h.e.l.l, or aiming to be bless'd, Savours too much of private interest.

This moved not Moses, nor the zealous Paul, 57 Who for their friends abandon'd soul and all;[1]

A greater yet from heaven to h.e.l.l descends, To save, and make his enemies his friends.

What line of praise can fathom such a love, Which reach'd the lowest bottom from above?

The royal prophet,[2] that extended grace From heaven to earth, measured but half that s.p.a.ce.

The law was regnant, and confined his thought; h.e.l.l was not conquer'd when that poet wrote; Heaven was scarce heard of until He came down, To make the region where love triumphs known.

That early love of creatures yet unmade, To frame the world the Almighty did persuade; 70 For love it was that first created light, Moved on the waters, chased away the night From the rude Chaos, and bestow'd new grace On things disposed of to their proper place; Some to rest here, and some to s.h.i.+ne above; Earth, sea, and heaven, were all th'effects of love.

And love would be return'd; but there was none That to themselves or others yet were known; The world a palace was without a guest, Till one appears that must excel the rest; 80 One! like the Author, whose capacious mind Might, by the glorious work, the Maker find; Might measure heaven, and give each star a name; With art and courage the rough ocean tame; Over the globe with swelling sails might go, And that 'tis round by his experience know; Make strongest beasts obedient to his will, And serve his use the fertile earth to till.

When, by His Word, G.o.d had accomplish'd all, 89 Man to create He did a council call; Employed His hand, to give the dust He took A graceful figure, and majestic look; With His own breath convey'd into his breast Life, and a soul fit to command the rest; Worthy alone to celebrate His name For such a gift, and tell from whence it came.

Birds sing His praises in a wilder note, But not with lasting numbers and with thought, Man's great prerogative! but above all His grace abounds in His new fav'rite's fall. 100

If He create, it is a world He makes; If He be angry, the creation shakes; From His just wrath our guilty parents fled; He cursed the earth, but bruised the serpent's head.

Amidst the storm His bounty did exceed, In the rich promise of the Virgin's seed; Though justice death, as satisfaction, craves, Love finds a way to pluck us from our graves.

[1] 'Abandoned soul and all': Exodus x.x.xii. 32. Ep. to the Romans ix. 3.

[2]: 'Royal prophet': David.

CANTO III.

Not willing terror should His image move; He gives a pattern of eternal love; 110 His Son descends to treat a peace with those Which were, and must have ever been, His foes.

Poor He became, and left His glorious seat To make us humble, and to make us great; His business here was happiness to give To those whose malice could not let Him live.

Legions of angels, which He might have used, (For us resolved to perish) He refused; While they stood ready to prevent His loss, Love took Him up, and nail'd Him to the cross. 120

Immortal love! which in His bowels reign'd, That we might be by such great love constrain'd To make return of love. Upon this pole Our duty does, and our religion, roll.

To love is to believe, to hope, to know; 'Tis an essay, a taste of heaven below!

He to proud potentates would not be known; Of those that loved Him He was hid from none.

Till love appear we live in anxious doubt; But smoke will vanish when the flame breaks out; 130 This is the fire that would consume our dross, Refine, and make us richer by the loss.

Could we forbear dispute, and practise love, We should agree as angels do above.

Where love presides, not vice alone does find No entrance there, but virtues stay behind; Both faith, and hope, and all the meaner train Of mortal virtues, at the door remain.

Love only enters as a native there, For, born in heaven, it does but sojourn here. 140

He that alone would wise and mighty be, Commands that others love as well as He.

Love as He loved!--How can we soar so high?-- He can add wings, when He commands to fly.

Nor should we be with this command dismay'd; He that examples gives, will give His aid; For He took flesh, that where His precepts fail, His practice as a pattern may prevail.

His love, at once, and dread, instruct our thought; As man He suffer'd, and as G.o.d He taught. 150 Will for the deed He takes; we may with ease Obedient be, for if we love we please.

Weak though we are, to love is no hard task, And love for love is all that Heaven does ask.

Love! that would all men just and temp'rate make, 155 Kind to themselves, and others, for His sake.

'Tis with our minds as with a fertile ground, Wanting this love they must with weeds abound, (Unruly pa.s.sions), whose effects are worse Than thorns and thistles springing from the curse. 160

CANTO IV.

To glory man, or misery, is born, Of his proud foe the envy, or the scorn; Wretched he is, or happy, in extreme; Base in himself, but great in Heaven's esteem; With love, of all created things the best; Without it, more pernicious than the rest; For greedy wolves unguarded sheep devour But while their hunger lasts, and then give o'er; Man's boundless avarice his wants exceeds, And on his neighbours round about him feeds. 170

His pride and vain ambition are so vast, That, deluge-like, they lay whole nations waste.

Debauches and excess (though with less noise) As great a portion of mankind destroys.

The beasts and monsters Hercules oppress'd, Might in that age some provinces infest; These more destructive monsters are the bane Of every age, and in all nations reign; But soon would vanish, if the world were bless'd With sacred love, by which they are repress'd. 180

Impendent death, and guilt that threatens h.e.l.l, Are dreadful guests, which here with mortals dwell; And a vex'd conscience, mingling with their joy Thoughts of despair, does their whole life annoy; But love appearing, all those terrors fly; We live contented, and contented die.

They in whose breast this sacred love has place, 187 Death, as a pa.s.sage to their joy, embrace.

Clouds and thick vapours, which obscure the day, The sun's victorious beams may chase away; Those which our life corrupt and darken, love (The n.o.bler star!) must from the soul remove.

Spots are observed in that which bounds the year; This brighter sun moves in a boundless sphere; Of heaven the joy, the glory, and the light, s.h.i.+nes among angels, and admits no night.

CANTO V.

This Iron Age (so fraudulent and bold!) Touch'd with this love, would be an Age of Gold; Not, as they feign'd, that oaks should honey drop, Or land neglected bear an unsown crop; 200 Love would make all things easy, safe, and cheap; None for himself would either sow or reap; Our ready help, and mutual love, would yield A n.o.bler harvest than the richest field.

Famine and death, confined to certain parts, Extended are by barrenness of hearts.

Some pine for want where others surfeit now; But then we should the use of plenty know.

Love would betwixt the rich and needy stand, And spread heaven's bounty with an equal hand; 210 At once the givers and receivers bless, Increase their joy, and make their suff'ring less.

Who for Himself no miracle would make, Dispensed with sev'ral for the people's sake; He that, long fasting, would no wonder show, Made loaves and fishes, as they ate them, grow.

Of all His power, which boundless was above, Here He used none but to express His love; And such a love would make our joy exceed, 219 Not when our own, but other mouths we feed.

Laws would be useless which rude nature awe; Love, changing nature, would prevent the law; Tigers and lions into dens we thrust, But milder creatures with their freedom trust.

Devils are chain'd, and tremble; but the Spouse No force but love, nor bond but bounty, knows.

Men (whom we now so fierce and dangerous see) Would guardian angels to each other be; Such wonders can this mighty love perform, Vultures to doves, wolves into lambs transform! 230 Love what Isaiah prophesied can do,[1]

Exalt the valleys, lay the mountains low, Humble the lofty, the dejected raise, Smooth and make straight our rough and crooked ways.

Love, strong as death, and like it, levels all; With that possess'd, the great in t.i.tle fall; Themselves esteem but equal to the least, Whom Heaven with that high character has bless'd.

This love, the centre of our union, can Alone bestow complete repose on man; 240 Tame his wild appet.i.te, make inward peace, And foreign strife among the nations cease.

No martial trumpet should disturb our rest, Nor princes arm, though to subdue the East, Where for the tomb so many heroes (taught By those that guided their devotion) fought.

Thrice happy we, could we like ardour have To gain His love, as they to win His grave!

Love as He loved! A love so unconfined, With arms extended, would embrace mankind. 250 Self-love would cease, or be dilated, when We should behold as many selfs as men; All of one family, in blood allied, His precious blood, that for our ransom died.