Eternity, the womb of things created, The endless bottom of duration, Whose half was always past, yet unbegun, And half behind still coming unabated; Whose thread conjoinèd, both unseparated, Is time, which dated is by motion; Eternity, whose real thoughts are one With God, that is everness actuated: O tie my soul unto this endless clew, That I may...Learn More

My friends, whose kindness doth their judgments blind, Know you, say they, the dangers where you run, Which zeal hides from you, but compassion Tells us? You feel the blow, the smart we find. I know it well, and as I call to mind, This is the bill: dearness, affection, Friends, fortune, pleasure, fame, hope, life undone, Want, prison, torment,...Learn More

Jesus is risen from the infernal mire: But who art thou that say'st Jesus arose? Such holy words are only fit for those Whose souls with Christ above the heavens aspire. But if thou hast not raisèd thy desire From earth to heaven, but in the world dost close Thy love which unto heaven thou shouldst dispose, Say not that Christ is yet ascended...Learn More

With heat and cold I feel the spiteful fiend To work one mischief by two contraries, With lust he doth me scorch, with languor freeze, But lust and languor both one Christ offend. Let contraries with contraries contend, Let fear of blame and love of Christ arise, Hot love of Christ to melt in tears mine eyes, Cold fear of just reproach my shame to...Learn More

The night, the starless night of passion From heaven began, on heaven beneath to fall, When Christ did sound the onset martial, A sacred hymn, upon his foes to run; That with the fiery contemplation Of love and joy, his soul and senses all Surcharged might not dread the bitter thrall Of pain and grief and torments all in one. Then since my holy...Learn More

Lord, I have left all and myself behind: My state, my hopes, my strength, and present ease, My unprovokèd studies' sweet disease, And touch of nature and engrafted kind, Whose cleaving twist doth distant tempers bind; And gentle sense of kindness that doth praise The earnest judgments, others' wills to please; All and myself I leave, thy love to...Learn More

Over the brook of Cedron Christ is gone, To entertain the combat with his death, Where David fled beforetime void of breath To scape the treacheries of Absalon. Go, let us follow him in passion, Over this brook, this world that walloweth, A stream of cares that drown our thoughts beneath, And wash away all resolution. Beyond the world he must be...Learn More

Up to Mount Olivet my soul ascend The mount spiritual, and there supply Thy fainting lamp with oil of charity To make the light of faith the more extend. Go by this tract which thither right doth tend, Which Christ did first beat forth to walk thereby, And sixteen ages of posterity Have gone it over since from end to end. But strike not down to any...Learn More

The first beginning of creation Was God; the end thereof in man was set; End and beginning were together met; So God and man became one person. Thus nature's circle as a ring doth run, Christ is the pale within whose circulet The seal of the divinity is knit, Which seal doth stand the Godhead's ring upon. So stand two rings upon one diamond; The...Learn More

O wretched man, the knot of contraries, In whom both heaven and earth doth move and rest, Heaven of my mind, which with Christ's love is blest, Death of my heart, which in dull languor lies! Yet doth my moving will still circulize My heaven about my earth with thoughts' unrest, Where reason as a sun from east to west Darteth his shining beams to...Learn More

The earth, which in delicious paradise Did bud forth man like cedars stately tall, From barren womb accursèd by the fall Doth thrust forth man as thorns in arm&eagrave;d wise, Darting the points of sin against the skies. With those thorns plaited was Christ's coronal, Which crowned him then with grief, but after all In heaven shall crown him, crown...Learn More

Though all forsake thee, Lord, yet I will die; For I have chainèd so my will to thine That I have no will left my will to untwine, But will abide with thee most willingly. Though all forsake thee, Lord, yet cannot I; For love hath wrought in me thy form divine That thou art more my heart than heart is mine: How can I then from myself, thyself,...Learn More