Page:The Pilgrim's Progress, the Holy War, Grace Abounding Chunk1.djvu/12

8 Of all his postures? Yet there's none of these

Will make him master of what fowls he please.

Yea, he must pipe and whistle to catch this;

Yet, if he does so, that bird he will miss.

If that a pearl may in a toad's head dwell,

And may be found too in an oyster-shell;

If things that promise nothing do contain

What better is than gold, who will disdain,

That have an inkling of it, there to look,

That they may find it? Now, my little book

(Though void of all these paintings that may make

It with this or the other man to take)

Is not without those things that do excel

What do in brave but empty notions dwell.

Well, yet I am not fully satisfied,

That this book will stand when soundly tried.

Why, What's the matter? It is dark! What though?

But it is feigned. What of that? I trow

Some men, by feigned words, as dark as mine,

Make truth to spangle, and its rays to shine!

But they want solidness. Speak, man, thy mind!

They drown the weak; metaphors make us blind.

Solidity, indeed, becomes the pen

Of him that writeth things divine to men;

But must I needs want solidness, because

By metaphors I speak? Were not God's laws,

His gospel laws, in olden time held forth

By shadows, types and metaphors? Yet loath

Will any sober man be to find fault

With them, lest he be found for to assault

The Highest Wisdom. No; he rather stoops,

And seeks to din out what by pins and loops,