Beauteous Saint!

​Dear, beauteous Saint! more white then day, 
When in his naked, pure array; 
Fresher then morning-flowers which shew 
As thou in tears dost, best in dew. 
How art thou chang’d! how lively-fair, 
Pleasing and innocent an air, 
Not tutor’d by thy glass, but free, 
Native and pure shines now in thee! 
But since thy beauty doth still keep 
Bloomy and fresh, why dost thou weep? 
This dusky state of sighs and tears 
Durst not look on those smiling years, 
When Magdal-castle was thy seat, 
Where all was sumptuous, rare and neat 
Why lies this Hair despised now 
Which once thy care and art did show? 
Who then did dress the much lov’d toy, 
In Spires, Globes, angry Curls and coy, 
Which with skill’d negligence seem’d shed 
About thy curious, wilde, yong head? 
Why is this rich, this Pistic Nard 
Spilt, and the box quite broke and marr’d? 
What pretty sullenness did hast 
Thy easie hands to do this waste? 
Why art thou humbled thus, and low 
As earth, thy lovely head dost bow? 
Dear Soul! thou knew’st, flowers here on earth 
At their Lords foot-stool have their birth; 
Therefore thy wither'd self in haste 
Beneath his blest feet thou didst cast, 
That at the root of this green tree 
Thy great decays restor’d might be. 
Thy curious vanities and rare; 
Odorous ointments kept with care, 
And dearly bought, (when thou didst see 
They could not cure, nor comfort thee,) 
Like a wise, early Penitent 
Thou sadly didst to him present, 
Whose interceding, meek and calm 
Blood, is the worlds all-healing Balm 
This, this Divine Restorative 
Call’d forth thy tears, which ran in live 
And hasty drops, as if they had 
(Their Lord so near) sense to be glad 
Learn, Ladies , here the faithful cure 
Makes beauty lasting, fresh and pure; 
Learn Marys art of tears, and then 
Say, You have got the day from men . 
Cheap, mighty Art! her Art of love, 
Who lov’d much and much more could move; 
Her Art! whose memory must last 
Till truth through all the world be past, 
Till his abus’d, despised flame 
Return to Heaven, from whence it came, 
And send a fire down, that shall bring 
Destruction on his ruddy wing. 

Her Art! whose pensive, weeping eyes, 
Were once sins loose and tempting spies, 
But now are fixed stars, whose light 
Helps such dark straglers to their sight. 

Self-boasting Pharisee ! how blinde 
A Judge wert thou, and how unkinde? 
It was impossible, that thou 
Who wert all false, should’st true grief know; 
Is’t just to judge her faithful tears 
By that foul rheum thy false eye wears? 

This Woman (say’st thou) is a sinner: 
And sate there none such at thy dinner? 
Go Leper, go; wash till thy flesh 
Comes like a childes, spotless and fresh; 
He is still leprous, that still paints: 
Who Saint themselves, they are no Saints.

Henry Vaughan, 1621-1695

O Almighty God, whose blessed Son did call and sanctify Mary Magdalene to be a witness to his Resurrection: mercifully grant that by thy grace, and assisted by her prayers, we may be healed of all our infirmities, and always serve thee in the power of his endless life; who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. - Divine Worship: The Missal.