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| WHEN 1 first Eternity stoop’d down to nought | |
| And in the Earth its likeness sought, | |
| When first it out of nothing fram’d the skies, | |
| And form’d the moon and sun | |
| That we might see what it had done, | 5 |
| It was so wise | |
| That it did prize | |
| Things truly greatest, brightest, fairest, best, | |
| All which it made, and left the rest. | |
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| Then did it take such care about the Truth, | 10 |
| Its daughter, that even in her youth, | |
| Her face might shine upon us, and be known, | |
| That by a better fate, | |
| It other toys might antedate | |
| As soon as shewn; | 15 |
| And be our own, | |
| While we were hers; and that a virgin love | |
| Her best inheritance might prove. | |
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| Thoughts undefiled, simple, naked, pure; | |
| Thoughts worthy ever to endure, | 20 |
| Our first and disengagèd thoughts it loves, | |
| And therefore made the truth, | |
| In infancy and tender youth | |
| So obvious to | |
| Our easy view | 25 |
| That it doth prepossess our Soul, and proves | |
| The cause of what it all ways moves. | |
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| By merit and desire it doth allure: | |
| For truth is so divine and pure, | |
| So rich and acceptable, being seen, | 30 |
| (Not parted, but in whole) | |
| That it doth draw and force the soul, | |
| As the great Queen | |
| Of bliss, between | |
| Whom and the soul, no one pretender ought | 35 |
| Thrust in to captivate a thought. | |
| |
| Hence did Eternity contrive to make | |
| The truth so fair for all our sake | |
| That being truth, and fair and easy too, | |
| While it on all doth shine, | 40 |
| We might by it become divine, | |
| Being led to woo | |
| The thing we view, | |
| And as chaste virgins early with it join, | |
| That with it we might likewise shine. | 45 |
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| Eternity doth give the richest things | |
| To every man, and makes all Kings. | |
| The best and richest things it doth convey | |
| To all, and every one, | |
| It raised me unto a throne! | 50 |
| Which I enjoy, | |
| In such a way, | |
| That truth her daughter is my chiefest bride, | |
| Her daughter truth’s my chiefest pride. | |
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| All mine! And seen so easily! How great, how blest! | 55 |
| How soon am I of all possest! | |
| My infancy no sooner opes its eyes, | |
| But straight the spacious Earth | |
| Abounds with joy, peace, glory, mirth, | |
| And being wise | 60 |
| The very skies, | |
| And stars do mine become; being all possest | |
| Even in that way that is the best. | |
