Thy scourge of steel, Ah me! I feel Upon me beating ever: While my sick heart With dismal smart Is disacquainted never. Long, long, I'm sure, This can't endure, But in short time 'twill please Thee, My gentle God, To burn the rod, Or strike so as to ease me. 57. PATIENCE: OR, COMFORTS IN CROSSES. Abundant plagues I late have had, Yet none of these have made me sad: For why? My Saviour with the sense Of suff'ring gives me patience. 58. ETERNITY. O years! and age! farewell: Behold, I go Where I do know Infinity to dwell. And these mine eyes shall see All times, how they Are lost i' th' sea Of vast eternity. Where never moon shall sway The stars; but she And night shall be Drown'd in one endless day. 59. TO HIS SAVIOUR, A CHILD: A PRESENT BY A CHILD. Go, pretty child, and bear this flower Unto thy little Saviour; And tell Him, by that bud now blown, He is the Rose of Sharon known. When thou hast said so, stick it there Upon His bib or stomacher; And tell Him, for good handsel too, That thou hast brought a whistle new, Made of a clean strait oaten reed, To charm His cries at time of need. Tell Him, for coral, thou hast none, But if thou hadst, He should have one; But poor thou art, and known to be Even as moneyless as He. Lastly, if thou canst win a kiss From those mellifluous lips of His; Then never take a second on, To spoil the first impression. _Handsel_, earnest money. 60. THE NEW-YEAR'S GIFT. Let others look for pearl and gold, Tissues, or tabbies manifold: One only lock of that sweet hay Whereon the blessed baby lay, Or one poor swaddling-clout, shall be The richest New-Year's gift to me. _Tabbies_, shot silks. 61. TO GOD. If anything delight me for to print My book, 'tis this: that Thou, my God, art in't. 62. GOD AND THE KING. How am I bound to Two! God, who doth give The mind; the king, the means whereby I live. 63. GOD'S MIRTH: MAN'S MOURNING. Where God is merry, there write down thy fears: What He with laughter speaks, hear thou with tears. 64. HONOURS ARE HINDRANCES. Give me honours! what are these, But the pleasing hindrances? Stiles, and stops, and stays that come In the way 'twixt me and home; Clear the walk, and then shall I To my heaven less run than fly. 65. THE PARASCEVE, OR PREPARATION.