To which he lent a corner of his eye.
As sin in Greece a prophet was before, *
And in old Rome a mighty emperor,
So now, being priest, he plainly did profess
To make a jest of Christ's three offices;
The rather since his scattered jugglings were
United now in one both time and sphere.
From Egypt he took petty deities,
From Greece oracular infallibilities,
And from old Rome the liberty of pleasure,
By free dispensings of the Church's treasure.
Then in memorial of his ancient throne,
He did surname his palace, Babylon.
Yet that he might the better gain all nations,
And make that name good by their transmigrations,
From all these places, but at divers times,
He took fine vizards to conceal his crimes ;
From Egypt anchorism and retiredness,
Learning from Greece, from old Rome stateliness,
And blending these, he carried all men's eyes,
While Truth sat by, counting his victories;
Whereby he grew apace and scorned to use
Such force as once did captivate the Jews;
But did bewitch, and finally work each nation
Into a voluntary transmigration.
All post to Rome: princes submit their necks
Either to his public foot or private tricks.
It did not fit his gravity to stir,
Nor his long journey, nor his gout and fur;
Therefore he sent out able ministers,
Statesmen within, without doors cloisterers ;
Who without spear, or sword, or other drum
Than what was in their tongue, did overcome;
And having conquered, did so strangely rule,
That the whole world did seem but the Pope's mule
As new and old Rome did one empire twist,
So both together are one Antichrist;
Yet with two faces, as their Janus was,
Being in this their old cracked looking-glass.
How dear to me, O God, Thy counsels are!
Who may with Thee compare?
Thus Sin triumphs in western Babylon;
Yet not as Sin, but as Religion.
Of his two thrones he made the latter best,
And to defray his journey from the East.
Old and new Babylon are to hell and night
As is the moon and sun to heaven and light.
When the one did set, the other did take place,
Confronting equally the law and grace.
They are hell's landmarks, Satan's double crest;
They are sin's nipples, feeding the East and West.
But as in vice the copy still exceeds
The pattern, but not so in virtuous deeds;
So though Sin made his latter seat the better,
The latter Church is to the first a debtor.
The second Temple could not reach the first ;
And the late reformation never durst
Compare with ancient times and purer years;
But in the Jews and us deserveth tears.
Nay, it shall ev'ry year decrease and fade,
Till such a darkness do the world invade
At Christ's last coming, as His first did find :
Yet must there such proportions be assigned
To these diminishings, as is between
The spacious world and Jewry to be seen.
Religion stands on tiptoe in our land,*
Ready to pass to the American strand.
When height of malice and prodigious lusts,
Impudent sinning, witchcrafts, and distrusts
(The marks of future bane) shall fill our cup
Unto the brim, and make our measure up;
When Seine shall swallow Tiber, and the Thames,
By letting in them both, pollutes her streams: †
When Italy of us shall have her will, ‡
And all her calendar of sins fulfil;
Whereby one may foretell what sins next year
Shall both in France and England domineer ;
Then shall Religion to America flee :
They have their times of Gospel, e'en as we.
My God, Thou dost prepare for them a way,
By carrying first their gold from them away;
For gold and grace did never yet agree :
Religion always sides with poverty.
We think we rob them, but we think amiss,-
We are more poor, and they more rich by this.
* "When Mr. Ferrar sent this work to Cambridge to be licensed for the press, the Vice-Chancellor would by no means allow the two so much noted verses, 'Religion stands on tiptoe,' &c. to be printed, and Mr. Ferrar would by no means allow the book to be printed and want them; but after some time, and some arguments for and against these being made public, the Vice-Chancellor said, 'I knew Mr. Herbert well, and know that he had many heavenly speculations and was a divine poet; but I hope the world will not take him to be an inspired prophet, and therefore I license the whole book.”—IZAAK WALTON.
† Admits Infidelity from France and Romanism from Italy. There does appear something prophetic in these lines, despite the Vice-Chancellor. Then Romanism shall fill the land.
Thou wilt revenge their quarrel, making grace
To pay our debts, and leave our ancient place
To go to them, while that which now their nation
But lends to us, shall be our desolation.
Yet as the Church shall thither westward fly,
So Sin shall trace and dog her instantly:
They have their period also and set times
Both for their virtuous actions and their crimes.
And where of old the Empire and the Arts
Ushered the Gospel ever in men's hearts,
Spain hath done one; when Arts perform the other, The Church shall come, and Sin the Church shall smother;
That when they have accomplished the round,
And met in the east their first and ancient sound, Judgment may meet them both, and search them round.
Thus do both lights, as well in Church as sun,
Light one another and together run.
Thus also sin and darkness follow still
The Church and sun with all their power and skill.
But as the sun still goes both west and east,
So also did the Church by going west
Still eastward go; because it drew more near
To time and place where judgment shall appear.
How dear to me, O God, Thy counsels are!
Who may with Thee compare?
KING of glory, King of Peace,
With the one make war to cease;
With the other bless Thy sheep,
Thee to love, in Thee to sleep.
Let not Sin devour Thy fold,
Bragging that Thy blood is cold;
That Thy death is also dead,
While his conquests daily spread;
That Thy flesh hath lost his food,
And Thy cross is common wood.
Choke him, let him say no more,
But reserve his breath in store,
Till Thy conquest and his fail
Make his sighs to use it all;
And then bargain with the wind
To discharge what is behind.
Blessed be God alone,
Thrice blessèd Three in one.
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