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PREPAPATORY MEDITATIONS, 1ST SERIES: 31, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Begraced with glory, gloried with grace
Last Line: Out hallelujah for thy grace therein.
Subject(s): Puritans In Literature


Begraced with Glory, gloried with Grace,
In Paradise I was, when all Sweet Shines
Hung dangling on this Rosy World to face
Mine Eyes, and Nose, and Charm mine Eares with Chimes.
All these were golden Tills the which did hold
My evidences wrapt in glorious folds.

But as a Chrystall Glass, I broke, and lost
That Grace, and Glory I was fashion'd in
And cast this Rosy World with all its Cost
Into the Dunghill Pit, and Puddle Sin.
All right I lost in all Good things, each thing
I had did hand a Vean of Venom in.

Oh! Sad-Sad thing! Satan is now turnd Cook:
Sin is the Sauce he gets for ev'ry Dish.
I cannot bite a bit of Bread or Roote
But what is sopt therein, and Venomish.
Right's lost in what's my Right. Hence I do take
Onely what's poison'd by th'infernall Snake.

But this is not the Worst: there's worse than this.
My Tast is lost; no bit tasts sweet to mee,
But what is Dipt all over in this Dish
Of Ranck ranck Poyson: this my Sauce must bee.
Hell Heaven is, Heaven hell, yea Bitter Sweet:
Poison's my Food: Food poison in't doth keep.

What e're we want, we cannot Cry for, nay,
If that we could, we could not have it thus.
The Angell's can't devise, nor yet Convay
Help in their Golden Pipes from God to us.
But thou my Lord, (Heart leape for joy and sing)
Hast done the Deed: and't makes the Heavens ring.

By mee all lost, by thee all are regain'd.
All things are thus fall'n now into thy hande.
And thou steep'st in thy Blood what Sin had stain'd
That th'Stains, and Poisons may not therein stand.
And having stuck thy Grace all o're the same
Thou giv'st it as a Glorious Gift again.

Cleare up my Right, my Lord, in thee, and make
Thy Name stand Dorst upon my Soule in print,
In grace I mean, that so I may partake
Of what I lost, in thee, and of thee in't.
I'l take it then, Lord, at thy hand, and sing
Out Hallelujah for thy Grace therein.





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