Works

God suffers not His saints and servants dear
To have continual pain or pleasure here;
But look how night succeeds the day, so He
Gives them by turns their grief and jollity.

Afflictions bring us joy in times to come,
When sins, by stripes, to us grow wearisome.

A long life's-day I've taken pains
For very little, or no gains;
The evening's come, here now I'll stop,
And work no more, but shut up shop.

If Nature do deny
Colours, let Art supply.

Till I shall come again, let this suffice,
I send my salt, my sacrifice
To thee, thy lady, younglings, and as far
As to thy Genius and thy Lar;
To the worn threshold, porch, hall, parlour, kitchen,...

Paradise is, as from the learn'd I gather,
A choir of bless'd souls circling in the Father.

Let's strive to be the best; the gods, we know it,
Pillars and men, hate an indifferent poet.

Those ends in war the best contentment bring,
Whose peace is made up with a pardoning.

God pardons those who do through frailty sin,
But never those that persevere therein.

Were there not a matter known,
There would be no passion.

Pastoral Sung To The King

MON. Bad are the times. SIL. And worse than they are we.
MON. Troth, bad are both; worse fruit, and ill the tree:...

Kings must not use the axe for each offence:
Princes cure some faults by their patience.

Abundant plagues I late have had,
Yet none of these have made me sad:
For why? My Saviour with the sense
Of suff'ring gives me patience.

Great cities seldom rest; if there be none
T' invade from far, they'll find worse foes at home.

Who after his transgression doth repent,
Is half, or altogether innocent.

A man's transgressions God does then remit,
When man He makes a penitent for it.

Afflictions they most profitable are
To the beholder and the sufferer:
Bettering them both, but by a double strain,
The first by patience, and the last by pain.

God strikes His Church, but 'tis to this intent,
To make, not mar her, by this punishment;
So where He gives the bitter pills, be sure
'Tis not to poison, but to make thee pure.

Hast thou begun an act? ne'er then give o'er:
No man despairs to do what's done before.

Physicians fight not against men; but these
Combat for men by conquering the disease.