And the same night that he had his induction, he said to Mr. Woodnot,
"I now look back upon my aspiring thoughts, and think myself more
happy than if I had attained what then I so ambitiously thirsted for.
And I now can behold the Court with an impartial eye, and see plainly
that it is made up of fraud and titles, and flattery, and many other
such empty, imaginary, painted pleasures; pleasures, that are so
empty, as not to satisfy when they are enjoyed. But in God, and his
service, is a fulness of all joy and pleasure, and no satiety. And I
will now use all my endeavours to bring my relations and dependents to
a love and reliance on Him, who never fails those that trust him. But
above all, I will be sure to live well, because the virtuous life of
a Clergyman is the most powerful eloquence to persuade all that see
it to reverence and love, and at least to desire to live like him. And
this I will do, because I know we live in an age that hath more need
of good examples than precepts. And I beseech that God, who hath
honoured me so much as to call me to serve him at his altar, that as
by his special grace he hath put into my heart these good desires
and resolutions; so he will, by his assisting grace, give me ghostly
strength to bring the same to good effect. And I beseech him, that my
humble and charitable life may so win upon others, as to bring glory
to my Jesus, whom I have this day taken to be my Master and Governor;
and I am so proud of his service, that I will always observe, and
obey, and do his will; and always call him, Jesus my Master; and I
will always contemn my birth, or any title or dignity that can be
conferred upon me, when I shall compare them with my title of being a
Priest, and serving at the Altar of Jesus my Master."
[Sidenote: "The Odour"]
And that he did so, may appear in many parts of his book of Sacred
Poems: especially in that which he calls "The Odour." In which he
seems to rejoice in the thoughts of that word Jesus, and say, that
the adding these words, my Master, to it, and the often repetition of
them, seemed to perfume his mind, and leave an oriental fragrancy in
his very breath. And for his unforced choice to serve at God's altar,
he seems in another place of his poems, "The Pearl," (Matt. xiii. 45,
46,) to rejoice and say--"He knew the ways of learning; knew what
nature does willingly, and what, when it is forced by fire; knew the
ways of honour, and when glory inclines the soul to noble expressions;
knew the Court; knew the ways of pleasure, of love, of wit, of music,
and upon what terms he declined all these for the service of his
Master Jesus;" and then concludes, saying,
That, through these labyrinths, not my grovelling wit,
But thy silk twist, let down from Heaven to me,
Did both conduct, and teach me, how by it To climb to thee.
[Sidenote: A Priest's Wife]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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