ANN COLLINS

ANN COLLINSc. 1650

c. 1650

The Winter being over,In order comes the Spring,Which doth green herbs discover,And cause the birds to sing.The night also expirèd,Then comes the morning bright,Which is so much desirèdBy all that love the light.This may learnThem that mourn,To put their grief to flight:The Spring succeedeth Winter,And day must follow night.He therefore that sustainethAffliction or distress,Which every member paineth,And findeth no release:Let such therefore despair not,But on firm hope depend,Whose griefs immortal are not,And therefore must have end.They that faintWith complaintTherefore are to blame:They add to their afflictions,And amplify the same.

The Winter being over,In order comes the Spring,Which doth green herbs discover,And cause the birds to sing.The night also expirèd,Then comes the morning bright,Which is so much desirèdBy all that love the light.This may learnThem that mourn,To put their grief to flight:The Spring succeedeth Winter,And day must follow night.He therefore that sustainethAffliction or distress,Which every member paineth,And findeth no release:Let such therefore despair not,But on firm hope depend,Whose griefs immortal are not,And therefore must have end.They that faintWith complaintTherefore are to blame:They add to their afflictions,And amplify the same.

The Winter being over,In order comes the Spring,Which doth green herbs discover,And cause the birds to sing.The night also expirèd,Then comes the morning bright,Which is so much desirèdBy all that love the light.This may learnThem that mourn,To put their grief to flight:The Spring succeedeth Winter,And day must follow night.He therefore that sustainethAffliction or distress,Which every member paineth,And findeth no release:Let such therefore despair not,But on firm hope depend,Whose griefs immortal are not,And therefore must have end.They that faintWith complaintTherefore are to blame:They add to their afflictions,And amplify the same.

The Winter being over,

In order comes the Spring,

Which doth green herbs discover,

And cause the birds to sing.

The night also expirèd,

Then comes the morning bright,

Which is so much desirèd

By all that love the light.

This may learn

Them that mourn,

To put their grief to flight:

The Spring succeedeth Winter,

And day must follow night.

He therefore that sustaineth

Affliction or distress,

Which every member paineth,

And findeth no release:

Let such therefore despair not,

But on firm hope depend,

Whose griefs immortal are not,

And therefore must have end.

They that faint

With complaint

Therefore are to blame:

They add to their afflictions,

And amplify the same.

Such is the force of each created thingThat it no solid happiness can bring,Which to our minds can give contentment sound;For, like as Noah’s dove no succour found,Till she return’d to him that sent her out,Just so, the soul in vain may seek aboutFor rest or satisfaction any where,Save in his presence who hath sent her here;Yea though all earthly glories should uniteTheir pomp and splendour to give such delight,Yet could they no more sound contentment bringThan star-light can make grass or flowers spring.

Such is the force of each created thingThat it no solid happiness can bring,Which to our minds can give contentment sound;For, like as Noah’s dove no succour found,Till she return’d to him that sent her out,Just so, the soul in vain may seek aboutFor rest or satisfaction any where,Save in his presence who hath sent her here;Yea though all earthly glories should uniteTheir pomp and splendour to give such delight,Yet could they no more sound contentment bringThan star-light can make grass or flowers spring.

Such is the force of each created thingThat it no solid happiness can bring,Which to our minds can give contentment sound;For, like as Noah’s dove no succour found,Till she return’d to him that sent her out,Just so, the soul in vain may seek aboutFor rest or satisfaction any where,Save in his presence who hath sent her here;Yea though all earthly glories should uniteTheir pomp and splendour to give such delight,Yet could they no more sound contentment bringThan star-light can make grass or flowers spring.

Such is the force of each created thing

That it no solid happiness can bring,

Which to our minds can give contentment sound;

For, like as Noah’s dove no succour found,

Till she return’d to him that sent her out,

Just so, the soul in vain may seek about

For rest or satisfaction any where,

Save in his presence who hath sent her here;

Yea though all earthly glories should unite

Their pomp and splendour to give such delight,

Yet could they no more sound contentment bring

Than star-light can make grass or flowers spring.


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