Religion

Lord when the wise men came from farr

by Sidney Godolphin 1610–1643

From Metaphysical Lyrics & Poems of the Seventeenth Century, ed. H. J. C. Grierson (1921)

Religion

Lord when the wise men came from farr
Ledd to thy Cradle by A Starr,
Then did the shepheards too rejoyce,
Instructed by thy Angells voyce,
Blest were the wisemen in their skill,
And shepheards in their harmelesse will.

Wisemen in tracing natures lawes
Ascend unto the highest cause,
Shepheards with humble fearefulnesse
Walke safely, though their light be lesse:
Though wisemen better know the way
It seemes noe honest heart can stray.

Ther is noe merrit in the wise
But love, (the shepheards sacrifice).
Wisemen all wayes of knowledge past,
To th' shepheards wonder come at last,
To know, can only wonder breede.
And not to know, is wonders seede.

A wiseman at the Alter bowes
And offers up his studied vowes
And is received; may not the teares,
Which spring too from a shepheards feares,
And sighs upon his fraylty spent.
Though not distinct, be eloquent?

Tis true, the object sanctifies
All passions which within us rise,
But since noe creature comprehends
The cause of causes, end of ends,
Hee who himselfe vouchsafes to know
Best pleases his creator soe.

MLA

Godolphin, Sidney. “Lord when the wise men came from farr.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/godolphin/2/.

Chicago

Godolphin, Sidney. “Lord when the wise men came from farr.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/godolphin/2/.

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