George Withers' Emblemes

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Our 'Dayes^untiU our Life bath end,
In Labours, and in Hopes,"^ jf
end.
ILLVSTR.XVI. Book. 5
>S foone as our firft Parents difobey'd,
Forthwith a Curfe, for their offence, was Iayd,
Inforcing them, and their fucceeding race,
To get their Food,with fweatings of the Face.
Eut, afterward, this Doometo mitigate,
(And eafe the miferies of their eftate)
God gave them Hope, that (he might helpe them bearc
The burthens or their Travailc, and their care.
A Woman with an Anchor, and a Spade,
An Emblem ofthat Myfiery fe made
And, this Eftate, wee all continue in,
By God's free Mcrcic, and oor proper Sinne.
By Sinne, the Labour is ofi us intail'd ;
By Grace, it is, that Hoping hath notfail'd j
And, if in Hope,ow Labours wee attend,
That Cttrfe will prove a Blefing, in the end.
My Lot is Hope, and Labour • and, betwecne
ThefeTiva, my Life-time hath prolonged beene:
Yet, hitherto, thet)eft of all my Paine,
With molt of all my Hopes have beene in vainc i
And to the World-ward, I am like to waft
My time in fruirlcfTe labours, till the laft.
However, I have ftill my Hopes as faire '
As hee, that haih no temptingsto Defpatre •
And, change I will not, my laft homes for theirs,
Whofe Fonune, more dcfirable appeares 5
Nor ccafe to Hope and £