IN some good books one reads of a divine, Whose memorable case deserves a line; Who, to serve God the best and shortest way, Pray'd for eight years together every day, That in the midst of doctrines and of rules, However taught and practis'd by the schools, He would be pleas'd to bring him to a man Prepar'd to teach him the compendious plan. He was himself a @3doctor@1, and well read In all the points to which divines were bred; Nevertheless, he thought, that what concern'd The most illiterate as well as learn'd, To know and practise, must be something still More independent on such kind of skill: True christian worship had, within its root, Some simpler secret, clear of all dispute; Which, by a living proof that he might know, He pray'd for some practitioner to shew. One day, possess'd with an intense concern About the lesson which he sought to learn, He heard a voice that sounded in his ears— "Thou hast been praying for a man eight years; "Go to the porch of yonder church, and find "A man prepar'd according to thy mind." Away he went to the appointed ground; When, at the entrance of the church, he found A poor old beggar, with his feet full sore, And not worth two-pence all the cloaths he wore. Surpris'd to see an object so forlorn— @3My friend@1, said he, @3I wish thee a good morn@1— "Thank thee," replied the beggar, "but a bad "I don't remember that I ever had." @3Sure he mistakes@1, the doctor thought, @3the phrase— Good fortune, friend, befall thee all thy days!@1— "Me," said the beggar, "many days befall, "But none of them unfortunate at all"— @3God bless thee, answer plainly, I request@1, "Why, plainly then, I never was unblest"— @3Never? thou speakest in a mystic strain, Which more at large I wish thee to explain.@1— "With all my heart—Thou first didst condescend "To wish me kindly a good morning, friend; "And I replied, that I remember'd not "A bad one ever to have been my lot: "For, let the morning turn out how it will, "I praise my God for ev'ry new one still: "If I am pinch'd with hunger or with cold, "It does not make me to let go my hold; "Still I praise God—Hail, rain, or snow, I take "This blessed Cordial, which has pow'r to make "The foulest morning, to my thinking, fair; "For cold and hunger yield to praise and pray'r. "Men pity me as wretched, or despise; "But whilst I hold this noble exercise, "It cheers my heart to such a due degree, "That ev'ry morning is still good to me. "Thou didst, moreover, wish me lucky days, "And I, by reason of continual praise, "Said that I had none else; for come what would "On any day, I knew it must be good "Because God sent it; sweet or bitter, joy "Or grief, by this angelical employ, "Of praising Him, my heart was at its rest, "And took whatever happen'd for the best; "So that my own experience might say, "It never knew of an unlucky day. "Then didst thou pray—@3God bless thee@1—and I said "I never was unblest; for being led "By the Good Spirit of imparted grace "To praise his name, and ever to embrace "His righteous will, regarding that alone, "With total resignation of my own, "I never could, in such a state as this, "Complain for want of happiness or bliss; "Resolv'd, in all things, that the Will Divine, "The Source of all true blessing, should be mine." The doctor, learning from the beggar's case Such wondrous instance of the pow'r of grace, Propos'd a question, with intent to try The happy mendicant's direct reply— @3What wouldst thou say@1, said he, @3should God think fit To cast thee down to the infernal pit?@1 "He cast me down? He send me into hell? "No—He loves me, and I love Him too well: "But put the case He should, I have two arms "That will defend me from all hellish harms,— "The one, humility, the other, love; "These I would throw below Him and above; "One under his @3Humanity@1 I'd place, "His @3Deity@1 the other should embrace; "With both together so to hold Him fast, "That He should @3go@1 wherever He would @3cast@1, "And then, whatever thou shalt call the sphere, "Hell, if thou wilt, 'tis Heav'n if He be there." Thus was a great divine, whom some have thought To be the justly fam'd Taulerus, taught The holy art, for which he us'd to pray, That to serve God the most compendious way, Was to hold fast a loving, humble mind, Still praising Him, and to his will resign'd. |