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THOMAS NEVYLE. MOST HEAVENLY.
AS when the Captaine of the heauenly host,
Or else that glorious armie doth appeare
In waters drown'd, with surging billowes tost,
We know they are not, where we see they are;
We see them in the deepe, we see them mooue,
We know they fixed are in heauen aboue:
So did the Sunne of righteousnesse come downe
Clowded in flesh, and seem'd be in the deepe:
So doe the many waters seeme to drowne
The starres his Saints, and they on earth to keepe,
And yet this Sunne from heauen neuer fell,
And yet these earthly starres in heauen dwell.
What if their soules be into prison cast
In earthly bodies? yet they long for heauen:
What if this worldly Sea they haue not past?
Yet faine they would be brought into their hauen.
They are not here, and yet we here them see,
For euery man is there, where he would be.
Long may you wish, and yet long wish in vaine,
Hence to depart, and yet that wish obtaine.
Long may you here in heauen on earth remaine,
And yet a heauen in heauen hereafter gaine.
Go you to heauen, but yet O make no hast,
Go slowly slowly, but yet go at last.
But when the Nightingale so neere doth sit,
Silence the Titmouse better may befit.
F. Nethersole.