How is this City, Lord, of thine bespangled With Graces shine? With Ordinances alli'de, and inam'led, Which are Divine? Walld in with Discipline her Gates obtaine Just Centinalls with Love Imbellisht plain. Hence glorious, and terrible she stands; That Converts new Seing her Centinalls of all demand The Word to shew; Stand gazing much between two Passions Crusht Desire, and Feare at once which both wayes thrust. Thus are they wrackt. Desire doth forward screw To get them in, But Feare doth backward thrust, that lies purdue, And slicks that Pin. You cannot give the word, Quoth she, which though You stumble on't its more than yet you know. But yet Desires Screw Pin doth not slack: It still holds fast. But Fears Screw Pin turns back or Screw doth Crack And breaks at last. Hence on they go, and in they enter: where Desire Converts to joy: joy Conquours Fear. They now enCovenant With God: and His: They thus indent. The Charters Seals belonging unto this The Sacrament So God is theirs avoucht, they his in Christ. In whom all things they have, with Grace are splic'te. Thus in the usuall Coach of Gods Decree They bowle and swim To Glory bright, if no Hypocrisie Handed them in. For such must shake their handmaid off lest they Be shakt out of this Coach, or dy in th'way. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ON A PALMETTO by SIDNEY LANIER THE SONG OF THE INGENUES by PAUL VERLAINE THE SWAN AND THE GOOSE by AESOP A MORNING THOUGHT by EDWARD ROWLAND SILL PRAYER OF THE LOST by ALETHEA TODD ALDERSON CLIO, NINE ECLOGUES IN HONOUR OF NINE VIRTUES: 1. TRUE AND CHASTE LOVE by WILLIAM BASSE THE PIONEER by HENRY MEADE BLAND MEDITATIONS FOR EVERY DAY IN PASSION WEEK: SATURDAY by JOHN BYROM |