Psalmes and Hymnes of Praier and Thanksgiuing.
MADE By VVILLIAM BARLOW, Bishop of Lincolne, For his owne Chappell and Familie onelie.
Dulcis apud Deum Cantor est vir probus, quamuis sit [...].
HIERON. in Epist. ad Eph.
1613.
THE CONTENTS.
- THe Penitents Confession. Page 1
- The Sinners Confidence. 4
- Our Sauiours birth. 6
- Nouembers Thanks-giuing. 12
- Christs Resurrection. 17
- A Psalme for the Kings Maiesty, on the 24. of March. 24
PROPER PSALMES.
The Penitents Confession.
To the tune of the 51. Psalme.
The first part.
THy mercy, Lord, I wholly need,
Yet dare not craue it at thine hands;
Thou say'st his prayers shall not speed,
who is intrapt in sinfull bands:
Can I then hope, or boldly come,
which nothing am but filth and sinne;
Polluted from my mothers wombe,
in thought, in life, without, within?
2
Thy glorie doth amaze me quite,
consuming fire thou seem'st to me;
I feare and quake before thy sight,
mine heart doth faint, approching thee:
Thine anger hot 'gainst sinners is,
their sacrifice thou doost detest;
The cleansed hands, no thoughts amisse,
the purest life, doe please thee best.
3
How dare I then to th 'Heauens hie,
or Thee which sit [...]st in glory there,
Once looke, or lift my sinfull eye,
whose heart, whose thoughts, whose hands vncleere,
Corrupt, defil'd, distayned are,
most loathsome (which my selfe must rue)
If once my conscience do not spare
to lay them open vnto my view?
4
The guilt, the filth, the weight of sinne,
affrights, confounds, and makes me sinke:
Dismay, shame, sorrow, neuer linne,
but force me to the hopelesse brinke:
Thy wrath I feare, thine eyes I shunne,
my selfe I loath, mine heart I breake:
If mercy faile, I am vndone,
here must I die, here must I wreake.
5
But why should I doubt of thy grace,
or dread thy mercies sweet to craue,
Since thou desirest to turne thy face
on him which would thy mercies haue?
In iudgement thou doest not delight,
much grieuing at a sinners fall,
And tak'st it for despaire or spite,
if falne, he will not on thee call.
The second part.
TO Moses (Lord) thou dost proclaime
the selfe long-suffering, loth to strike:
[Page 3] Thy Prophets all assure the same,
that death of men thou doost not like:
Yea, thou expectest their returne,
and call'st vpon them thee to seeke:
Thou profer'st grace to men forlorne,
and shewst thy selfe a God most meeke.
2
But were thy proffers none at all,
or Prophets silent were herein:
No more assurance could befall,
then that thy Sonne did die for sinne.
Thy dearest Sonne, our Sauiour kind,
that spotlesse Lambe, the mighty God,
The skorne, yet ransome of mankind;
which felt, and brake thy furious rod.
3
In vaine thou didst not downe him send,
so to afflict his body deare,
His bloud to spill, his flesh to rend,
his side to peirce, his head to teare:
Such torments he hath not endur'd,
for his owne faults in any deale:
Mans safety he thereby procur'd,
for by his stripes he did vs heale.
4
His bloud was price of ransome large,
and bath to clense my sinfull soule,
Admit that price for my discharge,
purge through that bath whats in mee foule:
Grant me thy spirit, that pledge of grace,
t'assure my heart of mercy come:
[Page 4] Forgiue, forbeare, forget, out-raze,
my sinne, thy wrath, my guilt, thy doome.
5
Make soft this stonie heart of mine,
t'imbrace thy word, to melt with griefe;
This flesh corrupt reforme betime,
lest sinnes adiourn'd find no reliefe:
To all thy mercies I resort,
vouchsafe them all on me to send,
Preuent my fall, my wayes support,
assist my course, and crowne mine end.
To thee then blessed Trinitie,
Bis.
O Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost;
My soule shall say in veritie,
thou God delight'st in mercies most.
The Sinners Confidence.
To the tune of the 124. Psalme.
O Lord thou hast
commanded men to pray,
And promise giuen
to harken what they say;
[Page 5] Most specially,
when that they troubled be:
(The troubled mind
most welcome is to thee)
I troubled pray,
but prayers nought comfort me.
2
I pray and sinne,
and sinne and pray amaine;
I sinne and pray,
and pray, but sinne againe:
O God what will
become of me poore wight?
If thou should'st iudge
according vnto right;
Damn'd should I be,
and cast out of thy sight.
3
Tis true, if thou
no mercy should'st extend;
My hopes were vaine,
in vaine my praiers I spend:
But since thou (Lord)
wil'st not a sinner dye,
I dare approach
and to thy mercies flie,
Assuring me
my sinnes thou wilt passe by.
4
Not for my selfe,
who wretched sinner am;
[Page 6] To whom belongs
nought but confounding shame:
But for the death
of thy beloued Sonne,
Without whose bloud
mankind had been vndone:
By it alone,
my soule her peace hath wonne.
5
Then pray my soule,
but cease againe to sinne;
At least delight
not (wilfully) therein:
So thinke of grace,
that thou Gods iudgement feare:
Sinne he abhorres,
though sinners he forbeare:
To him be praise,
his Son, and Spirit most deare.
Our Sauiours birth.
The first part.
IF any day (Lord) shin'd to man,
wherein thy power and loue
Conioin'd for good of all the wor'd,
a Father thee to proue:
[Page 7] T'was Christmas day,
that
this blessed day,which
oft
now we celebrate,When God for man 'came God and man,
hels fury to abate.
2
A day which puts vs all in doubt,
what first wee should admire:
Thy loue, or grace, or power diuine,
all three did here conspire:
Exceeding loue, t'abase thy Sonne,
for man a worme and dust:
But mercie more, t'incarnate him,
for sinners and vniust.
3
But that hee should mans flesh assume
yet perfect God remaine;
That Uirgins womb should him conceiue,
yet free from touch of staine:
This was thy power, that dazels quite,
all humane wit and skill:
The wise doth daunt, and sathan quell,
who man had thought to spill.
4
(Lord) what is man that thou should'st thus,
grace and extoll his nature?
His flesh is filth, his entrailes dung,
His life a breath, a vapour.
Thy Sonne true God, euen as thy selfe,
eternall, pure, a spirit:
If other nature hee would take,
next was the Angels bright.
5
The case all one, for both had sinn'd,
and Gods iust wrath prouok'd;
T'was man had falne, so Angels had,
hell had them both enyoak'd:
To rescue Angels from their losse,
was neuer his intent:
That nature therefore hee would take,
which to redeeme he meant.
The second Part.
To the tune of the 148 Psalme.
YEt Angels were the chiefe,
these news which did conuoy;
The Uirgins first beleefe,
an Angel rais'd with ioy;
The very morne,
an Angel told,
And did vnfold,
when hee was borne.
2
His name hee did define,
a Sauiour, Christ the Lord;
Confirm'd it with a signe,
which strong might make his word:
And shew'd the place,
the manger and Inne,
The swathes he lay in,
his birth and race.
3
Those tidings to make sure,
an hoast of Angels bright,
Lift vp their voices pure,
God praising in the height:
Assuring men
Of Gods good will,
And peace to their fill,
By Christ come then.
4
Thus Angels which no part,
of comfort nor release,
Need by him incarnate,
their ioying would not cease:
Euen for mans sake,
Who of this birth,
Both in heauen & earth,
The fruit should take.
5
Yea blasing starre aboue,
bright glittering in the skie,
As Herauld of Gods loue,
points where the Babe doth lie.
The Sages three,
With odors and gold,
(Which was foretold)
Greet him on knee.
6
Unworthy then, vs say,
the name of Christ to beare,
If that wee will not wey
this birth, this loue so deare.
[Page 10] To vs alone,
This child was meant,
This Sonne he was sent,
This holy one.
The third part.
NOw since the benefit is ours,
if Angels, much more wee,
Ought praises sing, which best befit
the glorious Trinitie.
For this his incarnation strange,
all persons three contriu'd,
The Father him sent, the Son flesh tooke,
by the Spirit hee was conceiu'd.
2
What each here did, let vs the same
performe in our degree;
For not in tongue alone, in acts
this birth exprest must be:
The Father first, shewd loue, grace, might,
more then we could desire,
All which we must examples make,
not only them admire.
3
Since God on high lou'd vs below,
we ought loue one another:
The iustest God releast mans sinnes,
man must forgiue his brother.
[Page 11] In one to ioine both God and man,
that power exceeds our line,
Yet in this flesh we may, we must,
haue mindes, shew works diuine.
4
The second person flesh became,
(O strange humilitie!)
Th'eternall God bereau'd himselfe
of all sublimitie.
Auaunt all vaunt of birth, of race,
of learning, beauty, wealth:
Christ had all these, yet left them all,
to worke mankind his health.
5
The holy Ghost, the person third,
the Uirgin pure infus'd,
Of her was borne this happy babe,
the Serpents head which bruis'd:
Ope we our harts to this good spirit,
that entring by his grace,
He may anew in vs Christ forme,
sinne wholly to displace.
6
O dreadfull blessed Trinitie,
in this new birth accord,
That infant-like, we pure may be,
chaste, harmelesse, meek (O Lord:)
Accept vs (Father) for thy sonnes,
vs (Christ) as brethren take,
Breathe life, giue strength, (O holy spirit)
vs Gods true children make.
7
O Iesu sweet, whose birth vs sau'd,
from Sathan, sinne, and death,
So breake their force, that they may not
vs damne to hell beneath:
Heauen thou forsook'st (O babe thus born)
to make vs iust by thee:
Lord with thy iustice so us cloath,
that there our place may bee.
8
And since of heauen to make vs heires,
Bis.
thou took'st the flesh of man;
Here make vs sons, there crown vs saints,
sweet Iesu say Amen.
| Christo | nato | Laus | summa |
| incarnato | sola |
Nouembers Thanksgiuing.
The first part.
SHed tears, clap hands, yeeld sighes, reioice
our mirth with throbs allay;
The trembling and triumphing voice
doe both befit this day:
[Page 13] This day, whose danger dread did make,
whose rescue quit annoy,
Record the one, t'will cause vs quake,
th'escape will raise our ioy.
2
The power of hell, the arme of Rome,
combin'd themselues, ah woe!
This day to make the day of doome,
our State to ouerthrow:
By bloudy men; not men, but fiends,
whose shape and hearts did differ.
Mens lookes did harbor diuels minds,
our Church and Realme to shiuer.
3
This Realme, which florish'd had so long,
with peace and plenty store;
This Church, which truth had kept from wron [...]
home schismes, and forrraine lore:
Yea, this was it which eaus [...]d their ruth,
and stird them to conspire,
T'was Englands peace, t'was Churches truth
which set their rage on fire.
4
And rage of fire was their designe,
close couched as a net;
When King, Queen, Prince, and Roial line,
Peeres, Prelats, Commons met:
One traine, one touch, one slash, one blow,
One frush, one hoist, one hower:
Had finisht what they did fore-trow,
and crusht the lands whole power.
5
Our Realme made headlesse, void of guide,
our State confusion meere,
Our Land a prey on euery side,
the Gospell banisht cleere:
Our streets with clamor had bin fild,
our streames had runne bloud red:
Our eyes with teares bin thicke distil'd,
our hearts through horror dead.
6
Then on this day, this dismall day,
can we sing Psalmes of gladnesse?
Affrighted thoughts, deepe sighes, dismay,
this daies designe best witnes:
Cease we to sing, let's quake for dread,
and tremble while we thinke,
Of their so monstrous bloudy rede,
who sware our Realme to sinke.
The second part.
To the tune of the 124. Psalme.
HAd their lewd plot,
for death and change design'd,
Attain'd the end,
which wrath and oath defin'd:
No cause of ioy,
no matter were to sing;
But warre and bloud,
which horror vse to bring:
Then praisd be God,
from whom our ioy did spring.
2
Close they conspir'd,
yet he their secrets knew:
Deepe they did dig,
and he their engines view;
They silence sware,
but God their silence brake:
The oath they tooke
vpon their wafer cake,
Could not beguile
him, who doth euer wake.
3
Scarce durst they trust
their tongues with what they thought,
Much lesse their pennes,
what with their tongues they wrought;
Yet their owne tongues
and pens their facts made plaine,
Their riddles darke
gaue light them to arraigne,
Euen when they thought
most sure their Powder traine.
4
Let then no man
lay claime to this disclose,
It was the Lord
alone, that kith'd our foes;
Our King inspir'd
their riddle to assoile,
Their knot to breake,
their proiect thus to foyle:
Such care hath God
for Kings annoint with oyle.
5
Great is his power
in euerie rescue made:
But this was strange,
the plot so close was laid,
So long held on,
euen to the very day:
Secure were we,
and confident were they.
Giue fire, quoth Vaux,
Hold off, our God did say.
6
The knife which was
for Izacks throat prepar'd,
Euen at the touch
was stay'd, and he was spar'd.
From Sodoms fire
Lot hardly scaped free,
Yet sau'd he was:
So were the Children three:
Like was our case,
from death euen snatcht were wee.
7
So that this day
our Birth-day we may call:
We were not, and
we were, at th' instant all:
As men therefore
ioy at their childrens birth,
So sing we Psalmes
of laud, of glee, of mirth,
To God alone,
who guides both heauen and earth.
8
This day is his,
through that deliuerance strange,
Which we among
the solemne Feasts will range.
O blessed God,
thou Sauiour of all men,
Which kepst vs safe
from that prodigious den,
Thy name be praisd
for euermore, Amen.
Christs Resurrection.
The first part.
WHat greater cause can Christians haue
th eternall God to prayse,
Then that our Lord out of his graue
this day himselfe did raise?
Not full three dayes were past when he
was nayld vnto the crosse,
Sustayning on that cursed tree,
with scorne and paine, our losse.
2
His head with thorny crowne was prest,
his bodies ioynts were stretcht,
[Page 18] The deerest bloud out of his brest
with Iauelin keene was fetcht.
His vitall spirits with torture spent,
his ghost he yeelded vp:
And paid to Nature what she lent,
by drinke of deadly cup.
3
Dead sure he was, so taken downe,
balm'd, spied, in linnen bound,
In graue was layd (not earthie mowne)
hewne out of rockes most sound,
Which couered was with massie stone,
seal'd, grouncel'd, watch't with men.
Close he was coucht, as fully gone,
no life was look'd for then.
4
The Priests gan skoffe, the people doubt,
th'Apostles hearts did quaile,
To see their Master thus cast out,
their Sauiour so to faile.
We hop'd, said some of them, that he
would Israel haue restord:
And vs aduanc'd next him to be,
our King and Soueraigne Lord.
5
Loe, he, not minding promise made,
lyes past recouerie dead:
This day the third since he was layd
in graue, obliuions bed.
Yea, strong'st in faith, earst fierce to fight,
were now so vnbeleeuing.
[Page 19] Not Angels, women, men, not sight,
persuade could he was liuing.
6
To graue they come, and find the stone
rowl'd off, the cloathes cast by:
His mother tells them he is gone,
and voyde the graue they spie:
Perplext they lurke, 'twixt hope and griefe,
expecting this euent,
Striuing with faith and vnbeleefe,
wondring what should be ment.
The second Part.
To the tune of the 148 Psalme.
IN this distresse, that ioy
might fearefull doubts remoue;
Him-selfe doth newes conuoy,
their faith thereby to prone:
And saith, Tis I,
Be not afeard,
Tis sooth ye haue heard,
Truth cannot lye.
2
Haue not the Scriptures told,
that Christ should dye, and rise?
This might haue made you bold,
were you but Scripture wise:
[Page 20] The root of Iesse,
(Fast deep in the ground)
Springs not in a stound,
Liues nere-the-lesse.
3
Haue you so soone forgot
(O dull Disciples mine)
The type by Ionas lot,
which I gaue for a signe?
As he in the fish,
So I in the tombe,
Should liue as in womb
And not perish.
4
In Natures course you finde
(whereof I once foretold)
The corne which men do grinde,
and it for bread do mold,
It will not thriue,
Nor the seed take birth,
Till it rot in the earth,
And so reuiue.
5
How oft did I it preach,
(in words direct and plaine)
That death should me attach,
yet I should rise againe?
Kill'd I must be,
(By Elder and Scribe,
And those of my Tribe)
But or dayes three.
6
Yet, though you me now see,
you take me for a sprite:
And trembling seeme to flee
amazed and affright:
Come neere and trie,
A spirit, at once,
Hath not flesh and bones
As you see haue I.
7
He will'd to set him meat,
prepared for their store,
Which he did take and eat,
at th'instant them before.
Not farre from brinke,
He caus'd their drag,
Such fishes to lag,
That the ship gan sinke.
8
Euen doubting Thomas, who
reports would not beleeue,
By touch did feele and know,
that sure he was aliue:
The wounds accord,
His hand in the side,
Forst him that he cri'd,
O God my Lord.
The third part.
To the tune of the 45. Psalme.
CHrist Iesu our Lord is rais'd
from death, from graue, from hell,
Whose bands, rot, rage (his name be prais'd)
by rising hee did quel.
Though Satan thought him sure,
when once his life was gone;
Sopposing mankind past all cure,
their Sauiour now had done.
2
Yet when he found that death,
Christs triumph prou'd to be,
The graue to saue▪ descent beneath,
make way for victorie:
He roues, he raues amaine,
but rage is more then force;
Blunt is his sting, cut short his traine,
broke are his darts in course.
3
Death is by death deuour'd,
and hell in hell subdu'd,
The graue in graue it selfe is scowr'd,
and sinne doth sinne exclude:
O death where is the sting,
and hell thy victorie?
Come sinne, thy marshal'd forces bring;
defeated backe they flie.
4
These once were terrors fierce,
before their strength was broke,
Till Christ by rising from his herse
did lead them all in yoke.
'Gainst vs they may auaile,
and tempt vs by surprising,
But cannot as they will preuaile,
he liues that conquer'd rising.
5
Shall we then light-let sinne,
not eying Satans lure;
Or hell contemne; not feare deathes gin;
doe ill, and walke secure?
No, God forbid: As hee
dyed, sinne in vs to kill:
So did he rise againe, that we
might doe his righteous will.
6
The end of that his rape
was vs to iustifie,
That we, in heauen, sins guilt might scape,
in earth sinnes acts might flie.
Assurance eke to giue,
that though our bodies dead
Corrupt in graue, yet rais'd shall liue,
and liue with Christ our head.
7
(Lord) helpe vs rise aright:
first raise our faith to thee,
Then raise our minds by thy good spirit,
in earth heauens ioyes to see.
[Page 24] Our soules these corps must leaue,
these bodies lye in graue,
Though low they lye, yet vp them heaue,
both soules and bodies saue.
Amen.
A Psalme for the Kings Maiestie on the 24. of March.
O God, who powr'st on vs amaine
thy blessings manifold,
And nought requir'st, but that thy name
for them may be extold:
To vs this day thou gau'st a King,
our greatest worldly blisse,
Thy prayse therefore t'extoll and sing,
this day wee'le neuer misse.
2
Long was this day desir'd to come,
by those which did vs hate,
Full hoping that Elizaes doome,
our land would quite amate:
At least that thy Religion true,
(with vs so long profest)
Into Romes superstition new
should then be chang'd, as best.
3
Which to effect, they plots laid downe,
by penne, by force, by slight,
On forreine head to plant the Crowne,
through fain'd pretence of right:
Contriu'd there were inuasions,
by Male-contents at home,
Who ioyn'd with other nations,
to shew their loue to Rome.
But thou which seest from heauen aboue,
their complots didst deride;
Preuenting, of thy wonted loue,
all harme which might betide.
For though that Queene so from vs hent,
our hearts appalled much;
(Whose wise couragious gouernment
kept vs from dangers touch.)
5
Yet thou mad'st known thy loue & might,
conioyn'd for Englands sake,
In midst of darkenesse raising light,
caus'd ioy, when hearts did quake.
No sooner was that Phenix gone,
but (so thou didst aread)
In all the world suruiues this one,
and hee becomes our head.
The second Part.
THe right was his by bloud, not blade,
the wombe a King him bore;
And Natures dowre was perfect made,
by educations lore:
Zeale, learning, vertue, birth by kind,
doe shew, to Englands fame,
That grace, art, nature, were combin'd
a perfect King to frame.
2
King IAMES he hight, Great Britans light,
who powerfull as the Sunne,
Doth cherish Truth with all his might,
and errours darknesse shun:
A King, who Dauids prayse deserues,
fram'd fit to Gods owne heart,
For with his heart that God hee serues,
from whom he will not start.
3
Lord blesse him with full length of daies,
his yeares let doubled be;
Protect thou him at all assayes,
from danger quit him free:
So tender him, as thou would'st keepe
the apple of thine eye,
In warre, in peace, waking, asleepe,
still hold him thee fast by.
4
Confound his foes, not onely those
who shall rise vp in armes,
Or mischiefe with their tongues disclose,
or worke his outward harmes:
But also those, who in their hearts
conceiue against him ill,
Reueale their secretst inward parts,
before they worke their will.
The third part.
STrength thou his hand, when, truth to seale,
hee writes, or fights 'gainst sect;
His pen, his sword, his skill, his zeale,
guide, edge, increase, direct.
Uouchsafe to him that promise great,
to Dauid firm'd for good,
That when hee long hath held his seat,
succeed may of his bloud.
2
His wife, our Queene, sweet CHARLES his son,
Princesse ELIZABETH
Blesse, that of them we still haue one
to raigne while man hath breath.
Our sinnes may shorten halfe his dayes,
thy wrath they so incense;
(For sinfull subiects wicked wayes
good Kings oft rid from hence.)
3
Sinnes most we feare, yet least omit;
they vex thee, vs they please;
On vs them wreake, him cleere acquit,
his Throne safe guard in peace:
Or rather, though we wrath deserue,
two mercies ioyne in one,
Forgiue our sinnes, our King preserue,
so dread we shall haue none.
4
Unto our prayers (Christ)
Bis.
bend thine earethou God and guide of men;
What for our selues, and King most deare
wee aske, graunt Lord: Amen.
FINIS.