The Choice (‘The Designe’)

Summary

When first Eternity stoopt 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 don;

It was so wise

That it did prize

Things truly Greatest, fittest, fairest, best:

All such it made, and left the rest.

Then did it take such Care about the Truth,

Its Daughter, that, ev'n 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;

And be our own,

While we are Hers: And that a Virgin-Lov

Her best Inheritance might prov.

Thoughts undefiled, holy, good, and pure,

Thoughts worthy ever to endure,

Our first and disengaged Thoughts it lovs;

And therfore made the Truth,

In Infancy and tender Youth,

So obvious to

Our native View

That it doth prepossess our Soul, and provs

The Caus of what it always movs.

By Merit and Desire it doth allure,

For Truth is so divine and pure,

So rich and acceptable, being seen,

(Not parted, but i' th' whole)

That it doth draw and force my Soul,

As the Great Queen

Of Bliss; between

Whom and the Soul no one Pretender ought

Thrust in, to captivat a Thought.

Hence did Eternity contrive to make

The Truth so winning for our sake,

That being Truth, and fair, and easy too,

While it on all doth shine,

We might by it becom divine;

B'ing led to woo

The thing we view,

And as chast Virgins early with it join,

That by it we might likewise shine.

Eternity doth giv the Richest Things

To evry Man, and makes all Kings:

The Best and Choicest Things it doth convey

To All and evry One.

It raised Me unto a Throne!

Which I enjoy

In such a way,

That Truth her Daughter is my Only Bride,

Her Daughter Truth's my chiefest Pride.