Classic Poem

The sixth daies worke.

O H the sweet sence of loues Humilitie,
Which feares displeasure in a dearest friend:
The only note of true Nobilitie,
Whose worthy Grace is graced without end:
While faithfull loue in humble Truth approued
Doth euer liue of God and Man beloued.

Her Grace is Gratious in the sight of God,
Makes men as Saints, and women Angels seeme:
Makes sinne forgotten. Mercy vse no Rod,
And constant Faith to grow to great esteeme:
And is in some a Blessing of the Highest,
And to the Nature of himselfe the Nighest.

It maketh Beauty like the Sunne to shine
As if on earth there were a heau'nly light:
It maketh Wit in Wisedome so diuine
As if the Eie had a Celestiall sight:
It is a Guide vnto that Hauen of Rest,
Where Blessed soules doe liue for euer blest.

In Christ it is a Grace of worthy Glory,
In Man from God, a gift of speciall Grace:
While in the state of Vertues honours story,
Wisedome doth finde it in perfections place:
And plac't so high in the Almighties loue,
As nothing more can Mercies comfort proue.

It makes the eye looke downe into the heart
The heart obedient vnto wit and sence:
And euery limbe to play a Seruants part
Vnto the will of Wits preheminence:
It brings the Minde vnto the Body so,
That one the other cannot ouergoe.

It is the death of pride and patience loue
Passions Phisitian Reasons Counsailour:
Religions Darling Labours Turtle Doue
Learnings Instructer, Graces Register:
Times best Attendant, and Truthes best Explainer
Vertues best Louer, and Loues truest Gainer.

It is the Princes Grace, the Subiects duty,
The Schollers lesson, and the Souldiours liue:
The Courtiers credite, and the Ladies Beauty,
The Lawyers vertue, and the loue diuine:
That makes all sences Gratious in his sight,
Where all true Graces haue their Glorious light.

It makes the heart fit for all good Impression
It doth prepare the spirit for perfection;
It brings the soule vnto her sinnes confession
It helpes to cleare the body from infection:
It is the meane to bring the minde to rest
Where heart, soule body minde and all are blest.

It made the Mother of the Sonne of God,
Gratious in him who made her full of Grace:
And on her Sonne it blessedly abode,
In bearing all the filthy worlds deface:
And in his Seruants for their Maisters loue
Did Faiths affections in their passions proue.

It saued Abrahams Sonne from Sacrifice,
When Isaaks death was quitted by the Ramme:
It saued Noah and his Progenies,
Where on the earth destructions Deluge came;
It saued Lot from hurt of Sodomes fire,
And Israel from cruell Pharaohs ire.

It wrought in Dauid Gratious penitence
In Niniute a sweet submission:
In Iob a famous blessed patience,
In Paule assurance of his sinnes Remission
In Iohn the habite of a holy loue,
In Christ the Grace that did all Glory proue.

It euer holds the hand of faithfulnes,
And euer keepes the Minde of Godlines,
And euer brings the heart to quietnes,
And euer leades the soule to happines:
And is a Vertue of that Blessednes,
That merits praise in highest worthines.

Oh how it gaines the Childe the Parents loue,
The wife her husband, and the seruants maisters:
Where humble faith in happy hopes behouue,
Findes patience care discomforts healing plaisters:
And truest course of cares Tranquillity
Only to rest but in Humility.

And since that in the life of humble loue
I see the way vnto the well of Blisse:
Where Patience doth in all perfection proue
Where the high Blessing of all Blessings is:
Let my soule pray that I may humbly sing
The heau'nly praises of my holy King.