Those thoughts His goodness long before Prepared as precious and celestial store, With curious art in me inlaid, That Childhood might itself alone be said My tutor, teacher, guide to be, Instructed then even by the Deity. DUMBNESS Sure Man was born to meditate on things, And to contemplate the eternal springs Of God and Nature, glory, bliss, and pleasure; That life and love might be his Heavenly treasure; And therefore speechless made at first, that He Might in himself profoundly busied be: And not vent out, before he hath ta'en in Those antidotes that guard his soul from sin. Wise Nature made him deaf, too, that He might Not be disturbed, while he doth take delight In inward things, nor be deprav'd with tongues, Nor injured by the errors and the wrongs That mortal words convey. For sin and death Are most infused by accursed breath, That flowing from corrupted entrails, bear Those hidden plagues which souls may justly fear. This, my dear friends, this was my blessed case; For nothing spoke to me but the fair face Of Heaven and Earth, before myself could speak, I then my Bliss did, when my silence, break. My non-intelligence of human words Ten thousand pleasures unto me affords; For while I knew not what they to me said, Before their souls were into mine convey'd, Before that living vehicle of wind Could breathe into me their infected mind, Before my thoughts were leaven'd with theirs, before There any mixture was; the Holy Door, Or gate of souls was close, and mine being one Within itself to me alone was known. Then did I dwell within a world of light, Distinct and separate from all men's sight, Where I did feel strange thoughts, and such things see That were, or seem'd, only reveal'd to me, There I saw all the world enjoyed by one; There I was in the world myself alone; No business serious seemed but one; no work But one was found; and that did in me lurk. D'ye ask me what? It was with clearer eyes To see all creatures full of Deities; Especially one's self: And to admire The satisfaction of all true desire: 'Twas to be pleased with all that God hath done; 'Twas to enjoy even all beneath the sun: 'Twas with a steady and immediate sense To feel and measure all the excellence Of things; 'twas to inherit endless treasure, And to be filled with everlasting pleasure: To reign in silence, and to sing alone, To see, love, covet, have, enjoy and praise, in one: To prize and to be ravish'd; to be true, Sincere and single in a blessed view Of all His gifts. Thus was I pent within A fort, inpregnable to any sin: Until the avenues being open laid Whole legions entered, and the forts betrayed: Before which time a pulpit in my mind,