If we be two; we are two so

As stiff twin-compasses are two :

Thy soul, the fixt foot, makes no show
To move, but does if th'other do.

And though thine in the center sit,
Yet, when my other far does roam,
Thine leans and hearkens after it,
And grows erect as mine comes home.

Such thou must be to me, who must,
Like th'other foot, obliquely run :
Thy firmness makes my circle just,
And me to end where I begun.

I return from my account of the vision, to tell the reader, that both before Mr. Donne's going into France, at his being there, and after his return, many of the nobility, and others that were powerful at court, were watchful and solicitous to the king for some secular employment for him. The king had formerly both known and put a value upon his company, and had also given him some hopes of a stateemployment; being always much pleased when Mr. Donne attended him, especially at his meals, where there were usually many deep discourses of general learning, and very often friendly disputes or debates of religion betwixt his majesty and those divines, whose places required their attendance on him at those times; particularly the dean of the chapel, who then was bishop Montague (the publisher of the learned and eloquent works of his majesty) and the most reverend doctor Andrews, the late learned bishop of Winchester, who was then the king's almoner.

About this time there grew many disputes, that concerned the oath of supremacy and allegiance, in which the king had appeared, and engaged himself by his public writings now extant: and his majesty discoursing with Mr. Donne, concerning many of the reasons which are usually. urged against the taking of those oaths, apprehended such

a validity and clearness in his stating the questions, and his answers to them, that his majesty commanded him to bestow some time in drawing the arguments into a method, and then to write his answers to them; and, having done that, not to send, but be his own messenger, and bring them to him. To this he presently and diligently applied himself, and within six weeks brought them to him under his own hand-writing, as they be now printed; the book bearing the name of Pseudo-Martyr, printed anno 1610.

When the king had read and considered that book, he persuaded Mr. Donne to enter into the ministry; to which at that time he was, and appeared, very unwilling, apprehending it (such was his mistaken modesty) to be too weighty for his abilities: and though his majesty had promised him a favour, and many persons of worth mediated with his majesty for some secular employment for him, (to which his education had apted him,) and particularly the earl of Somerset, when in his greatest height of favour; who being then at Theobald's with the king, where one of the clerks of the council died that night, the earl posted a messenger for Mr. Donne to come to him immediately, and at Mr. Donne's coming, said, "Mr. Donne, to testify the "reality of my affection, and my purpose to prefer you, stay "in this garden till I go up to the king, and bring you "word that you are clerk of the council. Doubt not my "doing this, for I know the king loves you, and know the "king will not deny me." But the king gave a positive denial to all requests, and, having a discerning spirit, replied, "I know Mr. Donne is a learned man, has the abilities "of a learned divine, and will prove a powerful preacher; "and my desire is to prefer him that way, and in that way "I will deny you nothing for him." After that time, as he professethf, "the king descended to a persuasion, almost to "a solicitation, of him to enter into sacred orders:" which though he then denied not, yet he deferred it for almost three years. All which time he applied himself to an in

f In his Book of Devotions.

cessant study of textual divinity, and to the attainment of a greater perfection in the learned languages, Greek and Hebrew.

In the first and most blessed times of Christianity, when the clergy were looked upon with reverence, and deserved it, when they overcame their opposers by high examples of virtue, by a blessed patience and longsuffering; those only were then judged worthy the ministry, whose quiet and meek spirits did make them look upon that sacred calling with an humble adoration and fear to undertake it; which indeed requires such great degrees of humility, and labour, and care, that none but such were then thought worthy of that celestial dignity; and such only were then sought out, and solicited to undertake it. This I have mentioned, because forwardness and inconsideration could not in Mr. Donne, as in many others, be an argument of insufficiency or unfitness; for he had considered long, and had many strifes within himself concerning the strictness of life and competency of learning required in such as enter into sacred orders; and doubtless, considering his own demerits, did humbly ask God with St. Paul, "Lord, who is sufficient for "these things?" and with meek Moses, "Lord, who am I?” And sure if he had 'consulted with flesh and blood, he had not for these reasons put his hand to that holy plough. But God, who is able to prevail, wrestled with him, as the angel did with Jacob, and marked him; marked him for his own; marked him with a blessing, a blessing of obedience to the motions of his blessed Spirit. And then, as he had formerly asked God with Moses, "Who am I?" so now, being inspired with an apprehension of God's particular mercy to him, in the king's and others solicitations of him, he came to ask king David's thankful question, "Lord, who am I, that "thou art so mindful of me?" so mindful of me, as to lead me for more than forty years through this wilderness of the many temptations and various turnings of a dangerous life; so merciful to me, as to move the learnedest of kings to descend to move me to serve at the altar; so merciful to me,

as at last to move my heart to embrace this holy motion. Thy motions I will and do embrace: and I now say with the blessed virgin, "Be it with thy servant as seemeth best "in thy sight:" and so, blessed Jesus, I do take the cup of salvation, and will call upon thy name, and will preach thy gospel.

Such strifes as these St. Austin had, when St. Ambrose endeavoured his conversion to Christianity; with which he confesseth he acquainted his friend Alipius. Our learned author (a man fit to write after no mean copy) did the like. And declaring his intentions to his dear friend Dr. King, then bishop of London, a man famous in his generation, and no stranger to Mr. Donne's abilities, (for he had been chaplain to the lord chancellor, at the time of Mr. Donne's being his lordship's secretary;) that reverend man did receive the news with much gladness; and after some expressions of joy, and a persuasion to be constant in his pious purpose, he proceeded with all convenient speed to ordain him first deacon, and then priest not long after.

Now the English church had gained a second St. Austin, for I think none was so like him before his conversion; none so like St. Ambrose after it: and if his youth had the infirmities of the one, his age had the excellencies of the other; the learning and holiness of both.

And now all his studies, which had been occasionally diffused, were all concentred in divinity. Now he had a new calling, new thoughts, and a new employment for his wit and eloquence. Now all his earthly affections were changed into divine love; and all the faculties of his own soul were engaged in the conversion of others; in preaching the glad tidings of remission to repenting sinners, and peace to each troubled soul. To these he applied himself with all care and diligence: and now such a change was wrought in him, that he could say with David, "O how "amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord God of hosts!" Now he declared openly, that "when he required a temporal, "God gave him a spiritual blessing." And that "he was

"now gladder to be a doorkeeper in the house of God, ❝ than he could be to enjoy the noblest of all temporal employments."

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Presently after he entered into his holy profession, the king sent for him, and made him his chaplain in ordinary, and promised to take a particular care for his preferment.

And though his long familiarity with scholars and persons of greatest quality was such, as might have given some men boldness enough to have preached to any eminent auditory; yet his modesty in this employment was such, that he could not be persuaded to it, but went usually accompanied with some one friend, to preach privately in some village, not far from London; his first sermon being preached at Paddington. This he did, till his majesty sent and appointed him a day to preach to him at Whitehall; and though much was expected from him, both by his majesty and others, yet he was so happy (which few are) as to satisfy and exceed their expectations; preaching the word so, as shewed his own heart was possessed with those very thoughts and joys that he laboured to distil into others: a preacher in earnest; weeping sometimes for his auditory, sometimes with them; always preaching to himself, like an angel from a cloud, but in none; carrying some, as St. Paul was, to heaven in holy raptures, and enticing others by a sacred art and courtship to amend their lives: here picturing a vice so as to make it ugly to those that practised it, and a virtue, so as to make it beloved even by those that loved it not; and all this with a most particular grace and an inexpressible addition of comeliness.

There may be some that may incline to think (such indeed as have not heard him) that my affection to my friend hath transported me to an immoderate commendation of his preaching. If this meets with any such, let me entreat, though I will omit many, yet that they will receive a double witness for what I say; it being attested by a gentleman of worth, (Mr. Chidley, a frequent hearer of his sermons,) in