By Calves; and Sheep; by Heifers, and by Rams
By Birds, and Herbs, and by the blood of Lambs,
God ſpeaketh to him. And happy is he
That finds the light, and grace that in them be.
Be not too forward therefore to conclude,
That I want ſolidneſs, that I am rude:
All things ſoild in ſhew, not ſolid be;
All things in parables deſpiſe not we,
Leſt things moſt hurtful lightly we receive,
And things that good are, of our ſouls bereave,
My dark and cloudy words they do but hold
The Truth, as Cabinets incloſe the Gold.
The Prophets uſed much by Metaphors
To ſet forth Truth; Yea, who so considers
Chriſt, his Apoſtles too, shall plainly ſee,
That Truths to this day in such Mantles be.
Am I afraid to ſay that holy Writ
Which for its Stile, and Phraſe puts down all Wit
Is every where ſo full of all theſe things,
(Dark Figures, Allegories) yet there ſprings
From that ſame Book that lustre, and thoſe rayes
Of light, that turns our darkeſt nights to days.
Come, let my Carper, to his Life now look,
And find There darker lines then in my Book
He findeth any. Tea, and let him know,
That in his beſt things there are worse lines too.
May we but stand before impartial men,
To his poor One, I durſt adventure Ten,
That they will take my meaning in theſe lines
