PSALM I.
O Blessed He, whom from the sacred way
Lewd mens contagion hath not swai'd aside,
Nor errors paths hath trod, nor made his stay
In scorners trade, set in their chaire of pride:
2 But who to th' track of better life enur'd,
Doth on Gods Law his time, and spirits spend.
3 Hee like a tree which sunne and winde endur'd,
Low on a banke set by the streames, shall send
His branches wide, which in abundance yeeld,
And blesse the Planter with faire fruit, nor showes
His flowring bloomes but to adorne the field,
And mocke the Master while it fruitlesse growes.
4 It fares not so with them, who void of grace,
Like out-lawes sleight the Heauens, they soon shall flie
As dust, which with the whirle-wind leaues his place,
And mounting capers in the vaulted skie,
As if the winde did take a sport to see
It dancing there, and making many a round.
5 But when the Iudge of right shall seated be
On a faire cloud, his head with glory crown'd,
And holds his Scepter in his royall hand
To iudge the world of sinne; then shall not proud,
Iniquity in publick presence stand,
Nor shew her face where iust men are allow'd.
6 For Heauens great King knowes their vnspotted way,
Viewes all their hearts, and all enclos'd therin,
And those that in blinde errors by-paths stray,
Shall perish with their crooked waies of sinne.
PSAL. II.
VVHy doe the Nations rage, and raise the cry,
And headlong run in a tumultuous fright?
Their threats why dart the people at the skie?
2 With tyrants why conspire the men of might?
All 'gainst the Lord, and his Anointed plot,
When all in vaine their proiects prosper not.
3 Why burst we not couragiously, they say,
And free vs from their bonds that yoke our necks?
4 But God in Heauen, who all on earth doth sway,
Laughs at their pride, and their vain threatning checks.
5 Then wretched them He in his rage wil cal,
And marre their plots when fury flames his gall.
6 I will, saith He, encircle with a crowne
My sacred King, that plac'd on Sion hill,
He may giue Law, inuested with renowne,
And through the world spread wide my royall will;
7 Thou art my Son (thus said the Lord to me)
Of Heau'nly seed this day begat I thee.
8 Aske Thou, and haue in tenure of free-hold,
As my sole Heire, what Earth and Sea containe;
That what the Heauens in their wide armes infold,
May all be thine, and Thou as Monarch raigne:
9 And with an iron Scepter rule, and bray
Th'insulting proud, as Pipkins made of clay.
10 But you, who haue the honour to discerne,
And iudge the Nations by the doome of Law,
Dispell the clouds of error, while you learne
Truth from aboue, and serue the Lord in awe:
[Page 3]And you, Earth's gods, who rule with sou'raign might,
Be wise your selues, & see the rest do right.
Serue God with feare, and finding sweet content,11
Ioyne with your ioy that awe to him is due,
That you may kisse his Son whom He hath sent,
Lest whilst you stray rage and reuenge pursue.
Soon, when iust wrath his flames 'gainst sin shall throw,
How happy they who hope in him, you'l know.
PSAL. III.
AH what a rout, viewd either by the poll
Or by the bulk, vexe me with deadly hate!
How many troupes doe their lewd names enroll,
Conspiring all against my life, and state!
Whilst they dare say, No hopes at all remaine 2
In God for him; He lookes for help in vaine.
When yet in combate often my soule bleedes,3
And thou me shield'st that no force beates me down,
When all my praise, and worth from thee proceedes,
When thou with glory do'st my temples crowne;
When in the night I doe thy grace recount,4
And God, my God, heares from his holy Mount,
Then cleere from cares I lye, and take my rest,5
And rise againe as safe, and free from feare;
Whilst He doth guard, no fright inuades my breast,6
Though endlesse troupes of armed foes be neere:
When all fell Nations bandy against me,
Thou, Lord, wilt leade the point, to set me free;
And thou wilt breake the iaw-bones of my foes,
And dash their teeth out with thine angry fist,
But thou, the hope of all, our safe repose,7
(Whilst thou alone do'st all mishaps resist)
Thy people in thine armes of loue embrace,
And guard them with thy wonted hand of grace.
PSAL. IIII.
VVHo mad'st, and rul'st aboue, below,
Angells, and gods of mortall kinde
And conscious of my thoughts do'st know
The cleerer current of my minde.
Who in a safe and spacious plaine,
(When I in straights doe sue for aide)
Do'st leade me forth set free againe,
Whilst counsell failes, my selfe vnstaid,
Propitious with thine eare of grace,
Heare calmly what I iustly vow,
Giue way and welcome to my case
Whom hatefull spight beleaguers now.
3 O mindes of men enuolu'd in vaine,
And idle shadowes that deceiue,
Why will you not haue me to raigne,
Whilst you of rest your selues bereaue?
4 Beleeue at length, I tell you true,
Whom God hath chose from all the rest,
And grac'd him more than was his due,
No man can hurt whom he hath blest.
The Lord did heare me when I cri'd,
And laid before him my sad case,
Nor helpe I crau'd, hath he deni'd,
Or hath shut vp his gate of grace.
5 Then wretched you, Gods awefull might
Recount at length, and cease to sinne,
[Page 5]And cast in silent bed at night
The day, and all that past therein.
6 'Tis not the entrals of a beast
Wherein the Lord doth liking finde,
A faithfull heart he makes his feast,
And best accepts a guiltlesse minde.
If this thou to the Altar bring,
And offer it with due regard,
If Truth be true, from Heauens great King,
Thou maist expect a rich reward.
7 The most of men growne out of kinde,
Affect proud wealth which they adore;
8 But when thy beames on me haue shin'd
With smiling looks, I seek no more.
Let others loade their barnes with corne,
And with sweet wine their cellars fill,
With gold cramm'd vp in plenties horne
Let them haue all they wish, or will.
9 But free from cares I'le take my rest,
And with sweet sleepes will spend the night,
With hope from Heauen thou steelst my breast,
And shieldst me safe, Lord, with thy might.
PSAL. V.
WHose supreme power o're all extends
Benignely, Lord, my praiers heare,
And with a calme and facile eare
Receiue the plaines which sorrow sends.
2 When loud I call, attentiue see
How my full vaines distend my heart,
My God and King alone thou art,
And in distresse I serue but thee.
3 Lord, heare me when I early cry,
For while pure vowes cheere hopes within,
I'le call on thee ere beames begin
To sparkle from the Suns bright eie.
4 Thou, God, who lou'st a pious minde,
And hat'st the filth of impious rites,
Let him whose soule in sin delights,
Hopelesse of thee no fauour finde.
5 Arm'd wrong flies from thy dreadfull sight,
6 Who art a foe to bloud, and fraud,
The glozing tongue that doth applaud
Foule falshood, thou wilt cut out quite.
7 Since on thy grace I, Lord, relie,
Thy sacred gates will I draw neere,
And to thy Temple goe with feare,
And send pure vowes to thee on high.
8 That I my foese slinets may finde,
Thou, God of Right, thy light display,
And in a darke and doubtfull way
Direct my steps, which else are blinde.
9 Truth shuns the lips of my proud foes,
Whilst filth and fraud keep th' inner roomes,
Their throates smell worse than rotten toombes,
Their tongues with honied poison gloze,
And inly minde closely to wound.
10 O God, the source whence all things spring,
Destroy the wicked Nation, bring
Their drifts to naught, and who dost found
And foster all, confound the vaine
And idle plots they vndertake,
Quite roote them out who thee forsake,
And due to sin feele they the paine.
11 But by thy grace, Lord, guarded still
Let them be glad who fixe on thee
Their hopes alone, and fearelesse free
Adore thy Name, and euer will.
12 Pure mindes to Heauen which homage yeeld,
Thou cheer'st with treasures from thy store,
And when refresh'd, they need no more,
Thy fauour shades them like a shield.
PSAL. VI.
WHilst anger boiles, and rage inflames thy gall,
Correct me not, though sin for vengeance call;
Whilst fury burnes, and runs a swifter pace
To bring fell plagues on body, soule, and all,
Spare, spare me, Lord, whom griefe doth so appall,
Lay iustice by, and vse thy hand of grace.
My force is spent, my bones the bodies stay,
[...]aile, since their nerues are loos'd where vigour lay,
3 And care doth vexe my troubled spirit sore.
[...]ow long wilt thou neglect, and keep away,
And leaue me on the rack, vext night, and day?
Come now, and me from deaths fell iawes restore.
5 When he hath once ceaz'd with his griping paw,
Not leauing one poore puffe of breath to draw,
Who thinkes on thee? Ah no, it it too late,
Wrapt vp in mold, made subiect to deaths law,
(Where men are like those births that no Sun saw)
Who there thy Name shall sing, or praise relate?
6 When in the night my grieued soule agast,
Breathes forth deepe sighes, as if she breath'd her las [...]
With weeping eies I wash my mournefull bed,
That all the cloathes which on my couch are cast
Are wet with teares, which trickle downe so fast
As if a shower of raine powr'd from my head.
7 My fight, once quick, her vertue now hath spent
With gripes of griefe, and pining discontent.
The liuely vigour of my limmes is gone
Whilst that my foes their wiles applauding went,
And for their plots which nought but mischief men
In my fresh checkes now ruddy hue is none.
8 The cursed crue, Ah you, that so delight
In gracelesse acts, hence, hence now take your flight,
Cast off the hopes which you conceiu'd in vaine
9 God calmely heard the roarings of my spri't,
And though you grieue and enuy at the sight,
He heard my vowes and rais'd me vp againe.
10 Let sodaine shame mine enemies disgrace,
The guilty blush let it confound their face,
Let infamy which them to horror driues,
Make pale their lookes to shew their dolefull case,
And in their hearts let tort'ring griefe take place,
Who fled, and left me like base fugitiues.
PSAL. VII.
SInce I in thee my safties hope haue plac'd,
(Great Keeper of all things in this our All)
[...]n their fell iawes who alwaies me disgrac'd,
Lord, let not thou, let not thy seruant fall;
Like sauage beasts more like than ciuill men,
They plot my death, deuising how, and when.
If none doe come and take my cause in hand,
[...]s a fierce Lion teares the harmlesse Sheepe,
Who at first fight affrighted doe disband,
[...]o my fell foe (who wakes whilst others sleepe)
Will rend my limmes, whose thirst of blood is su [...]
He sheds, if guiltlesse, he cares not how much.
If he accus'd whose faith had tainelesse stood,
Nor lying lips had warp'd and wou'n false crimes;
If I haue wrought them ill, who meant but good,
Or spar'd not those who harm'd me many times,
5 Me let my foe pursue, and ouertake;
And taken, foile, and foild, his foot-ball make,
[...]nd let him tread, and trample in the mire
[...]y Diadem, the ensigne of my pride:
But, Lord, arise, let rage and lewd desire
Of my proud foes (thy mercy laid aside)
Incense thee to iust ire, rise, Lord, and pay
Thy vowd reuenge to those who Truth betray.
Arise, and let thy sacred Maiesty
His beames display, and all parts ouerspread,
And let all people to their Parlies hie,
And thee proclaime their fire and supreme Head.
[Page 10]Thou, whose strong hand holds all the Scepters her [...]
8 And vindicates the sins done eu'ry where,
Reuenge my wrong, if rightly I implore
With hallow'd mouth, and mind, plagues on my fo [...]
9 O thou iust Iudge, who knows our thoughts befo [...]
We speake or thinke, whose eie doth all disclose,
Batter, and bruise lewd mens all-daring lust,
Whilst grace supports and animates the iust.
10 I scorne all foes if God be on my side,
11 Who takes delight, where Candor takes her sea [...]
In mindes that haue nor welts, nor guards of pride,
And godly men protects when dangers threate,
And not by fits, but by a fixt decree
Menaceth death to those that impious be.
12 If stiffe my foe stands in his vaine pretence,
13 Then God soone drawes his sword, he bends hi [...] bow
He snatcheth vp his dart of more offence,
Which, where it lights doth giue a dang'rous blow;
He whets his shafts, with fury firy red,
That carries death on the sharp-pointed head.
14 Behold who great with sin beings mischief forth
And plots against my guiltlesse soule design'd,
He brought to light things that were little worth,
Like fancies which affright a sleeping mind,
15 He digg'd a pit, and closely laide his gin,
But missing me, himselfe was caught therein.
16 On his owne head shall all his follies fall,
And where they heed shall all his mischiefes light,
17 Then free from feare, and enuies bitter gall
I'le sing of thee, and thine impartiall right
[Page 11]And glorious name. O thou all-ruling Lord,
With cheerfull mind I will thy praise record.
PSAL. VIII.
FAther, and Fostrer of mankind,
How haue the raies of thy renowne
Astonish'd all, on whom haue shin'd
The beames which Heauens great light darts down?
Thy greatnesse hath surmounted far
The Spheares, where stars bright glistring ar,
2 How thou do'st rule the world with care,
The infant age, yet sucking tells,
That thou maist stop the mouthes that dare
Barke at thy power, which so excells.
Such mouthes at thee as poison spue,
And thirst for bloud which they pursue.
3 When I behold the Heauens so cleere
With purest light made by thine hand,
When Moone, and Stars so bright appeare,
And all by thee created stand,
4 Ah, what is man in life, or lim
Thinke I, that thus thou mindest him?
What is his stock, his of-spring what,
To whom thou daign'st such honour, such
A gracefull eye of fauour, that
5 Hee's like a God, the oddes not much?
6 Thou mad'st him Prince, to vndergoe
The rule of all thou mad'st below.
Of all that breathes, by right of birth,
Thou mad'st him master of their wills,
7 The horn'd, and the fleec'd flocks on earth,
And all that feedes on plaines and hills,
[Page 12]8 Or what with wings or sinns diuide
The aire and Sea, He tames their pride.
9 Father, and fostrer of mankind,
How haue the raies of thy renowne
Astonish'd all, on whom haue shin'd
The beames which Heauens great light darts down?
Whose throne is Heauen, whose foot-stoole Earth,
Protect thine one of noblest birth.
PSAL. IX.
OF thee I sing, great Guardian of all things,
To thee my heart her duties tribute paies,
Thy wonders to our seed that after springs
I will declare, and thence thy glory raise.
Safe guided by thy hand I'le nothing feare,
But cheerfull notes will sing with cheerfull mind,
And will thee praise, who supreme rule do'st beare,
Chiefe Iustice of the Heau'ns, and heau'nly kind.
3 My prouder foe, who, without counsell led,
Conceiu'd vain hopes, hath turn'd, and took his flight,
And thy right-hand pursuing whilst he fled,
With more than humane force hath foil'd him quite.
4 My greedy foes wide yawning for my bloud,
Thy wreakfull rage confounds, and rends their iawes;
Thine aide releeu'd while guilty-like I stood,
And from thy Throne thy doome did end my cause.
5 Thou tam'st the fury of the sauage rout,
Thy matchlesse might did so my foes dispell,
As in the roules of Fame they were left out,
That none their names in after-age should tell.
6 Lo, to what end come all these swelling threats?
Lo him that townes would leuell, and lay plaine,
That where in former times stood stately seat [...],
No memory should of their state remaine.
But He that swaies eternally this ball,
By iustice fixt his euerlasting throne,
8 To distribute the lawes by righting all,
And ruling men that each may haue his owne.
9 When force doth sit to hatch high-swelling pride,
Thy gate of Grace stands open for the poore,
Thy castle of safe refuge thou set'st wide,
That all distrest may enter at the doore.
10 And therefore well may they in Thee alone,
Who know thy wide-spread Name, their trust repose,
When all the world hath by experience knowne,
Thou leau'st not thine to'h mercy of their foes.
11 Then sing due praise vnto the Lord, whose hand
And watchfull eie keeps his lou'd Sion sure,
Spread wide his wise decrees in eu'ry land,
Them let no bounds lesse than the world immure.
12 For guiltlesse bloud he takes a strict account,
Reuenging it with plagues, and inward feares,
And suffers not pride vnreueng'd to mount
And presse the poor, whose cries soon pierce his eares.
13 But thou, deare God, look neerer to my cause,
Whom armed force pursues with deadly spight,
And take me from the fell and direfull iawes
Of Death, whose hue is black as pitchy night.
14 That all so high as Sion lifts her head,
And sets her towers so far, so wide to view,
I man thy name with vowes and praises spread,
And daily thankes for hourely helpe renew.
15 Perfidious wights in waues of selfe-bred wrong
Tost, and turmoild, haue worthily been drown'd,
And in the nets, which they were knitting long
For others laide, themselues were helplesse bound.
16 Who but admires Heau'ns-equall ballanc'd right?
Who weau'd the web of fraud himselfe was caught,
A thing so oft perform'd in all mens sight
Should be enrould and kept in inward thought.
17 But so it is. Time not fore-seene arrests
The god-lesse men, who haue not Heau'n in mind,
Then sodaine death wounds their rebellious breasts,
And hides them in his pit where no sun shin'd.
18 But modest minds which breathe but aire diuine,
Hopelesse of helpe, but what from Heauen descends,
God in his heart doth them a place assigne,
Where causelesse griefe at last findes large amends.
19 Vp, vp, Creator of all things, arise,
And let not man, not many spans in length
Mount to a monster of deformed size
To crush the poor, Curb thou mens lawlesse strength.
20 Thou with the boundless weight of endless might,
Strike horror deep into their fiercer mindes,
That man may know his feeble state aright,
Whose weaker parts no lasting cement bindes.
PSAL. X.
HOw long wilt thou, Conseruer of mankind,
Neglect thy seruants in their sad distresse?
2 How long wilt thou remain in Heauen confin'd,
Whilst Lord-like here lewd men the iust oppresse?
Let ill befall the ill-conceiuing head,
And perish it with all the arts it bred.
3 Whilst he with wrongs doth cram his lustful heart,
The proud man boasts, and inwardly is glad,
As he had wonne by right, and vs'd no art,
And still should hold the glory that he had.
4 Thus his vnbridled arrogance neglects
Of right, and wrong the contrary respects.
Whilst sweetly he applauds his in-bred wit,
And thinks in Heauen there is no God, nor feares,
5 But proudly champing on his pleasant bit,
His happinesse his haughty hearts vpreares,
Nor dreams that thou to iudgment wilt proceede,
And vindicate the guilt of his mis-deed.
He sleights his foes, nor cares for them a straw,
6 And reck'ning with himselfe without his Host,
My life, saith he, at longest length I'le draw,
And steere my course with no rough billowes tost.
No care shall come to interrupt my state,
Nor fits of paine my pleasure shall abate.
7 Out of his mouth doe cursed slaunders flow,
Disgorging taunts, and crafty wiles withall,
Whilst to good men do griefes and trauailes grow,
By his enuenom'd tongue, and bitter gall.
[Page 16]8 His ambushes to catch the iust he laies,
And poorer men with sterner looks affraies.
9 As a bloud-thirsty Lion in his den
Lies couching close, and hides his fearfull head,
So lurking he assaults the weaker men,
His panting heart with fainting fury led,
And with his many knotted nets fast ti'de,
He drawes them in as captiues to his pride.
10 He tames them with his force, won with his wiles,
And as in clouds doth he conceale his spight;
How many troupes of trauailers with guiles
Hath he surpris'd, and them depriu'd of light?
Who passing by, when they do think no harm,
Are caught vnwares, & crush'd with his proud arm.
11 He argues thus with reasons wanting weight,
That God his wrongs doth neither see, nor know.
Doth He, enthrond in clouds of supreme height
Behold the right, and wrong done here below?
Can man conceiue so high maiestick power
With smiles, or frowns on earth to laugh, or lowre?
12 Vp, Lord, and lift thy sacred hand on high,
And with thy powerfull sword pierce thou his side,
Nor let thou him in dark obliuion lie
Whose pious heart doth in thy feare abide.
Extend thy grace, and deale thy iustice so,
As meek men may haue blisse, and proud men wo.
13 Ah shall the more then madnesse of lewd men
Contemne thee thus, and set thy will at naught,
And dare to mutter in their secret den
That God for humane things doth take no thought?
[Page 17]Thus when their mouths are clos'd, and dare not speak,
Their hollow hearts are ful of thinks, & leak.
14 Thou seest without, within, thou vew'st all things,
And vnder thy sharp hand shall lewd men fall,
That by affliction, which true insight brings,
This lesson they may learne, that ruling all,
Thou sleight'st not poor mens griefe, nor toils neglect'st,
But left to thee the Orphanes thou protect'st.
15 Break thou the force of the vngodly wight,
And coole the fury of his gracelesse mind,
Till he, and all the branches of his might,
Be broken downe, nor root be left behind,
That he, nor they may in the limits stand,
And compasse of the Ocean-bounded land.
16 Thus thou, the Lord of time, till time haue end
Shalt rule, and raigne sole Monarch ouer all,
And from the land to which thy bounds extend,
Shalt chase the Nations that do lewdly fall
To impious rites, and set thy law aside,
That banish'd they may vanish with their pride.
17 These vowes the men o're-whelm'd with crosse affaires,
These praiers they poure forth with reu'rence due,
And spurgald with the pricks of deep despaires
With brinish teares to thee these humbly sue,
(For whom haue they in Heauen & Earth but thee
That with a power supreme canst set them free?)
18 To loose the poore (whom beasts do pitty more)
From the dire bands of mens all-daring might,
That man, who doth his arme of flesh adore,
May strike his sailes, and leaue his fury quite,
[Page 18]When he beholds, and conscious is within
Of his fraile state, the web of his foule sin.
PSAL. XI.
VVHen I haue hope safe harbor to attain,
And for my starre on Heauens great Lord relie,
Like frighted fowle, which would the couert gaine,
You bid mee to the rockes for safety flie.
2 Behold, you see, the impious man doth bend
His threatning bow, and makes his shafts to wound
The harmelesse soule, and closely doth attend
To murder those whose fearelesse hearts are sound.
3 But thou, great King, with thy all-conqu'ring hand
The rebells tam'st, and dost diuert their will,
Who, mad with rage, vexe those who humbly stand
At thy deuotion, and deserue no ill.
4 God who in Heau'ns eternall temples dwels,
And doth in his star-spangled throne appeare,
With his trans-piercing eies, whose sight excells,
Viewes all the acts are represented here.
5 From his all-seeing eie nor wrong, nor right
Can hidden be, but those who beate their braines
To compasse mischiefe, He who rules with might,
And right combind, hates all their cunning traines.
6 He showreth downe on their detested heads
His wide spread nets, and thundring tempests casts
With sulpher mixt (which the proud'st scorner dreads)
To scorch them here, whose burning euer lasts.
7 But he that fosters right, himselfe most right,
With sacred loue doth vpright men embrace,
And sets before his euerlasting sight
The rightfull conscience, where no guile hath place.
PSAL. XII.
HElpe, Sauiour, helpe and be not thou auerse,
Since virgin Faith fall'n now in mens disgrace,
2 Expuls'd is gone, and Truth flees all commerce,
And naked shuns the Earths disguised race.
Now eu'ry man doth entertaine his friend
With words, the scum, and fume of idle brains,
And cloakes the wrongs which falser hearts entend,
With lies which smooth dissimulation fains.
3 Deceitfull mouthes whence sugred poison flowes,
Let God confound, and plucke out root, and all,
The tongue that doth the hearts base births disclose,
And speakes great things although it selfe be small.
4 And perish they with brasen browes, who say,
What should we feare, come let vs sweare, and lye,
That periury, by custome bearing sway,
Our tongues may venture on all villany.
No Lord, I think, hath any thing to shew
My free borne tongue in vassalage to hold,
Nor lock my lips, nor bar my language so,
As not to range at pleasure vncontrold.
5 But God that heares the plaints of poor distress'd,
And burthen-bearing soules that sigh for griefe,
Arise will I, saith He, and them oppress'd.
Securely place in harbour of reliefe.
6 This saith the Lord, and what from him proceeds
His faith is fixt like gold, which seuen-times tri'de
By purging fire, no more refining needs,
When smoke, and ashes do the drosse diuide.
7 Then mindfull of thy promise, Lord, restraine
The cure-lesse poison of a cursed tongue,
And thou, the worlds best Sentinell, containe
The viperous race that we may not be stongue.
8 For lewd men now giue law, and measure right
By their owne foot, and dominering will,
And gouern'd by their disproportion'd might
The best men feare the doomes of men most ill.
PSAL. XIII.
HOw long wilt thou, who guid'st our cōmon helm,
Neglect my cause as one forsaken quite?
Wilt thou leaue me whom swelling surges whelm
Wrapt in obliuions euerlasting might?
How long wilt thou in fierce displeasure hide
Thy louely face, and gracefull eye from me?
How long shall vexing cares which draw aside
My mind from rest, my soules companions be?
2 How long shall my grieu'd heart with rougher waues
In seas of deep afflictions thus be tost?
How long shall my proud foes, (who are sins slaues)
Thus triumph ouer me as all were lost?
3 Great Regent of the world behold and see,
Assist me, and infuse thy sacred light,
Lest Death with his long sleepe do ceaze on me,
And close mine eies, and bid the Sun good night.
4 Let not my foe brag in his haughty pride,
That he hath crusht me with his brawny armes,
And who hate truth, and cannot me abide,
Haue they no cause to triumph at my harmes.
5 Thou do'st with hope refresh my drooping heart,
Whose help extends it selfe to all my vaines:
When I am safe (because thou took'st my part)
Thy name, great King, I'le sing with lofty straines.
PSAL. XIIII.
PRoud Pollicy, now making Vice his minion,
Inly conceiu'd thus mutters his opinion,
And saith that feare which keeps the mind in aw,
Bred of the froth of melancholy braines
Hath made a God, and giuen him the raines
Whilst whirling Chance giues all the world the law.
Then did Iniquity that feares no rod
Wallow in sins as if there were no God,
And no man had a will to follow right
2 But Heauens great Lord cast down his eie to view
Who would, whilst fooles their vainer cares pursue,
Adore his name of maiesty and might.
3 There all conspir'd in mischiefs of all kinds,
Their foule, flagitious, lothsome sins he finds,
Nor was their care in any to do good,
4 For how should they do good, or how giue eare
To sound aduice, who still about them beare
The plague-sores of foule sin, and staines of blood.
When as a beast his prey, so they deuoure
My people, if they come within their power,
[Page 22]Nor serue they God, who sou'raign rules all things:
5 But with chill feare shall horror strike their hearts.
When the iust God takes guiltlesse iust-mens parts,
And wounds the impious with sharp words like stings;
6 And saies, O you made Piety a iest,
You laugh'd when cares the pious minds opprest,
And scoff'd at their vowes, hopes, and silent fears,
But God, in whom the poor their trust repose,
Their hopes, & vowes which their sad brests inclose,
Vnto their wished ends he fairly stears.
7 O then that God to his would succour send,
Which longing they from Sion hill attend,
For when he breaks their bonds, and them acquits,
Then Abra'ms race, shall with a cheerfull brest
Ioy, and enioy their long desired rest,
And Is'acs race shall triumph as befits.
PSAL. XV.
WHo sacred Sions temple by thy will,
Heau'ns supreme Lord, inhabit shall with Thee?
And whom wilt thou place on thy holy hill,
To liue in sweet repose from dangers free?
2 He that delights to haue an honest heart,
And stiffe in what he vndertakes does right,
Nor faire in shew, with counterfeiting art
Hath taught his tongue how to conceale his spight.
3 Nor with his lips doth deadly draughts contriue,
Nor mischiefe to his neighbour doth deuise,
Nor doth his friend, who seems endear'd depriue
Of his good name with his opprobrious lies.
4 Who casts no eye of fauour on the proud,
But takes into the closset of his heart
The Heauen-grac'd man. Who minding what he vow'd,
Not for a world will from his word depart.
5 Who lends not mony, nor takes biting vse
To make the poore a prey caught in his nets,
Who for reward will offer no abuse
To harmlesse men. Who thus his compasse sets
To leade his life, thus makes his last account,
Shall euer rest within the holy Mount.
PSAL. XVI.
O Thou Creator of all things below,
And mens safe harbour in their dire distresse,
Thy seruant saue, who doth no Sauiour know,
But thee alone when instant perills presse.
2 Thy seruant I, do thee my Lord auow,
And tell abroad what a great Lord thou art,
But whom all blesse, and to whom all things bow,
What good to thee can all I do impart?
3 I therefore there my vtmost powers appli'd [...]
To tend the people with a zealous care,
The people which of all the world beside
Thou took'st to thee for thy peculiar share.
4 But they rebell'd vnmindfull of thy grace,
And to themselues apart new gods did faine,
Which they ador'd, and prostrate on their face
Idol'd the dreames of their owne idle braine.
Their altars stain'd with bloud will I not tuch,
Nor in their feasts doth my soule take delight,
Nor shall their names (profanely vs'd too much,)
Be witnesse of my words, or faith I plight.
5 But Gods right hand of lasting loue shall shield
The people which his grace to me assign'd,
And such reward me shall his bounty yeeld
As for my paines euen Hope dispair'd to find.
6 How beautious are the bounds which I possesse
In what a field doth Heauen my lot dispose?
Seated where pleasure doth her self addresse,
And feeds my mind with flowers sweet-smiling showes.
7 To God eternall be all endlesse praise,
Whose counsell doth direct me in the light,
And brings into my soule by priuy waies
His Heauen-spir'd motions in the darkest night.
8 What so my heart doth think, or hand doth act
I see the Lord assisting still at hand,
Guarded before, on either side, and backt
By him, and him alone, I steaddy stand.
9 My trembling heart so quauers in my brest
The noates of ioy, as that my tongue delights
To sing thy praise, and so before supprest
A lightsome hope my lumpish lims excites.
10 For neither wilt thou leaue my soule to bide
In hellish vaults, where neuer comes thy light,
Nor let it like a carcasse putrifi'de
Resolu'd to ashes be consumed quite.
11 Thou to the way of life vnlock'st the gate,
And from thy face high tides of ioy do spring,
From thy right hand where bounty keeps her state,
Thy blessings flow which all delights do bring.
PSAL. XVII.
WHo rul'st the world, and all things do'st direct,
Heare righteous Lord what righteously I craue,
Nor stop thine eares, nor do my plaints reiect
Which come not from such lips as Liers haue.
2 Poore I distrest vnto thy throne do flie,
Take thou my cause in hand, on thee I call,
Prostrate before thy face, with gracefull eie
See iust men here vniustly dealt withall.
3 Thou often view'st through clouds of silent night
With curious search the secrets of my mind,
And how my heart put in a fearish fright,
And shaking fit no rest at all could find.
As fire doth gold, so thou my heart do'st trie
With crosse euents, nor didst thou find the same
Conscious of fraud, or lawlesse villany
To wrong euen such as branded were with shame.
4 My mouth, and mind agreed, my soule, and sense,
My heart vpheld by thy decrees diuine
Abhors foule sin, that giues so foule offence,
And flies from pride, which doth with wrong combine.
5 Thus guide my steps led by thy lawes aduice
Lest that my foot slip in a doubtfull way,
Or in such paths as seeme all pau'd with ice
My footing slide, where it can find no stay.
6 I call to thee, and fly vnto thy grace
Which I haue often tri'de in dire distresse,
Attentiue lend thine eare in my sad case,
When I by praier my plaints to thee addresse.
7 With grace, good Lord, support, and bear vp those
Whose hope and helpe on thee alone doth stand,
And curbe the lofty spirits of my foes,
And iustly mou'd vse thy reuengefull hand.
8 But guard me like the apple of thine eye
More deare, and tender than all parts beside,
And thou that do'st foresee all dangers nye,
Vnder thy wings me from proud fury hide.
9 The troope of impious men stand ready prest
At all assaies to take away my breath,
10 And me with force beleguer, and infest
With swelling words, and dart their threats of death.
11 They make their barres, and turn-pikes in the way,
And view the places that may most offend,
Which they designe to make my life their pray,
And seeming not to minde it, worke mine end,
12 Like as a lion hunting beasts, or men,
Runs furious on, or like vnto his sire,
The wean'd whelp lurks, and glowting in the den
Long looks with blood to cool his raging fire.
13 Vp, Father, vp, their lewd attempts preuent,
And whilst the Tyrant trampled lies on ground,
Free thou me from thy sword (to mercy bent)
Wherewith he now enrag'd doth strike, and wound.
14 Nor let the pride of great men ctam'd with gold
With might oppresse me, whose delightfull care
Is but to wallow (as themselues are mold)
In earthly pleasures, so bewitcht they are.
Thou pour'st on them thy blessings from thy store
Digg'd from the bowells of the earth below,
And pamp'rest them with corne, and, which is more,
Thou glad'st their hearts their off-spring prospers so.
15 Then shall the candor of my life make way,
That I loos'd from the bodies gyue, and free
Shall see thy face, and that bright shining day
Shall make me blest, all-blest in high'st degree.
16 Those beames of light, which brings all sound delight,
Heap'd with all ioies, shall represent thy cleare,
And sacred Maiesty vnto my sight,
When as no cloud shall in my mind appeare.
PSAL. XVIII.
All-fostring Sire, I'le thee adore,
And will thee loue with all my heart,
2 Who shap'dst the world a lump before,
My strength, my might, my tower thou art,
Help, hope, and ioy to me distrest,
My shield, my sword, my steaddy stay,
An anchor fixt whereon I rest,
And when stormes come my calmest bay.
3 For when my tongue I do vntye,
Which crauing peace thy praises sings,
All hostile armes are then laid by,
And Peace brings safety on her wings.
4 Now Death enuolu'd me in his net,
With Hell-black streames encompast round,
5 Infernall snares my feet beset,
And drawn was I with fetters bound.
6 Here taken, and entangled so,
Groueling on ground to God I su'd,
Aloft to Heau'n my cries did goe
When doubtfull chance my fears renew'd.
Seated on his flame-circled throne
He heard my praiers, when as my cry
Did pierce the skies, and to my moane
He bent his eare, and laid it nigh.
7 The Earth affrighted at his sight
Shook then, and hills their closures brake,
And all their ioints dissolued quite
In their low vaults a bellowing make.
8 A smoaking heate, like breath neer spent,
Fum'd from his nostrils flames that turn'd
As doth a whirpoole from him went,
And what they toucht scapt not vnburn'd.
9 Heau'n at his beck bow'd humbly low,
To set his Lord on th' earthes round ball,
And foggy clouds that sullen show
Vnder his feet do prostrate fall.
10 He in his chariot mounted hie,
In flames an Angell holds the raine,
Whose wings of winde do swifter fly
Than oares can cut the liquid maine.
11 Inuolud in mists of sable hue,
He hides from Earth his brighter face,
In hollow clouds that stormes renue,
The pitchy waues obscure his grace.
12 Fire-flinging darts from his sharp eies
Cleere lowring clouds with cheering beames,
A ratling showre of haile-stones flies,
And flitting flames cast winding streames.
13 But when his voice sad silence brake
His thunder roares, and rends the skie,
The Earth with stormy haile did make
An hideous noise: Out lightnings flie.
14 His firy shafts flew far, and wide
15 In th' aires vast vaults, lights took no rest:
He strikes, and th' Earths wide chaps diuide,
And shew the springs hid in her brest,
And opens all the fountaine-heads,
Trembling for feare she showes how low
The strength of her foundation spreads,
And brings the darkest deepe to show.
So thundring flies his roaring sound,
So heauy falls his frightfull ire;
16 His hand that doth with grace abound
He stretcht from Heau'n at my desire.
And took me vp when almost drown'd,
Swift waues had ouer-whelmed me,
17 And from my foes, for force renown'd,
With greater force He set me free,
18 And with their power He mock'd their spight,
When in their harmefull madding mood
They sought by craft, as dark as night,
To ruine me who staggring stood.
19 He gaue me aide, enlarg'd my way
When straights before did me enclose,
And when Death had me at a bay
He sau'd his friend whom He had chose.
20 My heart, and hand from falshood free
His eies did pierce, and found them so,
And rais'd me high from low degree
That Honour might true vertue show.
21 For vice nor errour prone to ill
Did make my steps to goe astray,
22 His Law that doth prescribe his will
Was in my sight still night, and day.
Whose presence kept my soule in awe
Thundring her precepts in my heart;
23 In truth that hath nor crack, nor flaw,
I took delight, she took my part
As witnesse, when that inly free
From fraud, and guile I shunn'd the arts,
The cursed arts that sinke-hoals be
Whence flowes foule sin that soiles all parts.
24 His blessings therefore did He giue,
His bounties shew'd how He regards
The guiltlesse life which I did liue,
And which th' all-seeing Iudge rewards.
25 As Men, and as their manners be,
So do they find thee harsh, or kind,
Nor harme to h'harmlesse comes from Thee,
Whom still a friend, thy friends shall find:
26 To good men good, but who would gaine
Ought at thy hand by sleight of wit,
Thy wider reach proues his but vaine,
And him not wise that trusts to it.
27 In hard distresse thou keep'st the rent,
And worne estate of thine growne low,
And mak st to fall the lofty bent
Of the proud eie of my fell foe.
28 And taken from the throng of those
That baser be, Thou do'st me place
Aboue the rest in solemne showes,
And clear'st my night with thy bright face:
29 And vnder thy command the troops
[...] break, and passe their glittring armes,
The towring'st mount to me it stoopes,
[...] scale their walls, and scape their harmes.
30 As true as God is only good,
He showes to life the shortest way,
And cleerest from expence of blood
To those that with his colours stay.
From his eternall mouth what flowes
[...] far more pure than refin'd gold,
[...]nd with his shield He guards all those
Whose hearts in him confirm'd are bold.
He bids them not to be dismai'd
When things succeed not to their minds,
Since nought on Earth can make affrai'd
That heart in Heauen that refuge finds.
31 Say you who painted stocks adore
The mock-minds of the vulgar rout,
Who stones and iu'ry do implore
In sundry shapes with art cut out.
What other God doth rule the raines?
Who else doth guide the Earths round ball,
And sits in Heau'n that all containes?
Whose hand but his rules all in all?
32 This God giues strength to all my parts,
And liuely force, and shewes to me
33 The spotlesse way. By Him with Harts
In swiftnesse I contend, and He
Conuai'd me far from dangers neare,
And plac'd me high on safties hill,
34 And taught my hand deuoid of feare
To manage armes with vsefull skill:
And besides that, He made me bend
A massie bow made all of brasse,
And it to peeces break, and rend;
So strong was I, so weake it was.
35 He guardes me round on eu'ry side
With the defence of his safe shield,
His grace makes his right-hand my guide
Trebling my strength when I would yeeld.
36 He opens me a wide retreit,
In passages where men do lay
Close ambushes, traps of deceit:
Nor lets my feet wilde wandring stay,
Or take offence in vnknowne waies
37 And I by thine auspicious hand
Pursue my foes, breake their arraies,
And take them when as they disband.
Nor do I back returne before
Their daring minds are brought so low,
As, though at first they threatned sore,
Their courage cool'd it was not so.
38 And at my feet down let them fall
That they may neuer rise againe,
Nor with their armes, or engines all
Repaire the losse that they sustaine.
39 Thou through my members mak'st to flow
A liuely vigour, and hast steel'd
My nerues with strength, and do'st me show
The art to march in Mars his field.
And me who dares come to defie
40 Thou lai'st him groueling on the ground,
And mak'st my foes for feare to flye,
And none to heare their yelling sound.
41 And so, of Thee if they craue aide,
Thou turn'st thine eare from their request,
42 And as the Noth-winde hardly laide
Driues to, and fro, and giues no rest.
Vnto a cloud of dust, so I
My foes disrankt force to retire,
And trample on them as they lie,
As in foule waies men stampe the mire.
43 Me from the vulgar rout thou tak'st
Free from their base and surly aw,
And as for my proud foes thou mak'st
Me put a snaffle in their iaw.
To creep and crouch, my grace to seek
44 Thou mak'st the Nations come from far,
Fame strikes a palenesse in the cheek,
And daunted at my name they ar.
45 With words compos'd to gaine them grace
Their oylye tongues do smoothly flow,
Nor thinke themselues safe in a place
Whose strength is such as feares no foe.
46 Be to the Lord, rule, honour, praise,
Who shields me circled with his might,
Whose hand of help to health doth raise
My weakned lims from Deaths neere spight.
47 Who with reuenging armes in hand
Makes me confound what's lewd, and ill,
And makes that (whilst none dare withstand)
The people yeeld all to my will.
And on his word He bid me cast
All feare aside of blustring warre,
And when the bounds of awe be past,
And rage doth raise a ciuill iarre,
48 He guardes me from the rebell rout:
As in a morter pounded small
He beats the plots they fetch about,
The filthy froth of their foule gall.
46 Then to the neighb'ring cities I
Will wide thy noble acts extend,
And, sacred Sire, thy praise shall flye
Sung by my Muse to the worlds end.
50 Who bidd'st the King rest safe, and sound,
Nor be dismaid with crosse successe,
And mak'st him with worlds wealth abound,
And with much kindnesse do'st professe,
That him, and his till time haue end,
Closs'd in thin armes thou wilt defend.
PSAL. XIX.
YOu senslesse race, selfe-seeming wise,
Though impious errour darke your sights,
Yet see with eye, and mind the skies
Bespangled with a world of lights.
Hence learne his art whose hand adornes,
And in a vault of fiery flames
His temples plac'd, whose bending hornes
Compasse the seas, and lands wide frames.
2 Where enter change of night, and day
By constant course doth teach below,
That mortall things which soone decay,
Not here by chance, but counsell goe.
Where eu'ry part plac'd in due frame
Sounds Gods all guarding powerfull hand,
3 And whisper not, but cry the same
That all that heares may vnderstand.
4 For in the worlds remotest parts
No sauage Nation dwells so far,
Whose eies see not, and makes their hearts
Confesse the Heau'ns right guided ar.
Who when at night no clouds be neare
Doth not bright-shining stars admire?
5 Or when he sees the Sun appeare
Mounting his chariot red as fire?
When rowsed from his Easterne bed
His orient looks show bride-groome like,
Glittring in gold, and on his head
A crowne whose sparkes amazement strike.
Or when he gallops in his race,
And cuts the time in equall shares,
In lims, and strength, and fiercer pace
Most Giant-like He furious fares.
6 Who from the East to'h Western gole
Doth passing by the oblique signes,
With heate giue all a quickning soule,
And keepes in state that none declines.
7 But the due course, and comely grace
Of other things draw not our sight,
As doth his law, where it takes place,
Guide by close raines mens mindes aright.
Whose promises, which constant stand,
By light of truth confirme the mind,
8 And by whose sweet sin-wounding hand,
More gaine than paine, or losse we find.
And of his lawes the sacred lights
Vnuaile the minds, and bodies eies,
9 And faith profest with holy rites,
Drawes awefull feare that neuer dies.
10 And right, and conscious truth in brasse
Do keep thy statutes all enrol'd,
Which hony do in sweetnesse passe,
And better are, than gems, or gold.
11 Engrauen in his inmost parts
Thy seruant keepes them night and day,
And knowes that they, whose faithfull hearts
Preserue them, shall haue full, full-pay.
12 His wandring waies who calls to mind?
What force of wit can finde them out?
Then purge the soiles which sin by kind
A winding Serpent, shedds about.
13 Let not the force of surly pride
Hold now the raines, and rule my heart:
So shalt thou soone loose me fast ti'd,
With worst of ills bound eu'ry part.
14 The words which from my tongue do flow,
What inlye doth my mind record
Benignely heare, O Thee I know
My strength, my Sauiour, God, and Lord.
PSAL. XX.
THough that the mad, and bloudy sauage rout
With sword, and flame rage spoiling far, and wide,
Yeeld not, but goe more daring on, and stout,
He'l heare thy praiers, who the round globe doth guide.
And as He good, and milde heard in distresse
Iacob when He with hands to Heau'n cri'de lowd,
2 So will he thee, and his wide power expresse,
And free thee from thy foes though ne're so proud.
With secret force He will giue thee full strength
From out the sacred temple where he dwels,
Thy drooping heart He will confirme at length
From Sion hill where his high power excells.
3 He thy desires will blesse, and keep in mind
The free oblations of thy purer hand,
Thy offrings shall with him faire passage find,
Nor shall thy slaughtred beasts a minute stand,
Before the greedy flames on them haue fed,
And rais'd their bloudy colours in the skies.
4 He'l crowne thy hopes, and all shall soone be sped,
As thou thy selfe could'st wish, or best deuise.
5 The Lord to vs return'd will we applaud,
And serue our owne God with his own due rites,
Each place shall thanks, and to Gods name giue laud,
Assign'd for sacred vse, gaine, or delights.
What so with hallow'd lips we humbly craue,
He of his grace will giue his free consent,
All shall a good, and happy issue haue,
Nor shall iust praiers fall short of their intent.
6 I know, nor doth my Calender deceiue,
The Lord his King in safety backe will guide,
Nor shall his hand, his pow'rfull hand, thee leaue,
When He Heauens sacred temple opens wide.
7 Let Syria brag, and troop her Chariot bands
Arm'd with sharp siths vpon the axeltree,
And on her courser which on no ground stands,
Stamps, and cornets, let Persias boldnesse be.
Trust He in wheels, He in his hoofes, but we
Will call on God, who shoots his flames, and thunder,
8 Nor horse, nor chariot shall their safeguard be,
But Vulturs clawes shall rend their lims asunder.
Thy grace shall raise vs when we lie full low,
And set vs on our feet againe vpright:
9 Help, Sou'raigne, help, for if Thou fauour show,
Nor seek we aide, nor feare we any spight.
He will respect, and at all times of need,
(A King most gracious to his subiects deare)
He to their humble suites will giue good heed,
And soone his grant shall make his grace appeare.
FINIS.
PSAL. XXI.
NOw that the King in triumph rides
Free from sad cares of vexing foes,
To thee, Heau'ns King, and none besides,
The honour of the day He owes.
Thou gau'st him courage to withstand
The toiles, and hazards of the field,
And brought'st him back led by thy hand,
Whom in his flight thy Grace did shield.
2 Nor thou deni'dst what humbly He
Implor'd, nor didst his plaints reiect,
Nor what in heart he wish'd should be,
Return'd in vaine by thy neglect.
3 More then he wish'd for, and before,
Thou powr'dst on him all blessings downe,
And on his head, to grace him more,
Neuer wore King a richer crowne.
4 He ask'd thee life, and thou didst giue
For death a life that neuer dies;
5 In high renowne thou mak'st him liue,
And shine to dazle Enuies eies.
6 Him did thy Grace a patterne make
Of happinesse to th'after-breed,
That mothers thence might measure take,
When as they blesse their hopefull seed.
7 Thou art the Anchor of his trust,
And safest hauen in roughest seas,
[Page 42]Fixt on thy helpe he feares no gust,
And free from harmes he liues at ease.
8 Thou wilt his foes both apprehend,
And as a Iudge inflict their paines.
9 As flames pent close do more extend,
When bursting forth they get the raines,
And burne the aged armes of trees;
So shall the blasts of thy iust ire
Consume thy foes, who thy decrees
Contemne, to worke their lewd desire.
10 Thou wilt cut downe both root and boughes,
The wicked race, and gracelesse brood,
11 Who thee, whilst they conceiu'd vaine vowes,
With bootlesse force, and fraud withstood.
12 Whilst thou pursu'st them in their flight,
Their backs the markes of shame shall beare,
And on their face thy darts shall light,
When from pale death they run for feare.
13 O Thou whose right-hand holds the reines,
And rul'st eternall Iudge of all,
Vp, let thy foes with pride-fill'd veines
Confesse thy force, and feele thy gall.
Then the blest troope (worlds Sire) shall sing
Of Thee in Hymnes on holidayes,
Who milde receiu'st the vowes they bring,
And lowr'st on lewd mens gifts, and layes.
PSAL. XXII.
1 O God, my God, why leau'st Thou me?
2 Why leau'st Thou me, that thus in vaine
My words I spend which bootlesse be?
For if the Sunne showes day light plaine,
The day sees how in vaine I cry,
And so the night, though darke her eye,
Yet hath she eares to heare me grone,
And those with mournfull plaints I fill;
3 But Thou art He who dwell'st alone
In Sion thy deuoted hill.
4 Of Js'achs race thou art the song,
Our Fathers hope hast thou beene long.
5 Nor who in Thee their trust did place
Went frustrate of their hopes from thee,
But crauing aide of their sad case,
They did professe thou sett'st them free:
For they who on thy word relye,
The taints, and taunts of foes defie.
6 But I a wormling am, no man,
A subiect for the basest tongue,
They speake of me the worst they can,
And soile my honour with their dongue;
7 And in the street as I passe by,
But nods, and points naughtelie haue I.
They shake their heads, they mumpe, and mow,
And with base words with points most sharpe,
At me their filthy gall they throw,
8 Behold, say they, (ah thus they carpe)
[Page 44]Gods darling here, who safe, and sure,
Thinkes by his helpe to stand secure.
Now let him saue him if he can,
And from neere danger draw him out,
Who thinkes himselfe the onely man,
And on his loue doth stand so stout.
9 But from the wombe thou took'st me, Lord,
When first thou didd'st me light afford.
10 On thee in hope I still reli'de,
Euen hanging at my mothers brest,
And seeing light, when first I cride,
My God thou wast, and so dost rest;
11 Now leaue me not in this my last,
When danger presseth on so fast.
Now is the last of all the game,
For feare of death friends slipp'd aside:
12 Bulls fierce, and fat, (whom none can tame)
Did compasse me with bellowing pride:
13 As Lyons, roaring for their prey,
When hope and hunger makes them way.
14 In streames of blood my body swimmes,
Yet bloodlesse I, and all the bands
Of my ioints loos'd, make vselesse limmes,
With me like melting waxe it stands,
As that dissolues, set neere the Sunne,
So is my heart with feare vndone.
15 My iuicelesse members all are dri'd,
As potters shards burnt in the fire,
My tongue to my dry iawes is tyde,
[Page 45]And to the graue stands no man nier:
16 Mad dogs about me barke for spite,
And with their fangs they pinch, and bite.
The worst of men who 'gainst me ranke,
My hands and feet with piercers bore,
17 And through my skinne, growne thinne, and lank,
They tell my bones not seene before,
And though their fury spent his spite,
Yet (their fierce mind fed with delight)
They make a sport to glut their eyes,
18 And see me tortur'd thus: At last
They shar'd my garments as a prize,
And on the inmost lots they cast:
19 But stay the end and me receiue,
Nor, Lord, in my last languor leaue.
Thou onely art my strength, my might,
Then hast thee, and my life sustaine,
20 Support me when all leaue me quite,
And my foes bloody sword restraine.
21 From foming Dogs their venom'd iawes
Saue me, and from the Lyons pawes.
22 The hornes of Vnicornes breake thou,
So, thy suppliant sau'd from death,
To friends, and kinne I will auow
That by thy grace I draw my breath.
And where thy seruants troope, will I
Show forth thy Truth, Strength, Maiesty.
23 You that serue God with purer minde,
Extoll his name with sober layes,
[Page 46]And Iacobs seed, that found him kind,
Sing his great power on holy-daies.
And you that spring from Is'achs race,
To faithfull men confesse his grace.
24 He leaues not him whom men forsake,
Nor from the poore turnes He his eye
With proud dudaine. When I did make
My sure to him, He past not by,
But me restor'd from fits of paine,
Vnto a pleasing life againe.
25 Then to the worlds ends yet vnknowne
Thy praises loud will I resound,
And tell of thee, and thee alone,
So far as w [...]ues the vast Earth bound.
But pay my vowes will onely where
Most men adore thy name with feare.
26 Where call'd vnto the sacred feast,
The sober troop that knowes no fraud
With Nectar fill'd shall eu'ry guest
The Lord of that great feast applaud:
And with his costly cares repleat
Acknowledge God who gaue them meat.
And of that God the praise shall sing
Who enters with Maiestick grace,
And doth a sparke like vigour bring
Into their hearts where it takes place,
That feare of death fled far away,
There lasting life with ioy should stay.
27 Then shall the Earth, mou'd at the fight
[Page 47]So new, and strange, from pole to pole
Be subiect to the God of might,
And of all kindreds eu'ry soule
Shall kisse his feet, and prostrate fall,
To Him alone the Lord of all.
28 To whom of right by fixt decree
(Who euerlasting King is knowne)
Belongs this masse of Kingdomes three,
Whose triple Crowne he weares alone,
To heauen and hell he giues the law,
And all betweene he holds in awe.
29 The Greatmen here that rule the rest,
With him as bidden guests shall sit,
And fill'd with sweets, fed of the best,
Shall to his yoke their neckes submit:
The which because so well they fare,
To beare it the more willing are.
The poore who pin'd stands neere the graue,
Shall bend to him his weakned knee,
Whose wearied limmes no vigour haue,
Nor moisture left more then hath he
Who lying at the point of death,
Is yeelding vp his fainting breath.
30 Him shall the ofsprings that succeed
In the long tract of time adore,
And tell to all their after-breed,
His loue to me shew'd long before.
This seed to him shall homage yeeld,
And beare his colours in the field.
PSAL. XXIII.
AT me mad dogs, ah what a coile you keepe?
And Enuy why sett'st thou them on to baule?
But God keepes me, as Shepheards keepe their sheepe,
Nor do I want, nor can I want at all.
2 And as a sheepe I feed, which hath no spleene,
In pastures where the short sweet grasse doth grow,
And where the Spring beflowres his louely greene,
My wearied limmes, that scarcely seru'd to goe,
Refresh'd againe, I at full ease extend.
3 The riuer cleare that gliding passeth by,
Vnto my fainting force doth succours send:
And in the Sunne when I doe parching lye,
As with a fanne of cooling breath alaies
My drooping spirits: And when my wandring minde
Following the traine of pleasing Errour, strayes,
Tendring his flocke, his way he makes me find.
4 And should pale Death, whose hād brings yelling grief
Dart at my heart when Hell blacke shades affright,
I'le folow, Lord, where thou doest leade in chiefe,
Thy Shepherds staffe will guide me safe, and right.
5 My table thou dost with full dishes spre [...]d,
With sweetest wine my crowned cup o'reflowes,
With sense-refreshing balme thou cheer'st my head,
Whilst looking on griefe doth confound my foes.
6 Me shall thy hand of bounty neuer leaue,
Nor thy good grace which good men doth attend,
[Page 49]And so till death doth me of life bereaue,
I in thy house, my pleasant daies will spend.
PSAL. XXIV.
THe Earth is all the Lords, and what beside
It sparing doth conceale, or bounteous giue,
And they are his that in wilde mountaines bide,
In fruitfull plaines, and ciuill cities liue.
2 Vpon the Sea the solid Earth he bound,
And firmly plac'd it, in so weake a seat,
With ioynts so strong, and all the peeces sound,
To bide all brunts, when swelling billowes beat.
3 Thus all belongs vnto the Lord by right,
But for himselfe he hallowed hath a place;
And who is he can thither clime? what wight
Hath leaue to stand within that court of Grace?
4 Whose heart and hand is cleare, nor idle dreames
Possesse his mind, nor who by swearing thriue,
Whilst his false oathes stript true men of their meanes,
Heau'ns Lord to him will Earths best blessings giue.
And by his power supreme him will he take,
From force, and spite, and all they doe, or say.
6 This, this is Truth, and this alone will make
Him see Gods face: This leads to heau'n the way.
7 Vnlock'd, vnbarr'd, you Gates stand open wide,
Th'eternall Gates, that lead to th'endlesse throne,
Make way, and all that hinders put aside,
Though strong as steele, and hard as marble stone.
For that great God, that he may passage find,
Whose glory casts his splendour far and neere.
8 For what new guest is all this pompe assign'd?
What King is he whose glory shines so cleare?
It is the Lord whose glory shines so far
With wealth in peace, with victory in war.
9 Vnlock'd, vnbarr'd, you Gates stand open wide,
Th'eternall gates that lead to th'endlesse throne,
Make way, and all that hinders lay aside,
Though strong as steele, or hard as marble stone,
For that great God, that he may passage finde,
Whose glory casts his splendour far and neere.
10 For what new guest is all this pompe assign'd?
What King is he whose glory shines so cleare?
He is the great Commander of the field,
To whose strong armes all Kings on Earth must yeeld.
PSAL. XXV.
LEt him in armes, another in his traine
Of courting followers trust, and martiall bands,
But Thou who mad'st what Heau'n and Earth contain,
In Thee my hope, in Thee my safety stands.
2 Thou, heauenly Sire, whom I to serue haue chose,
Let not my hopes be vaine to please my foes.
3 Some from shames confusion shalt Thou free,
Nor shall the blushing hue their faces staine,
Who fix the staffe of all their trust in thee:
But who loue filth, and filthy will remaine,
With shame and griefe doe Thou their hopes abate,
Who haue no cause to vexe me but their hate.
4 Among so many by-paths trod below,
Among the brambles, and thicke bushes here,
Thy sacred way to me thy seruant show,
And let thy light in darknesse now appeare:
5 And from the waues of Errour draw me out,
Which long, too long, haue compast me about.
Thence with the light of thy resplendent beames,
Bring me into the way of Truth, and Right,
From thy cleare spring since all my goodnesse streames,
My God, my stay, my Sauiour, and delight;
Then whilst alone I doe on Thee depend,
Let not my hopes be frustrate of their end.
6. 7. Did my lifes rule by crooked vices swerue,
Or Errour did my slipp'ry foot betray,
Or did my Youth my vainer pleasures serue,
Yet Thou whose Grace doth thy fierce rage alay,
Pitie my case, and what thou maist deny
To my deserts, yeeld to thy Clemency.
8 Nor Thou the best of Good canst this refuse,
To giue good things to those who sue to thee,
And who desire the rightfull way to vse
Thou wilt not faile their rule of right to be,
For Thou who art Truth, Equity, and Right,
Dost not as men, good will with ill requite.
9 Thou milde thy selfe, Lord, lou'st a modest mind,
And teachest it how to discerne the iar
T'wixt good and ill, (which pride seeks not to find)
But whilst there is no concord where they are,
Thou by a short and safer way the while,
Art guide to those who haue no gall, nor guile.
10 Sinne thou abhorr'st, yet gracious, soone forgett'st,
Thy promises thou dost as franckly pay,
And sparingly thy penalties thou sett'st,
And whilst we not neglect, but firmly stay
Vpon thy sacred stablishments, O Lord,
Thy words and works eternally accord.
11 That after-ages may record thy grace,
That glory thence vnto thy name may spring,
And spread it selfe abroad in eu'ry place,
Passe by our faults, O Father most bening,
What passions, by blind Errour whirl'd about,
Haue printed in vs, let thy Grace blot out.
12 Thrice happy he who with a guiltlesse mind
Serues thee, O Lord, what course soe're he takes,
He for his compasse shall thy mercy find,
Which in foule seas him fairest passage makes,
Vntill it bring him to that blessed port
Where all things well to his best wishes sort.
13 Where with a mind without presumption, bold,
He with the best of blessings shall be sped,
Where pillars of faire issue shall vphold
His ancient house, and his old stock shall spread,
His branches wide, and sap shall still proceed
From the fresh root, to blesse the after-breed.
14 So will the Lord infuse with sacred light,
His mysteries into the pious mind,
And what the godlesse men contemne, and spite,
And worldly wits could not by searching find,
He will reueale the knowledge of his will,
The rule of right, and the profoundest skill.
15 Thee therefore, heauens great King, I seek, & none
But thee alone: Mine eies turne not from thee.
Thou wilt my feet (when they are neere vpon
The snares which my slye foes shall lay for me)
Alone so free, and cleare from dangers set,
As craft shall neuer take them in her net.
16 O blessed Keeper of the Soules of men,
And bodies both, looke with a serene eye
Vpon me alwaies, but most clearly then
When all else failes whereon I might rely:
17 And free my mind from cares which sore oppress,
And in their change bring new griefes, but not less.
18 Repell the paines which more and more encrease,
And spare me, Lord, with trauailes spent, and worne,
Forget my sinnes, so shall my pangs surcease.
19 The wicked crue with might not to be borne
Pursue my soule: O with what spite enrag'd,
Torment they me, and cannot be asswag'd.
20 Free me from harmes, and, Lord, protect thine own,
From scorne of those who hate both thee, and thine,
21 Since all my wealth depends on thee alone,
And I haue nothing that I can call mine
To helpe my selfe, but onely trust on Thee,
Mine innocence accept, and set me free.
22 And let the Nation bound vnto thy law,
By thy right-hand be clear'd from seruile awe.
PSAL. XXVI.
VVIth open force the Tyrant me pursues,
And with close guile at me shoots bitter gall,
[Page 54]But Thou whose eye the hearts darke corners viewes,
To thee doe I appeale, great Sire of All.
My mind from fraud is cleare, my hand is cleane,
And free from lawlesse force, or lewd intent,
In God I fix my hope, who doth not meane
To leaue me still to fortunes furious bent.
2 Search thou my raines, and inwards of my heart,
And the deepe plots lye hidden in my mind,
With flames as doe the skilfull artists part
The drosse from gold, which they by fire refin'd;
3 And thou shalt see my mind how mindfull still
It is of thy munificence, and grace,
And how my life directed by thy will,
Holds an euen course, and keepes a sober pace.
4 Hence, hence auant the tongue with falshood fraught
Nor let it think to find a friend of me,
And who hath learn'd to paint his inward thought
In his flye brest, far from my house be he.
5 I hate the counsels of vngracious men,
And impious routs then poison more detest,
Whose hearts doe leape, as in a triumph, when
They doe foule facts, hatch'd in a filthy brest.
6 But with a mind not conscious of lewd sin,
And bath'd in purest fountaines, I will goe
Vnto thy altars, and there leading in
The daunce, my ioy will in Oblations show.
7 My Timbrell, Lute, and voices set thereto
[Page 55] [...]hall all accord with ioint and sweet consent,
To tell the youths what wonders thou didd'st do,
And that in places where they most frequent.
8 The house wherein men sing thy sacred name,
The Temple where thy Godhead men adore,
These set my mind (long absent from the same,)
On fire to see thy glorious arke once more.
9 Ah let not this prophane vnhallow'd soile
Among the sauage beasts, that thirst for blood,
Couer these bones when they shall rest from toile.
The men so bad, how can the ground be good?
10 Their guilefull minds to mischiefe wholly bent,
Hunt after bribes with a deuouring hand,
11 But I will still pursue my first intent,
And in the way of innocence will stand.
Lay thy milde care close to my sad complaint,
And free me from neere dangers that affright,
12 That in plaine paths I goe, and doe not faint,
But keepe on still, and alwaies follow right,
This is thy gift, this is alone thy grace,
And therefore I on high thy name will raise,
Of thee who art my safeties onely base,
[...]n the assemblies I will sing thy praise.
PSAL. XXVII.
VVHen in the dark God guides me wth his light
As with a torch, and he my life protects,
[Page 56]What open force, or fury can affright?
Or what can feare me, that blind fraud proiects?
2 When th'impious rout, in ill that ioine so well,
Mustred their troops all against me alone,
Into the nets themselues they headlong fell,
Where they hop'd I should haue beene ouerthrowne.
3 If Camps entrench'd, if Armies dart their threats,
Securely I behold their camps enclos'd,
And all their bloody broiles, and warlike feats.
I fearlesse view, with eye, and mind repos'd.
4 One thing I crau'd, and that I euer shall,
That free from cares which may my ioyes abate,
I still may dwell within thy sacred wall,
And that mine eies may see thy courts of state.
And seeing them I may admire the same,
That, whilst my vitall parts draw quickning breath,
I may sing praise to God, and laud his name,
And naught may end that sweet consent but death.
5 Then will he hide, and me safe-guarded lay
Vnder the shadow of his sauing tent,
Remou'd from all that might my mind dismay,
In walls as strong as rocks of hard ascent.
6 Nor will he leaue me now to be a prey
To th'impious force of the seditious rout,
So conqu'ring I to him my vowes will pay;
Who won the field should his name be left out?
7 Heare me who call, and prostrate at thy feet,
[Page 57]Broken and bruis'd, as on a rack, with paine,
With sweet consent let grace and goodnesse meet,
To raise and ease my tortur'd limmes againe.
8 My mind runnes panting after thee, mine eies
Fixt on thine eie, attend thee day by day:
9 Hide not thy light, that from thy loue doth rise,
Nor leaue me in the dark to find my way.
Nor in thy rage confound thou me thine owne,
Protect the life thy seruant owes to thee:
O thou the hope of all his helpe alone,
From foes defend, and him from dangers free,
10 Who neere, and deere, euen he that gaue me breath,
And she that bore me doe forsake me quite,
But God that leaues not his when neer'st to death,
Forsoke me not in my despairfull'st plight.
11 Teach me thy waies, by whose free grace I liue,
And guide my steps in the faire path of right,
That force, nor feare (wherewith my foes haue striue
To draw me from thy way) may work their spite.
12 Not leaue thou me obnoxious to the lust
Of impious men, who me of crimes endite,
And witnesse beare in things that are not iust,
Arm'd to the proofe with lies, the armes of spite.
13 Conquer'd at last with waight of pressing ills,
My minde would faint, but hope of thy good grace,
This comfort to my drooping spirits instills,
That after anxious toiles ioy shall take place.
I liuing here with men that draw like aire,
The blessings of an happy life expect,
Then take not thou the foile of foule despaire,
The Lord will giue thee strength, and will protect
And stay thy fainting soule, as props vphold
A crased house. Then fearlesse stand and bold.
PSAL. XXVIII.
VVOrlds King then starry Orbes more high,
My lifes support, sur'st shield to saue,
Heare mildly my request, lest I
Be like a corpse brought neere the graue.
2 Milde Father, to my vowes giue eare,
When I with teares lift vp my hands
To heau'n, where wandring lights appeare,
The Temple where thy glory stands.
3 With lewd men be not I enrol'd,
Nor as their mate, Lord, doome thou me,
Whose tongues are made by'th Sirene mould,
And minds with poison tainted be.
4 Let their reward their lewdnesse show,
As bad their worke, euen be their hire,
And let them reape, as they did sow,
Paines equall to their lewd desire.
5 The wise fore-sight of thy decree
(Who do'st my head with honour crowne)
Keepes not their hands from falshood free,
Nor holds their spite-swolne stomackes downe.
And therefore shall not their long line
Of hopelesse ofspring wide extend,
Of stocke and house shall be no signe,
Their fathers pelfe shall soone haue end.
6 To thee all-ruling Lord be laud,
Who to my prayers faire passage yeelds,
7 Whose strength armes me from force, and fraud,
Whose hopefull help my safety shields.
8 Hence ioy triumphing in my brest,
My measur'd lines thy praises sing,
Who guard'st thine owne with dangers prest,
And from all snares preseru'st thy King.
9 Thou Prince of men keepe safe and sound
Thy people, and let Hebers race
In all Earths blessings still abound,
Vntill the night doe leaue his place.
PSAL. XXIX.
THough rich in gold, though thou in wealth abound,
Thy front adorn'd with a victorious crowne,
Acknowledge God, nor be ingratefull found,
Vse thy good hap, but know heauen sent it downe.
2 Sing praise to him, and with submisse request
Make him thy friend, who made the worlds wide frame,
And with his becke who rules the skie addrest
With glittering Starres, giue honour to his name.
3 Whose sounding voice powres moistning showres below,
Who horrid tumults raising in the skye,
[Page 60]With roring thunders makes fierce Boreas blow,
And mount the swelling waues, when Seas grow high:
4 A voice, I say, with Maiesty repleate,
Whose power makes good, what first his will design'd,
5 Whether he pleas'd of Cedars tall and great,
T'uncloth the hills, or rend high Elmes with wind.
6 Or burst out stones, conioyn'd to stones with lime,
Or tosse the hills, and their first footing change,
As youthfull rage ioy'd with the springing time,
Doth pricke the lusty Bull to leape and range.
7 If his voice strikes fire flashes from the cloud,
8 The desert Cabines of th'Arabians shake:
9 Beasts quake for feare, abortiues disauow'd,
Burst forth with paine. Okes fell when he but spake.
What Heauen containes in his gold-vaulted roome,
What Earth sustaines, ennamel'd with rare skill,
And what lies hid within the Seas deepe wombe,
They all confesse Gods vnresisted will.
10 The sinne-reuenging sea, mou'd at his sound,
O'rewhelm'd the Mountaines, when it rag'd and rau'd,
And thou (to whose decrees are all things bound)
Wast pleas'd to drowne the world, so sinfull made.
11 If thou giue strength, we neither feare our foes,
Or proud for wealth, or for their number daring:
If thou giue peace, from Plenties horne that flowes,
No blessing shall to Js'achs race be sparing.
PSAL. XXX.
OF thee my Muse, of thee my Harpe shall sound,
Iudge of the world, whēce all good things do flow,
Freed from deaths iawes that sought my ouerthrow,
My vowes now will I pay, by promise bound.
Releas'd by thee nor now insults my foe,
To see mine eyes poure forth their floods of teares,
Nor takes delight to see me vext with feares
Of pressing ills, thou cool'st his courage so.
2 I sought thy helpe, when I vnsteddy stood,
And doubtfull of successe, to thee did sue,
By thee refresh'd, alone by thee I drew
Th'aires louely light, that cheeres the vitall blood.
3 Nor doe I lye with fates long night opprest
In the low vaults, where windowes want, and lights;
4 But you deuoted to the sacred rites,
And cleane oblations of a purer brest,
Him let your heart with sweet harmonious cheere,
(Who mindes your prayers) be mindfull to record,
Extoll with praise your Sire, and Sou'raigne Lord,
Since to your vowes he bends his listning eare.
5 The heate of his reuenging ire alayde,
Doth vanish as a fleeting buble falls,
And a sweet life, which no sad hap appalls,
By his right-hand is to good men repaid.
If late at night our mournfull faces be
Bath'd all with teares, yet when the golden Sunne
[Page 62]Sheds forth his beames, the glasse of griefe is run,
And smiling mirth our captiu'd minds sets free.
6 When I had all that fits a blessed state,
Thus said I to my selfe, no gust nor gall
Shall stay my course so fortunate in all,
Nor doubtfull chance giue sweet content the mate.
7 Thou giuing me strength, wealth, and high degree,
And like a mount rais'd with strong walls of brasse,
Strengthning my crowne, Credulity that was
My minds Enchantresse, fed vaine pride in me.
But leauing me vnto my foolish vaine,
Thou drawing backe thine hand, that light wing'd dame
False Fortune fled, and left all out of frame,
My house disord'red in the head and traine.
8 Then presently, sole President of all,
Humbly my vowes I on thine altar strew'd,
I crau'd thine ayd, and said with teares bedew'd,
9 What good to thee can of my blood befall?
What vse canst thou make of my breathlesse limmes?
Can the cold ashes that in silence lye
In Deaths darke mansion thy great works descry
To th'after-age, and sing thee sacred hymnes?
10 Milde to my vowes thy facile care apply,
That to thy grace doth easie passage make,
Nor from my teares turne thy grim lookes, but take
The plague-sores from my limmes that fretting lye.
11 When I implore thou dost thine care addresse,
[Page 63]And laist it close, and wip'st my teares away,
And in their place bring'st mirth, and to allay
My griefe comes ioy, which hand and heart expresse.
12 Of thee my layes shall sing, my harpe shall sound,
My voice on thee deuoted shall attend,
Nor shall my Muse want matter to commend,
Since of her song thy praise shall be the ground.
PSAL. XXXI.
IN thee my hope I plac'd,
Who best mad'st all things good,
See I be not disgrac'd
Whilst hope dies in the bud.
Me iust Reuenger free,
And from false foes exempt:
2 Beningly heare thou me,
And take me from contempt.
Keepe me as in a Rocke,
Where no path euer was,
Or clos'd where needs no lock,
Within a wall of brasse.
3 Thou art my rocke so steepe
As none can footing winne,
My brasse-wall trench'd so deepe
As none can enter in.
So may thy name affright
The minds of my proud foes,
4 That whilst thou lead'st me right,
I may their snares disclose.
5 Thou art my strength, with thee
I leaue my life in trust,
True of thy word saue me,
And keepe thy cou'nant iust.
6 I hate with all my heart
Those that pursue vaine dreames,
My steddy hope thou art,
My hau'n in roughest streames.
7 When dangers sore oppresse,
The cleare light of thy grace
Doth griefe soone dispossesse,
And brings ioy in the place.
8 Vext without right or lawes,
Where tyrant rage doth raigne,
Thou took'st me from his iawes,
And didst pale death restraine.
9 Haue pitty then on him
Who all to peeces rent,
Mind, eye, and eu'ry limme
Is senslesse, dim, and spent.
10 My fraile life worne with anguish
Doth slide away, with groanes
My foiled forces languish,
And iuicelesse are my bones.
11 Who hates me takes a pride
At my mishap to jeere,
Some flip for feare aside,
And not a friend comes neere.
12 Rac'd out of mind, as dead,
My Kinne deny me place,
Where I was borne and bred
No pot shard held more base.
13 In troops with publick scorne
The rascals me disdaine,
My death a crue hath sworne,
And plot with might and maine.
14 But confident the whiles
Of helpe from thee, my foes
Their threats, wrongs, taunts, and guiles
Disturb not my repose.
15 Of life thou guid'st the line,
And mak'st time swift or slow,
Free me who, Lord, am thine,
From rage of my fell foe.
16 Ah show thy louely face
To me thy seruant deare,
Still let me find thy grace,
As those that doe thee feare.
17 Nor let it be my shame,
That I implore thine aid,
Blush they are worthy blame,
And deepe in silence laid
Sleepe they out their long night.
18 Dumb be the tongue doth vse
To lye, to barke, and bite,
And most the best abuse.
19 How great, how many be
Thy blessings to thy friends,
Witnesse the Poles that see,
Thine blest beyond their ends.
20 These safe thy Grace protects,
When great men threat and swell,
No poisonous tongue infects
Those in thy house who dwell.
21 Eternall be thy grace,
The worlds supremest Guide,
Who, as in a strong place,
Do'st me from danger hide.
22 Hopelesse, and helplesse when
I scarce was sau'd by flight,
I to my selfe said then
My God hath left me quite.
But hauing me in mind,
When ditefull'st dangers prest,
Thou lent'st thy eare so kind
When I made my request.
23 To heau'n your hearts who vow'd,
Loue your all-fostring Sire
Who doth depresse the proud;
And raise his followers higher.
24 In God who put their trust
Rely on him in all,
Let Chance with no rough gust
Your courages appall.
PSAL. XXXII.
THrice blessed He whose heauenly Fathers grace
Remits his sinnes which kill the liuing soule,
And whose flagitious facts hid from his face
He buries deepe, nor puts them in his role.
2 Thrice blessed he to whom the Iudge of right
Imputes not his fraile lifes sin-straying wayes,
Nor in his heart found slights conceal'd from light,
Such as for shame Fraud in her closet layes.
3 Whilst in my brest I fostred the disease,
My bones displac'd, my ioints I scarce could draw,
And mournfull griefe, that nothing could appease,
Cri'd and complain'd, nor could I giue it law.
4 With thy strong hand enrag'd thou didst me presse,
Both when the night with clouds did hide the day,
And when the rosie Sun did him addresse
To show the world his beames to guide their way.
So wasting griefe discolour'd had my skin,
Paine dri'd my moisture pin'd with sad distresse,
That Cancer, when his furious flames begin
To burne the sand-sow'd crop, his rage is lesse.
5 Then did I change my mind, and shew'd my wound,
And laid my follies forth before thy face,
Disclos'd my fraud, then from sins bonds vnbound,
I reconcil'd was taken to thy grace.
6 Who seekes to keepe his court of Conscience sound,
With humble prayer let him appease thine ire,
[Page 68]Nor let him feare, though Earth the Seas confound,
The threats of direfull rage that burne like fire.
7 Thou still at hand to helpe, dost set me free
From perils which doe fiercely me assaile:
In all my parts are ioyes infus'd by thee,
Like his that breakes his bonds, and scapes the gaole.
8 Nor leau'st thou here: I will, saist thou, expell
The dusky clouds that keepe thy mind from light:
The blessed way of life I will thee tell,
Nor from thy steps will I reflect my sight.
9 Now be not thou like Mule or Horse, whose brests
With brutish fury fill'd, doe follow kind,
And know no kindnesse, but aduance their crests,
Till bit and curb doe tame their fiercer mind.
10 Head-strong iniquity shall vndergoe
A world of paines, but who sincerely craue
Of God with faith (whose grace doth euer flow
To those that humbly sue) shall pardon haue.
11 Who all from Right, and in fee simple hold,
And who loue Truth, and know nor fraud, nor guile,
With gesture, and with voice, your ioyes vnfold,
Since gracefull Heau'n doth on you sweetly smile.
PSAL. XXXIII.
YOu that chaste loue to Righteousnesse professe,
With chearfull layes sing of the Lord, who made
The worlds round ball: 'tis fit your songs expresse
Your loue to Right, who know no other trade.
2 Him praise with Harpe that yeelds a Siren sound,
And Shalmes with wind that warbling notes diuide:
That hand that proues his masters skill profound
On twice fiue strings here let his art be tri'd.
3 Let vs to him new songs of ioy deuise,
And him alone sound with the Trumpets shrill,
4 On whose bare word all faith and truth relyes,
And Equity attends his royall will.
5 For He's the God that Iustice loues, and right,
And truth; for why? in him no fraud is found,
His Bountie's knowne, expos'd to all mens fight,
So far as the vast Earth hath any bound.
6 He with his word, (whose word is his decree)
The shining globe of brighter Heau'ns did bend
Like to a bow, and so the lights we see
In the flame colour'd skye their beames extend.
7 He bounds the restlesse Ocean with a shore,
And curbs his lawlesse rage begirt about,
The waters in a cellar kept for store
When he hath cause to vse, he calls them out.
8 Him East and West both serue with awfull feare:
Who dwels in climes discou'red, or vnknowne
In th'vtmost bounds, where sea and land appeare,
Adore he him as Sou'raigne Lord alone.
9 What here below drawes breath, or breathlesse dies,
Doth liue and dye euen as he please to will,
Vnder whose changelesse law all trembling lies,
Bound to obey, and his Edicts fulfill.
10 Who far more wise then men professing arts,
(Profaner men that vainer arts professe)
He mockes the baser births of their lewd harts,
And frustrate bad men of all good successe.
11 But what the Author of all things propounds,
And keepes within the closet of his mind,
Whilst day and night doe tread their measur'd rounds,
Shall steddy stand, nor alteration find.
12 Ah thrice, nay more then fourefold blest are those
Whose patrone God takes on himselfe to be,
And whom he tooke peculiarly, and chose
To be his owne in a more neere degree.
13 From the star-spangled vaults where Saints abide,
The Grand-Sire of the world casts downe his eye,
14 And in his inmost roomes retir'd aside,
Beholds the cares and toiles wherein men lye.
15 Who fram'd the heart, and her darke angles made,
And knowes what lurkes in eu'ry humane brest,
There's nothing hid eu'n in the darkest shade,
That can be kept from him, or lye supprest.
16 The King in vaine troops with his mustred bands
To be safe-guarded, and preseru'd secure;
The Souldier hopes in vaine with his steel'd hands
Against his foe to be protected sure.
17 Oft-times the Horse that ouer-runs the winde
Deceiues his rider, nor performes his speed,
18 But God beholds Iust men of heauenly kinde
With a fixte ye that still his marke doth heed.
19 And doth retort the darts of daring fate,
And stops the iawes of hunger sharpe and fell:
20 Hence comes our hope of helpe, and happy state,
None can like him, and none will guard so well.
21 And hearts deuoted to his seruice, He
Besprinkles all with oile of ioy, and brings
22 Their hopes, and vowes, that on him fixed be,
To happy end, whence endlesse solace springs.
PSAL. XXXIV.
IN weale, or woe, what e're befall,
At all times I the Lord will praise,
My mouth with high-strain'd accents shall
His praise resound, and alwaies raise.
2 This shall my ioy and comfort be,
And present ease in dire distresse,
The mournfull crue thus following me,
Shall cause their sorrow seeme the lesse.
3 Thus all in one, let vs pursue
With praise his name and sou'raigne might.
4 In dangers when I call'd, he knew
My voice, and soone put feare to flight.
5 Who heart and all to him apply,
With cheerfull hue their visage shines,
Nor shame with her cheek-staining dye,
Shall shew them crost in their designes.
6 Behold this poore penurious wretch
When he to him for aide did call,
[Page 72]He forth his sauing arme did stretch,
And freed him from what ill might fall.
7 Who feare the Lord an Angell sent
Doth guard their camps, and fence them so,
That impious force against them bent,
He foiles them all, leaues not a foe.
8 Make proofe, and you shall quickly see
How far Gods bounty doth extend,
And know how blest they onely be,
Who hope, and hap to him commend.
9 You holy Nations serue the Lord,
They nothing want who him adore.
10 Extortious wrongs doe not afford
Their masters food, when these haue store.
11 Come heauens delight, attend, and heare,
Whilst I the Lords true feare relate:
12 Who look'st for life from dangers cleare,
And for long daies in happy state,
13 Refraine thy tongue from poisonous spite,
And keepe thy lips from cursed fraud,
14 Auoid the crooked waies; doe right,
And loue sweet rest, and peace applaud.
15 The Lord beholds the innocent,
And to their vowes lends open eare,
16 His brow against the wicked bent,
Their names in no records appeare.
17 The Lord attends the iust mans plaint,
[Page 73]And frees him from all pressing ills,
18 When others with lost labour faint,
And hopelesse are to worke their wills.
And when the minde with griefes opprest
Doth vnderlye the waight it beares,
Gods helpe at hand is still addrest,
And care-distracted soules vp-reares.
19 What good men would blinde Chance enuies,
And taskes them to laborious toiles,
But God, who guards the godly wise,
Abates her edge, and forces foiles.
20, 21 And keepes the bones in their right place
Vnbroken by the hands of foes,
When lewd men (to their more disgrace)
By their owne sinnes worke their owne woes.
And he who's not the godlies friend,
Shall with his house quite ruin'd fall,
22 But who serues God, he doth defend
His life, house, liuelihood, and all.
PSAL. XXXV.
BLest Architect, who mad'st the worlds wide frame,
Come and protect me, and my cause defend,
And to my foes with ignominious shame
Retort the ill which they tow'rds me intend.
2, 3 Take with thy darts thy all-resisting shield,
And draw thy sword, and meet my foes i'th field.
Say to my soule, secured by mine aid
Let not thy courage be appall'd with feare,
[Page 74]4 The shamefull blush that showes a shind dismaid
Be that the colour, and let that appeare
In my foes front, and turne they soone their backe,
Who their blind traps prepar'd to work my wracke.
5 As Boreas fierce doth whirle the dust about,
So let the wreakfull Angell in their flight
6 Hard at the heeles pursue this heartlesse rout
Dabling in durt, let then the sullen night
Cloud all her lampes, that frighted with her frowne,
The wreakfull Angell then may ding them downe.
7 For since they sought by their lewd luring traines,
To take me in their nets who meant but good,
And digg'd a pit in th'Earths deepe hollow veines,
8 Snar'd be they in the nets laid for my blood,
And where my death was threatned, in that pit
Headlong fall they, and blindfold lye in it.
9 In the meane time my heart shall leape withall,
All sweet delight infus'd. My mind now free
By grant of grace from harmes that might befall,
Shall praise the Lord, whence comfort comes to me;
10 And all the senses that expresse the mind,
Shall cry, and say, None like our God we find,
Who guards the poore from violence of those
That presse them down with their huge waight of pride,
And whose reuenging hand keepes off the blowes
That would confound, were he not on their side.
11 Conspiring Calumny doth spit her spite,
And of foule crimes me guiltlesse doth endite.
12 They feigne flagitious facts which I ne're knew,
[Page 75]To bring my soule vnto a shamefull end.
What I did well with malice they pursue,
And breake their sleepes whilst they my death intend.
13 Whilst pois'nous griefe burnes like a plaguy sore,
And eats their intrails, in ill case before,
I in a sable hue, and mourning weed,
Deform'd, and worne, scourg'd with pale famines rod,
Groueling on ground, eyes, hand, and heart agree'd,
With teares and humble sute t'appease my God.
14 So friend for friend, so brother mourns for brother,
So sons bedew with teares their deare dead mother.
15 If Fortune toucht me with her heauy hand,
They flock, and ioy at my supposed ills,
The rascall rout, when I thinke nothing, band
To worke on me their proud and spitefull wills.
16 Base Parasites, and all the babling crue,
Whet tooth on tooth, and their fell poison spue.
17 O Father deare when shall this long forbaring,
And irksome patience haue a finall end?
Restraine this scoffing pride, and saucy daring,
And me thus left let not fierce Lyons rend:
18 That this by thee I may acknowledge done,
That now I liue, and see the louely Sunne.
And in the solemne meetings I will sing
Of Thee, and of thy ready helpe to those
Who call on thee, the vniuersall King.
19 Nor let the crue which fat and fulsome growes
By laughing at mine ills, to see me pin'd,
Nourish vaine hopes of wrongs which they design'd.
With nods and winkes let not my cruell foe
Note me, nor triumph at my bad successe,
20 Who still insults with scornfull words that flow
From his fell gall, and ill-aduis'd doth presse
On me with traines (that faine would liue at rest)
To snare me sleeping, by his guiles opprest.
21 They girne and fleere, and, Ha, say they, our eyes,
Our eyes haue seene this smiling sun-shine day.
22 Who view'st with thy all-seeing lampes what lies
In the wide world disperst, canst thou yet stay,
And see, see this? Then setting all aside,
Protect thou me. Delay drawes on their pride.
23 Vp, vp at length with thy reuenging hand
Batter and bruise the refractary proud:
24 And thou iust Iudge with iust reuenge withstand
Lewd mens attempts, that will not else be bow'd,
Nor let them beare, as they had wonne a prize,
Mirth in their mindes, when teares are in mine eies.
25 Nor let them mutter in their inward soule,
Ha, ha, all now goes right, and farre beyond
Our hopefull plots, now haue we wonne the goale,
See where he lies, whose hopes were vaine and fond.
26 Let them repay with ignominious shame
Their foolish mirth, and pride that mou'd the same.
And let the blushing hue, which shame attends,
Repell the ioyes vnseasonably bred
Within their brests, to see me misse my ends.
27 But who are with another spirit led,
And take to heart to see me walke vpright,
Vsher'd by Conscience that no feares afright,
Liue they a life from sorrow far remote
In sweet repose, and raise vnto the skye
Their Sou'raignes praise, strain'd to the highest note,
Who frees from cares those that on him rely.
28 Blest Sauiour of mankind, let my tongue sing
Thy Iustice alwaies, whence all right doth spring,
And tell thy Grace, which guides the ruling raines,
Whilst in my brest one sparke of heate remaines.
PSAL. XXXVI.
ALthough thou burne in sacred flames
The intrailes of a thousand Cowes,
Kisse stockes and stones, with hallow'd names,
And mumble double praiers and vowes,
And heape thine Altars all beset
With the best gifts that thou canst get.
I will not yet thinke thee a jot
The more religious for all that,
Since that thy sins say thou art not,
And all thou do'st denyeth flat
There is a God that rules at all
With prouidence this our round ball.
2 How plausible soe're thou seeme
And faire in show aboue the rest,
Yet all may see, and seeing deeme
Foule sinne lyes close couch'd in thy brest,
And bursting forth like fire brings hate,
Which followes thee with shame her mate.
3 Whate're thou saist is guilt with guile,
With thanklesse cares thou puttest by
[Page 78]All wholesome words, and others while
They wish thy good, thou think'st they lye:
4 Contriuing mischiefe all night long,
Thou fly'st from right, and fostrest wrong.
5 Great ruler of the world, the land,
The sea and sky thee gracious find,
And all that heauen enfolds, doth stand
And fall to thee, all in their kind.
6 Thy rule of right and sacred skill,
As it made all, so guides all still.
It higher is then tops of hils
Whereon the snow doth longest lye,
Deeper then gulfes that nothing fills,
Hence men draw breath, and liue thereby:
Nor scape thy care the beasts on earth,
Nor creeping things of lowest birth.
7 In this all comforts that we haue
Of life, and liuelihood are found,
Whilst the pure soule is made a slaue
Here in the bodies dungeon bound.
As birds by dammes safe brooded lye,
So by thine aid all harmes we flye.
8 But when the exil'd mind is free
By death, and goes from whence it came,
Where all the roomes star-spangled be,
There want, and with her griefe, and shame
Are banish'd; there hath eu'ry man
More then he wish'd, wish what he can.
There pleasures are strew'd all about,
[Page 79]And vnmixt ioyes doe there abound,
There like a torrent gusheth out
Streames of delights not elsewhere found.
9 Thence springs the life whose fount still flowes,
The life which Deaths fithe neuer mowes.
There vanish mists that darke our minds,
And like to clouds doe blind our hearts,
But from thy face the beame that findes
His radiant light, vs light imparts;
Which shall with knowledge feed the mind,
That leaues no dregs of filth behind.
10 Those with thy gracious goodnesse cheere
Who know thee, and what thou hast done,
And loue the truth, to thee so deare,
With heart and mind cleare as the Sun,
Let, let them now in iustice haue
The blessings which thy Grace first gaue.
11 Nor let the foot of surly pride
Trample on me, nor let the rout
Of impious men put me beside
My house, and home, and thrust me out.
12 Who ioy in sin be sin their fall,
That they once downe, rise not at all.
PSAL. XXXVII.
AH let not Spite enflame thy gall,
Though fortunate thou lewd men find,
Nor at their wealth fret thou at all,
More fugitiue then is the wind.
2 So fades their shadow of renowne,
And seeming show of happy state,
As grasse in flowry meades cut downe,
Whose leaues their verdure soone abate.
3 Trust thou in God, with heart and hand
Pursue the trade of right, and truth,
So will he giue thee house and land,
And feed thy age, who nurst thy youth.
4 Rapt be thy soule with his delight,
And of thy ioy be he the base,
So cheer'd and cherisht day and night,
He'll crowne thy wishes with his grace.
5 Commit thy life, goods, and good name
To his alone directing hand,
Then as thy selfe would'st haue the same,
Thy hope and hap shall iointly stand.
6 Like heau'ns great light when it doth rise,
Thy Iustice he will make appeare,
Thy Iudgement too in all mens eyes
Like beames at mid-day shall be cleare.
7 Beare thou the crosses that may fall,
And if thou see (which few can brooke)
The wicked with their pride sway all,
Yet cast not thou a lowring looke.
8 Restraine the current of thine ire,
And let not hurtfull passion in,
Lest emulation moue desire
To run the common course of sin.
9 Vngodly men shall neuer stand,
But passe as smoake with ayrie wings,
When godly men possesse the land,
Left to their seed that after springs.
10 Stay but a while and thou shalt see
The wicked man consum'd and gone,
His towres of pride shall ruin'd be,
And no signe left to gaze vpon.
11 The golden meane in humble mind,
Shall blesse the meeke with peace and rest,
And leaue his well-got lands behind,
Of rightfull heires to be possest.
12 The gracelesse man doth spread his net
The good with cunning to ensnare,
And his enuenom'd tushes whet,
Chaf'd with despight, and fretfull care.
13 But God beholds this from his throne,
And laughes to scorne these threats so vaine,
For he fore-sees he soone must groane
Vpon the rack of tort'ring paine.
14 The wicked man doth draw his sword,
And bends his bow to take his marke
At him who's iust in deed and word
The humble Deere in Gods owne parke.
15 But his drawne sword with edge reuers'd
Shall wound his master with the blow,
His shaft in vaine made to haue pierc'd,
Shall breake asunder with his bow.
16 Plaine homely stuffe falne to thy lot
By a faire course shall grace thee more,
Then all the lothed spoiles ill-got
By rich men pillaging the poore.
17 Extortious goods the Iudge of right
Shall scatter wide, and bring to dust
The mountaines of these men of might,
And with his right hand guard the iust.
18 God fosters those who harmlesse be,
And what they haue his grace assures,
Their birth-right too by his decree
Beyond the date of daies endures.
19 When plaguy boiles, and furious armes
Doe all the world with rage infest,
Then he whose hand is free from harmes,
Shall not with pining dearth be prest.
20 But impious men 'gainst heauen that fight,
Shall perish quite without delay,
And vanish in the smoke so light,
As fat of Lambes that melt away.
21 Vnrighteous men nor giue, nor lend,
But borrow, and not pay againe,
When frugally the lust doe spend
And portions for the poore retaine.
22 The Iust mans friends shall free dispose
Possessions to their hopefull breed,
When as the seed of his proud foes
Shall want a root the stock to feed.
23 The Lord loues Iust men, and sustaines
Their steps in all the wayes of right,
24 His right hand them from slips restraines,
And if they fall they fall not quite.
25 I was a childe, now aged growne,
Yet neuer saw in all this space
The iust man left, nor his haue knowne
To beg their bread from place to place.
26 The righteous man in time of need
Vnto the poore doth lend, and giue,
Yet leaues to them that shall succeed
Enough whereby they richly liue.
27 Eschew the wrong and winding waies,
And follow right as heauen shall guide,
So whilst the Sunne with golden rayes
Directs the day, thine shall abide.
28 The Lord takes truth and right to heart,
And neuer honest men forsakes,
But they that from his wayes depart,
Their fruitlesse seed no rooting takes,
29 The Iust man that is faire possest
Of lands, of goods, of hoofe, or horne,
Both he and his shall see it blest,
While day and night haue euen and morne.
30 Wisedome and Truth doe still abide
Within the lips of honest men,
31 And heauens iust lawes in heart reside
To keepe their feet from Errours denne.
32 When impious men watch very neere,
To bring the iust man to his end,
33 Then God who sees his cause is cleare,
From vniust doome will him defend.
34 Hope thou in God, his lawes ensue,
Then great in wealth, and high in place
Hee'll giue thee helpe, and health to view
Thy foes to fall before thy face.
35 I saw great men as fresh and tall
As bayes that growes by'th riuer ride,
Who whilst they will, or would haue all,
Goe strouting out with swelling pride.
36 I turn'd my eye, and loe the shape
And substance gone of all their glory,
Their boundlesse pow'r which naught could scape,
Left but their fall to tell their story.
37 Behold the state, and stately traine
Of men vpright, whose lowly mind,
Crown'd with content endures no paine,
And in old age sweet quiet find.
38 But factious men for mischiefe prest,
Their glasse soone's run, and pleasure past,
An end which suites with all the rest
Concludes their loathed life at last.
39 The iust man casts his anchor deepe
Of solid Hope in heau'n aboue,
Which steddy doth the righteous keepe,
That earth nor hell can him remoue.
40 The Lord giues aid to those that craue,
And from all harmes he sets them cleare,
Who him entrust with all they haue,
What man can doe they need not feare.
PSAL. XXXVIII.
COrrect me not, Lord, in thy burning ire,
(Who mad'st and rul'st the vniuersall masse)
Though I deserue what Iustice may require,
Yet let not Fury on my Iudgement passe.
2 The arrowes deepe within my entrailes sticke,
Which thy right hand did leuell at my heart,
Thy wrath so gaules, my conscience so doth pricke,
(And forc'd by them feare seizeth eu'ry part,)
3 That in my wounded soule no peece is free
From mortall sins, which so waste all within,
As that my bones (their ioints so loosened be)
Haue suckt the poison of infecting sin:
4 Of sin that doth ingulfe me in the maine,
And if my head aboue the waues but peepe,
Or that I doe but striue to rise againe,
It weighes me like a stone downe to the deepe.
5 The new skinn'd skarres of my old wounds renew'd,
Spue out foule matter, and with paine brought low,
6 With anguish, and long lying vglie hu'd,
The worst, and last of ills, surcharge my woe.
7 The plague-fore hid within my belly boiles,
Nor any part without is free from paine,
[Page 86]8 So weake am I, and broken too with toiles,
That day and night I am enforc'd to plaine.
And made to yeeld vnto my pressing ills
My heart doth cry, and like a Lion roare,
9 Thou Monarch of the world, whose power all fils,
Know'st what my soule desires, and sighes implore.
10 My trembling heart, and troubled mind with feare
Doe beat, and pant, the iuice, that all parts fed,
And vigour spent, no force is left to cheare
My members stricken with a palsie dead.
My eyes now drawing tow'rds their euening, cloud.
11 Neere neighbors, & deere friends, & neerer bound
By deerer linke of blood, me disauow'd,
And all cry'd faugh, lothing my parts vnsound.
12 But that proud crue still ready for my ill,
Deuising wrong with vtmost maine, and might,
Spread their slye nets, and that they hold on still,
And impious fraud assaid they day and night.
13, 14 In the meane while like him was deafe & mute,
I stone-still stood, and silence kept as one
Who wanted words, and reasons to confute
Obiected crimes, and could reply to none.
15 Whose power rules all, O guide me with thy grace,
16 In thee my hope is fixt, then let not pride
With scorne insult to see my dolefull case,
Or foes triumph if foot but slip aside.
17 I ready am thy sturdy stroaks to beare
[Page 87]My skin swels with the markes still black and blue,
Rent as a plow share doth the furrowes teare,
So in long streakes it shewes a bloody hue.
18 My sins I know deserue, deserue the wound,
And worthily I all these plagues sustaine,
19 But still my foe, my cruell foe gets ground,
The faction too doth strength and courage gaine.
20 They liue, and liuing sprout, and beare vp head,
And though of them I, Lord, deserue no ill,
With wrongs they me pursue, by fury lead,
And iniuries repay for my good will.
And still they spit their gall, and wot you why?
Because I alwayes follow that is right.
21 But be not thou far off, nor let me lye,
Nor leaue me thus engag'd to spitefull'st spite.
22 Make hast, and giue me thy sweet sauing hand,
Since for my helpe, I haue but thee to stand.
PSAL. XXXIX.
VVHen my fell foe triumphing at my harme,
Prouok'd me with tart taunts, I in my mind
Resolu'd from biting tearmes my tongue to charme,
And brawling shun, and all of that base kind.
2 I lock'd my lips, and rein'd my tongue so hard,
As not a word could scape, all was so barr'd.
But lest my mouth might rashly spit her gall,
I let not passe euen words were good and kind,
3 But griefe, like fire, finding no vent at all,
To burne within the more did fuell find,
[Page 88]And rage at last, that burst the curbing reines,
Thus on the Lord she calls, and thus complaines:
4 Shew, shew what bounds thou to my daies hast set?
When shall I flye, and from this dungeon free
Be rid of loathsome cares, that inly fret?
5 Thou liu'st past date, there is no end with thee,
Blest of thy selfe, and of thy selfe most strong;
But soone our glasse is run, we liue not long,
6 And almost lesse then nothing are our yeares,
Like to a flitting shade, or breathlesse shape
Which in the surface of a glasse appeares,
Nor that can vaine and anxious cares escape:
Lust rackes the mind, and ioy doth raise his crest,
Hope mounts him vp, by feare againe deprest.
We tumults raise, and spend we know not how,
(Without aduise not looking to the maine)
Our life in things, which folly may auow,
But of no moment, fruitlesse are, and vaine:
So whiles we toile, and moile, abroad, at home,
We gather wealth apace, God knowes for whom.
7 On which side shall I turne? who giues me ayd,
Tost, and garboild? who frees me wrapt in woes?
8 In thee is all my hope. Stop vndelaid
This sinke of sinne whence all this mischiefe flowes,
And leaue me not to impious follies scorne,
Launc'd with their scoffes and taunts not to be born.
9 I held my peace, when I perceiu'd these ills
Of thy fierce wrath for sin reuengers were,
10 Who mad'st mankind, and guid'st their waies, & wils,
[Page 89]Thy lashes yet a little while forbeare,
Since strength doth faile, nor doth my life suffice
To beare the growing paines that still arise.
11 When as thy plagues pursue our fretting sin,
Soone strength and beauty fade, and flit away,
As Mothes eate cloth when once they are got in.
O, man's a fraile and brittle peece of clay.
12 Yet to my prayers thy eares, mild Father lend,
Nor scorne the words which to thy throane I send.
Turne not thy face from his bedewed eies,
That liues a pilgrime, and a wandring guest,
Nor I, nor had my parents in like wise
A staid place here, where we our foot might rest:
But day by day, and eu'ry moment vext,
We spent our short liues in long cares perplext.
13 Then for a while forbeare thy sharper hand,
That I afresh my fainting breath may draw,
Before that I at Deaths broad gates doe stand,
Where entring once, there's no returne in law:
For if he take neuer so little hold
There's no redemption, goe must young and old.
PSAL. XL.
VVHen fear & threats about me bellow'd roūd
And cruell Death shook his deuouring dart,
Yet Hope from Heauen, though late, at last I found,
Which swag'd chill cares lay trembling at my heart.
2 The Lord perceiu'd, and from the gulfe me took,
Nor in the mire o're head and eares forsooke;
But on the tops of solid rockes he plac'd,
[Page 90]And shew'd me a faire way where I should goe,
3 And in my brest (with ruines all defac'd)
Inspir'd new breath, and did new matter show,
That I might sing his praise on sweet tun'd strings,
In numbers smooth which no harsh discord brings.
Let them see this, who all euents impute
To whirling Chance, or furious force of Fate,
And let them trembling when they haue a sute
Rest on that Lord who keepes in heauen his state:
4 Thrice happy he who casts his lookes on high,
That Faith and Hope may on the Lord rely.
And blessed he whom pompe of swelling pride
Leades not along with her alluring traines,
Nor drawes the mind with seeming good aside.
5 But, sacred Sire, how many a pledge remaines
Of thy great care to vs, which our weake sight
Sees not, nor tongue their number can recite?
6 Thou pluck'st me closely by the eare, and tells
That neither gold buyes out the guilt of sin,
Nor blood of harmlesse beasts the same repels,
Nor Holocausts can clense our crimes within:
Since then of me thou, Lord, seek'st no such thing,
But from thy Grace thy fauours freely spring.
7 I come, said I, command thou me, and spare not,
Here, sacred Sire, to doe thy will I stand,
Reueal'd in Volumes which the lewdest dare not
Or taxe with nouelty, or errour brand:
My mind to this, to this my study bends,
(Which is my first, all else are second ends)
8 That what I doe, or say, or keepe in mind,
I may conforme all to thy sacred bent,
For in my heart deepe graued thou maist find
Thy sacred Law that shewes thy wills extent.
9 I preach abroad to Nations far and wide
Thy Iustice so renown'd, so often tride.
Nor shall my lips take rest, nor tongue lye still,
But shall thy mercy and thy iustice tell,
And with thy name all Nations will I fill,
Thou seest it, Lord, and know'st it too right well,
10 For I conceal'd not thy iust rage to sin,
Nor to the poore how good thou still hast bin.
By my report thy goodnesse is made knowne
To all the lands abroad, thy truth withall,
11 Then let thy goodnesse, and thy faith, which none
Found euer yet to faile, or short to fall,
Saue me beset with troopes of mischiefe round,
Kept by thy hand which all things here did found.
12 Sore paines which passe the hayres vpon my head,
Vexe me on all sides, which the sharpest sight
Cannot so soone discry: My mind halfe dead,
And stupid growne, with cares is burn'd vp quite:
13 Worlds sacred Founder, come, giue present aid,
And draw me out with vtmost ills o're-laid.
14 That of their plots asham'd may lewd men be,
Let them heart-breaking Infamy attend,
And who layes snares to haue intrapped me,
Let all their drifts come to a shamefull end,
15 And taking pleasure in my sad distresse,
Be this the haruest of their wickednesse,
That they themselues into the snares may fall
Which stily they had laid to catch me in,
And let them frustrate see their ends in all,
Be shame their crop, since what they sow'd was sin.
And blush he still, and alwaies let him grieue,
Who with my teares fed fat laughes in his sleeue.
16 But who commend them wholly to thy grace,
Let hope of help refresh their drooping limmes,
And let them alwaies, and in eu'ry place
Extoll IEHOVAHS louely name with Hymnes.
17 Though hopelesse, poore, and comfortlesse I be,
Who guards all things he made wards ouer me.
The keeper of my life, and surest stay,
Come, vexe me not with too too long delay.
PSAL. XLI.
BLest is the man commiserates the poore,
And brings him helpe when hope begins to die,
And when he finds him trampled on the floore,
Scoules not at him with a disdainfull eie.
Whom men would think to be in peeces rent,
Him God will reare, and cheare him wholly spent.
2 With faithfull care God will him fence about,
And set him free from harmes, that safe and sound
Amongst the liuing here enioy he mought
A blessed life where all contents abound,
3 When on his couch griefe layes his aking head,
He helpe him then, and makes his easefull bed.
And all his griefe that pain'd him so before,
4 He turnes to sweet repose, So when decaid
[Page 93]With bitter [...] was full sore,
Of thee, O God, I crau'd reliefe, and said
My wounded soule of that foule sore recure,
Which sinne hath made so lothsome to endure.
5 My foe with direfull imprecations sends
Me to the pit of hell, and in my losse
He triumph makes. And thus he saith, When ends
That lothed life of his? When shall that drosse
Of his impurer carkasse in one night,
Together with his name be put out quite.
6 And if by chance one of this crue espie
Me drooping goe in body or in mind,
He faines as if he mourn'd in passing by,
And sighes, forsooth, after a sporting kind.
When going on, and that his backe's but turn'd,
He spits his gall, that in his bosome burn'd.
7 The wicked crue conspiring against me,
Whisper in one anothers eare their spite,
And closely plot their mischiefes, and agree
To ioyne in one, and ouer-beare me quite:
8 And boast that heauē sent this dire plague to grieue
And bound me with his bonds, nor will relieue.
He lyes, say they, deiected in his bed
Breathing his last breath in his latter night.
9 But he, in house, at board, who dwelt, and fed,
My Mate with whom my life I thought I might
And liuelihood haue left in surest guard,
Euen he, as fierce and fell as who most dar'd,
He taking part with my proud foes, did spurne
[Page 94]10 And kicke at me. But thou [...] doth giue
Me helpe and health, and all base spite didst turne
Vnto my good, that I might sweetly liue,
Thine eye of grace, and hand of help, Lord, tender,
That to my foes I like for like may render.
11 This of thy grace the surest pledge shall be,
And of thy constant purpose in mine aid,
When as my foe, shall not triumph o're me,
And though he storme his courage shall be laid.
12 My body now his former strength retaines,
My innocence still in my mind remaines.
And all proceeds from this, that thou thy hand
Extend'st to me, who took'st me to thy charge,
That I might safe by thy protection stand,
And alwaies fenc'd. Now set by thee at large,
13 Thee let the world acknowledge and adore,
(Whom Isa'chs race doth serue, and no gods more)
And let them sing thy praise while day and night
Betwixt them share the darknesse and the light.
FINIS.