 | Poems Sacred And Satyricall |  |
133
HOPE.
![illustration](https://iiif.lib.virginia.edu/iiif/uva-lib:463494/full/!1600,1600/0/default.jpg")
Hope followes Faith; when Man is most opprest,
Ready for hell, Hope to the Soule gives rest.
Hope in the Lord, be strong the Psalmist saith,
Hope strengthens, comforts and confirms thy faith.
Hope is Faiths daughter, Heav'ns holy Handmaid still,
To over-rule unruly desp'rate will
From doing damned violence, which may,
beget the soules Eternall cast-away.
In midst of hellish crosses, stormes & strife,
Hope must our Pilot be to a good life
Our Anchor, Cable: give it then free scope,
The sweet's of Grace, are relished by hope:
O my dull spirit, rowze thee, sit not still
pond'ring on thy poore Meanes, though it be ill,
Be thankfull; thanke thy God, and bee not hurl'd
To damn'd despaire, by th' malice of the world.
Good luck may goe away, but good hope yet,
Will never leave us, if we leave not it.
Ready for hell, Hope to the Soule gives rest.
Hope in the Lord, be strong the Psalmist saith,
Hope strengthens, comforts and confirms thy faith.
Hope is Faiths daughter, Heav'ns holy Handmaid still,
To over-rule unruly desp'rate will
From doing damned violence, which may,
beget the soules Eternall cast-away.
In midst of hellish crosses, stormes & strife,
Hope must our Pilot be to a good life
Our Anchor, Cable: give it then free scope,
The sweet's of Grace, are relished by hope:
O my dull spirit, rowze thee, sit not still
pond'ring on thy poore Meanes, though it be ill,
Be thankfull; thanke thy God, and bee not hurl'd
To damn'd despaire, by th' malice of the world.
Good luck may goe away, but good hope yet,
Will never leave us, if we leave not it.
135
Are we so blind, so sotted by the Devill
To receive good at Gods hands; and not evill
With equall thankes? have we for sinne deserv'd
Least good, no? rather worthy to be sterv'd.
Want threats revenge; men's states must needs decline,
When men against the will of heav'n repine.
Hope cleares Night-stormes, calmes the tempestuous day'
Afflicted, or not afflicted, let us pray,
Despaire not, nor repine; let Vertues scope
In midst of sorrowes, pearch thy soule on Hope.
Dare Man despaire to live the life of Caine
And die the death of Iudas; merit paine,
The Damned feele in hell? good heav'n defend
Disquietted soules from such a dreadfull end.
We all are sav'd by Hope; if in true sence
We hope for Heav'ns Eternall Excellence:
Hope's like the Fisher-man's Corke, despaire the lead,
Whose pond'rous weight no sooner being spread,
But it beginnes to sinke; so man in sinne,
Did not hope lift him up still by the Chinne.
Yet neither Faith, nor Hope can e're subsist,
Wanting sweete Charity; she is the list
That comprehends, and is the life of grace,
Love pitties still the poore, seekes the Lords Face,
To receive good at Gods hands; and not evill
With equall thankes? have we for sinne deserv'd
Least good, no? rather worthy to be sterv'd.
Want threats revenge; men's states must needs decline,
When men against the will of heav'n repine.
Hope cleares Night-stormes, calmes the tempestuous day'
Afflicted, or not afflicted, let us pray,
Despaire not, nor repine; let Vertues scope
In midst of sorrowes, pearch thy soule on Hope.
Dare Man despaire to live the life of Caine
And die the death of Iudas; merit paine,
The Damned feele in hell? good heav'n defend
Disquietted soules from such a dreadfull end.
We all are sav'd by Hope; if in true sence
We hope for Heav'ns Eternall Excellence:
Hope's like the Fisher-man's Corke, despaire the lead,
Whose pond'rous weight no sooner being spread,
136
Did not hope lift him up still by the Chinne.
Yet neither Faith, nor Hope can e're subsist,
Wanting sweete Charity; she is the list
That comprehends, and is the life of grace,
Love pitties still the poore, seekes the Lords Face,
Spes mea Christo.
| Poems Sacred And Satyricall | |