DIC,

Ede.

Condidit Herbertus. Dic, quibus auxiliis? Auxiliis multis: quibus, haud mihi dicere fas eft. Tanta eft ex dictis lis oriunda meis.

Gratia, fi dicam, dedit omnia; protinus obftat
Ingenium, dicens, cuncta fuiffe fua.

Ars negat, et nihil eft non noftrum dicit in illo;
Nec facile eft litem compofuiffe mihi.
Divide materiam det gratia, materiæque
Ingenium cultus induat, arfque modos.
Non ne difpliceat pariter res omnibus ifta,
Nec fortita velint jura vocare fua.

Nempe pari fibi jure petunt, cultufque, modofque,
Materiamque, ars, et gratia, et ingenium.
Ergo, velit fi quis dubitantem tollere elenchum,
De Templo Herberti talia dicta dabit.
In Templo Herbertus condendo eft gratia totus,
Ars pariter totus, totus et ingenium.

Cedite Romanæ, Graiiæ quoque cedite musæ;
Unum par cunctis Anglia jactat opus.

II. A STEPPING STONE

TO THE THRESHOLD OF MR. HERBERT'S

CHURCH-PORCH.

HAT Church is this? Chrift's Church. Who builded it?

WHAT

Master George Herbert. Who affisted it?
Many affifted: who I may not fay,

So much contention might arise that way.
If I fay grace gave all; wit straight doth thwart,
And fays, All that is there is mine: but Art
Denies, and fays, There's nothing there but's mine:
Nor can I eafily the right define.

Divide: fay, grace the matter gave, and wit
Did polish it: Art measured, and made fit,
Each several piece, and framed it altogether.
No, by no means: this may not please them neither.
None's well contented with a part alone,

When each doth challenge all to be his own.
The matter, the expreffions, and the measures,
Are equally art's, wit's, and grace's treasures.
Then he, that would impartially discuss
This doubtful question, must answer thus:
In building of his Temple, Mafter Herbert
Is equally all grace, all wit, all art.

Roman and Grecian Muses all give way:
One English Poem darkens all your day.

III. THE DEDICATION.

LORD, my firft fruits should have been fent to

For thou the tree,

That bare them, only lentest unto me.

But while I had the use, the fruit was mine:
Not fo divine

As that I dare presume to call it thine.

Before 'twas ripe it fell unto the ground :
And fince I found

It bruised in the dirt, nor clean, nor found.

[thee;

Some I have pick'd, and wiped, and bring thee now, Lord, thou know'ft how :

Gladly I would, but dare not it avow.

Such as it is, 'tis here. Pardon the best,
Accept the reft.

Thy pardon and acceptance maketh bleft.

TH

IV. THE CHURCH-YARD.

HOU that intendest to the Church to day, Come, take a turn, or two, before thou go'st, In the Churchyard; the walk is in thy way. Who takes beft heed in going, hafteth most : But he that unprepared rafhly ventures, Haftens perhaps to feal his death's indentures.

SER

V. THE CHURCH-STILE.

EEST thou that ftile? Obferve then how it rifes,
Step after step, and equally defcends :

Such is the way to win Celestial prizes:
Humility the course begins, and ends.

Wouldst thou in grace to high perfections grow ?
Shoot thy roots deep, ground thy foundations low.

Humble thyself, and God will lift thee up:
Those that exalt themselves he cafteth down:
The hungry he invites with him to fup;

And clothes the naked with his robe and crown.
Think not thou haft, what thou from him wouldst

have:

His labour's loft, if thou thyself canst save.

Pride is the prodigality of grace,

Which cafteth all away by griping all:
Humility is thrift, both keeps its place,
And gains by giving, rifeth by its fall.
To get by giving, and to lose by keeping,
Is to be fad in mirth, and glad in weeping.

VI. THE CHURCH-GATE.

NEXT to the file, fee where the gate dog fand,

Which, turning upon hooks and hinges may

Eafily be shut, or open'd with an hand:

Yet conftant to its centre still doth stay;

And fetching a wide compass round about,
Keeps the fame course, and distance, never out.

Such muft the course be that to heaven tends ;
He that the gates of righteousness would enter,
Muft ftill continue conftant to his ends,

And fix himself in God, as in his centre.

Cleave close to him by faith, then move which way Discretion leads thee, and thou shalt not stray.

We never wander, till we loose our hold
Of him that is our way, our light, our guide:
But, when we grow of our own ftrength too bold,
Unhook'd from him, we quickly turn aside.

He holds us up, whilft in him we are found:
If once we fall from him, we go to ground.

VII. THE CHURCH-WALLS.

NOW

OW view the walls: the Church is compaff'd As much for fafety, as for ornament: [round, 'Tis an inclosure, and no common ground; 'Tis God's freehold, and but our tenement. Tenants at will, and yet in tail, we be : Our children have the fame right to't as we.

Remember there must be no gaps left ope,
Where God hath fenced, for fear of false illusions.
God will have all, or none: allows no scope
For fin's encroachments, or men's own intrufions.
Close binding locks his Laws together fast:
He that plucks out the first, pulls down the last.