762 Divine protection. If angels fight, Weak men must fall; for heaven still guards the right. 763 Sincere devotion. When holy and devout religious men, 17-iii. 2. Are at their beads,* 'tis hard to draw them thence: So sweet is zealous contemplation. 764 24-iii. 7. Triumph over death. Holy Men, at their death, have good inspirations.† 765 The evil of contention between Christians. It was both impious and unnatural, That such immanity and bloody strife Should reign among professors of one faith. 9-i. 2. 21-v. 1. If when you make your prayers, God should be so obdurate as yourselves, 767 Earthly crosses and cares. 22-iv. 7. Comfort's in heaven; and we are on the earth, 768 17-ii. 2. Humility. More will I do: Though all that I can do is nothing worth ;|| Since that my penitence comes after all, Imploring pardon. 769 20-iv. 1. Joy in death. My joy is death; Death, at whose name I oft have been afeard, * Prayers. Barbarity, savageness. 22-ii. 4. † Gen. xlix. 18; 1. 24. 1 Cor. xv. 55. Ps. cxxx. 3. Luke xvii. 33. John xii. 25. To sue to live, I find, I seek to die; I myself will lead a private life, And in devotion spend my latter days, To sin's rebuke, and my Creator's praise.† 772 Joyous expectation of death. I every day expect an embassage From my Redeemer to redeem me hence.‡ 5-iii. 1. 23-iv. 6. 24-ii. 1. No longer mourn for me when I am dead, O, lest the world should task you to recite Poems. James iv. 14. Unless you would devise some virtuous lie, 775 His detestation of a theatrical life. Alas, 'tis true, I have gone here and there, Poems. Gored mine own thoughts, sold cheap what is most Most true it is, that I have look'd on truth [dear, Then give me welcome, next my heaven the best, O for my sake do thou with Fortune chide,* Poems. Than public means, which public manners breeds. *The editor is confident that our author, who was so sound a moralist, meant not by what he here says, to cast any reflection on Divine Providence. The expressions made use of are merely poetical Fortune, in the language of poetry, is an imaginary being, supposed to distribute the lots of life according to her own humour. † Vinegar. No bitterness that I will bitter think, Sin of self-love possesseth all mine eye, 778 Contemplation on the shortness of life. Poems. Poems. That time of year thou may'st in me behold, As after sun-set fadeth in the west; Which by and by black night doth take away, 779 An apostrophe to his soul. *'Vile body.' Phil. iii. 1. † Ps. xc. 10. Poems. Then, Soul, live thou upon thy servant's loss, 780 The foundation of his faith and hope in Christ alone. "In the name of God, amen. I, William Shakspeare, at Stratford-upon-Avon, in the county of Warwick, gent.; in perfect health and, memory God be praised! do make and ordain this, my last will and testament, in manner and form following; that is to say: 66 First, I commend my soul into the hands of God my creator, hoping, and assuredly believing, through the only merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour, to be made partaker of life everlasting; and my body to the earth whereof it is made." *Feeding upon Christ by faith. Luke xx. 36--55. 1 Cor. xv. 55. Rev. xxi. 4. |