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GOD IN THE CREATURE. PART I. (Book 1)
JUST were the Eye-lids of the Morn unstay'd,
And pleasant Light with nimble Wings dis∣play'd:
Guilding with silver Strakes each fitted Cloud,
Whilst early Larks their Mattens sung aloud
A grateful Hymn to welcome the glad sight
Of Heav'ns First-born Blessing, Earth's Delight,
The smile of Nature, and bright Paraphrase
On other Blessings, finer of the Cha's:
When he who never sleeps, lightned mine eyes,
Bad me to life from death-like sleep arise:
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Whether some subtil Beam my clouded sense
Pierc'd, or Lights secret quickning influence;
I knew 'twas day, left Sleep and Bed, which have
Such lively Pictures of sad Death and Grave:
And having lift to him my Heart and Voice,
Who makes each Morn's out-going to rejoice;
I and my Friend pursu'd our wont delights,
With new fresh Air to recreate our Sp'rits;
Our Walk a River bounded on one side,
Whose Chrystal Streams with lulling Murmurs glide
By goodly florid Banks: On th' other hand
An Ancient Venerable Grove did stand;
A Grove, which Nature strove to beautifie
With much and wonderful Variety:
Tho well-bough'd Trees gave a refreshing Shade,
Yet Phoebus gentle Beams of Flowers made,
Of Herbs and Fruits such stores as might content
The exigence of Use and Ornament:
O rural, sweetest pleasures! here a mind
Abstract from Earth, lost Paradise might find,
Enjoying Paradise's chiefest Grace,
Whilst she contemplates God in Natures Face:
The Birds among the Branches Anthems chant
To his great VVisdoms Excellence, which can't
Forget to teach, how they all Art may shame,
In building Houses of exactest frame;
Higher and lower as by Prophesie:
VVhat would th' approachng Summers temper be,
To nurse their dear young in, till they them bring,
To trust in open Heaven to their VVing.
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Here poor young Ravens by unnatural
Parents expos'd; gaping to Heaven call,
VVhich hears their piteous Importunities,
And answers their dumb Pray'rs with quick supplies;
Filling their mouths with Flies, or fertile Dews,
Or somewhat else: But whatsoe're we chuse,
Of Divine Goodness here's a pregnant sense,
And signal wonder of its Providence:
This all the neighbouring fields and vallies round,
In ecchoing responses still resound:
All Cattel using Morn, Noon, Evening-tide,
One Common-Prayer to him that doth provide
Their food in season, rewards liberally
Their Nat'ral Religions Liturgy:
Immence Intelligence! which bruits dost guide,
By rules above all Philosophick Pride:
Men call them natural instincts, imprest
On their wild Fancies, leading to the best
Preservatives of their dear natures good,
As if by reasons conduct understood.
How would the new-hatch'd Duck by innate Love,
VVithout example, to the Puddles move?
The untaught Cockatrice into the ground
An entry strive to make where none was found?
VVhilst gen'rous Eagles from a like delight,
Attempt with unfletcht wings, a nobler flight:
What other dictates prompt young Hares, or Deer,
Ne'r yet made game, to flee with swift-foot, fear
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The little Hound, who graze, yet never quake,
By fierce-lookt Bulls of a tremendous make.
Nor do the meanest Vegetables want
Their part in this; good God's on every Plant;
Each shows a signature unto the eye;
A fair plain impress of Divinity;
Which no malicious hand can ere deface,
But ruining the creatures native Grace:
No more than that fam'd Artizan's great name,
To whom Minerva's Target ow'd its Frame,
Would to be raz'd by time, or envy, yield,
Without the joint-defacing of the Shield:
Their cunning make contriv'd so curiously,
Of parts a useful multiplicity;
Their due observance of set-times for growth,
Some with more speed, and some with greater sloth,
That strange variety which may be found,
In one good natur'd little plot of Ground;
Their charming beauties, Perfumes natural,
And active Virtues most Medicinal:
Their occult sympathetick Qualities,
With their eternal strange Antipathies:
All which we here contemplate, sober sense,
In force to own, to proclaim Providence:
But, vanity of men! we disbelieve
What's far remote, with disregard receive
What's nigh, as if who nearest Temples lye,
Were re'lly farthest from the Deity.
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Plant Animal, within our walk ne're moves,
Nor can we speak of the Palmetto's loves:
But here you'l see Lillies on every hand,
Cloath'd all with Virgin-white in orders stand;
Which tho themselves do neither toil nor spin,
Yet far outgallant Israel's pompous King;
Yes, in the most serene and brightest day
Of his most flourishing and glorious May.
So that thy Faith, Reason, and Sense shall yield
A God to cloath the Lillies of the Field.
Nor is young Eglantine here without sense
Of his sweet, kind, benign Influence;
Which through its uncleft vail steals safely home,
VVith virile heat into its Virgin-womb;
When round it first a spinie fence he forms,
To shroud its tender tirements from the storms;
Replete with Heavens Dews, it spreads, and swells,
Grows fair, full-cheek'd, yet by its blushes tells,
And tacitely confesses, that it knows,
'Tis not to be compar'd with Sharon's Rose.
Thus by these sensless beauties excellence,
VVe guess at Beauties Flowers quintessence.
No wonder was a Garden first design'd
For mans most noble contemplating mind;
The Scene of the First Adam's Happiness,
And of the Second Adam's great Converse:
Yet here our Veneration's much at odds,
VVith what Egypians paid their noble Gods:
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Their Gardens are their Temples, whence arise
Thick sets of Leek, and Onion Deities.
Sordid Religion! true, we can't neglect,
To visit our fair Grove with much respect;
A School of natural Theology,
Each Plant a Preacher of the Deity:
But to adore the work for Love or Fear,
Is to affront the Maker, not indear.
Yet I remind, I said, on t'other hand,
An Ancient Venerable Grove did stand;
Yes, Venerable for the Companies
Of sacred Creatures, dazling Mortal eyes:
VVhether they were of real Flesh refin'd,
Or else in any shapes were all pure mind,
I can't resolve; but where they trod, that ground,
Methinks, commands a Reverence profound;
'Twas here we heard a voice, as we pass'd by,
VVhich quickly mov'd our swift cur'osity:
VVe search'd, and looking round, my friend es∣py'd,
Under a Beech whose Boughs were thick and wide,
Two Nymphs; whose form and Visage did be∣speak
Something in them extraord'nary great,
But Dress and Gestures; some that sought relief,
Under a long and sore afflicting grief:
Alas! said he, two Angels from on high,
Come to Condole Caitiff Mans misery.