CXXVI The Christian’s Reply to the Philosopher
The good in graves as heavenly seed are sown;
And at the saints’ first spring, the general doom,
Will rise, not by degrees, but fully blown;
When all the angels to their harvest come.
Cannot Almighty Heaven (since flowers which pass 5
Thawed through a still, and there melt mingled too,
Are raised distinct in a poor chymist’s glass)
Do more in graves than men in limbecs do?
God bred the arts, to make us more believe
(By seeking nature’s covered mysteries,) 10
His darker works, that faith may thence conceive
He can do more than what our reason sees.
O coward faith! religion’s trembling guide!
Whom ev’n the dim-eyed arts must lead to see
What nature only from our sloth does hide, 15
Causes remote, which faith’s dark dangers be.
Religion, ere imposed, should first be taught;
Not seem to dull obedience ready laid,
Then swallowed straight for ease, but long be sought;
And be by reason counselled, though not swayed. 20
God has enough to human kind disclosed;
Our fleshly garments He a while received,
And walked as if the Godhead were deposed,
Yet could be then but by a few believed.
The faithless Jews will this at doom confess, 25
Who did suspect Him for his low disguise:
But, if He could have made his virtue less,
He had been more familiar to their eyes.
Frail life! in which, through mists of human breath
We grope for truth, and make our progress slow, 30
Because by passion blinded; till, by death
Our passions ending, we begin to know.
O reverend death! whose looks can soon advise
Even scornful youth, whilst priests their doctrine waste;
Yet mocks us too; for he does make us wise, 35
When by his coming our affairs are past.
O harmless death! whom still the valiant brave,
The wise expect, the sorrowful invite,
And all the good embrace, who know the grave
A short dark passage to eternal light.
Sir William Davenant.