In making bodies Love could not express Itself, or art; unless it made them less. O what a monster had in man been seen, Had every thumb or toe a mountain been! What worlds must he devour when he did eat? What oceans drink? Yet could not all his meat, Or stature, make him like an Angel shine; Or make his soul in glory more divine. A soul it is that makes us truly great, Whose little bodies make us more complete. An Understanding that is Infinite, An endless, wide, and everlasting sight, That can enjoy all things and nought exclude, Is the most sacred greatness may be viewed. 'Twas inconvenient that his bulk should be An endless hill; he nothing then could see: No figure have, no motion, beauty, place, No colour, feature, member, light, or grace: A body like a mountain is but cumber, An endless body is but idle lumber, It spoils converse, and Time itself devours, While meat in vain in feeding idle powers, Excessive bulk being most injurious found, To those conveniences which men have crown'd. His wisdom did His power here repress, God made man greater while He made him less. [FINITE YET INFINITE] His power bounded, greater is in might, Than if let loose 'twere wholly infinite. He could have made an endless Sea by this, But then it had not been a Sea of Bliss. Did water from the centre to the skies Ascend, 'twould drown whatever else we prize. The Ocean bounded in a finite shore, Is better far because it is no more, No use nor glory would in that be seen, His power made it endless in esteem. Had not the sun been bounded in its sphere, Did all the world in one fair flame appear, And were that flame a real infinite, 'Twould yield no profit, splendour, nor delight. Its corps confined and beams extended be Effects of wisdom in the Deity. One star made infinite would all exclude, An earth made infinite could ne'er be viewed. But one being fashioned for the other's sake, He bounding all, did all most useful make: And which is best, in profit and delight, Tho' not in bulk, they all are infinite. ON NEWS I News from a foreign country came, As if my treasure and my wealth lay there: So much it did my heart enflame 'Twas wont to call my soul into mine ear, Which thither went to meet The approaching sweet, And on the threshold stood, To entertain the unknown Good. It hovered there As if 'twould leave mine ear, And was so eager to embrace The joyful tidings as they came, 'Twould almost leave its dwelling-place, To entertain that same. II