Prison-Pietie or, Meditations Divine and Moral. Digested into Poetical Heads, On Mixt and Various Subjects. Whereunto is added A Panegyrick to The Right Reverend, and most Nobly descended, Henry, Lord Bishop of London. By Samuel Speed, Prisoner in Ludgate, London |
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Blessings of the Righteous, as they are recorded in Holy Writ. |
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Blessings of the Righteous, as they are recorded in Holy Writ.
Hearken unto the Lord thy God,His Covenants observe;
So will he kindly spare his Rod,
And not afflict a Nerve.
Bless'd shalt thou in the City be;
Thy God will Blessings yield,
At home, abroad, at bed, at board,
And likewise in the field.
Blessed shall be thy bodies fruit,
and that upon the ground:
The wicked, be they loud or mute,
Shall neither of them wound.
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With increase of their Kine;
Thy Sheep shall still wax more and more;
Thy Grapes shall yield thee Wine.
Bless'd shall thy Store and Basket be;
Blessings shall thence accrew:
Comings and Goings shall agree
To make thee blessed too.
The Lord shall smite thine Enemies,
And put them to disgrace;
The chiefest he will make to flie,
And that before thy face.
Thy foes one way shall thee attempt,
But flie before thee seven;
From Judgement none shall be exempt,
But as the Chaff be driven.
Thy Store-houses the Lord will bless,
And all thou tak'st in hand;
And give to thee a large increase
Of plenty in the land.
The Lord, as he himself hath sworn,
He will establish thee;
And farther to exalt thy horn,
His people ye shall be.
Keep thou the Lord's Commandements,
And all the Earth shall see
That thou art great in innocence,
And stand in fear of thee.
The Lord he shall his treasures ope,
The Heav'ns shall give thee rain;
If head or hand with business cope,
It shall be for thy gain.
No discontent shall thee attend,
As free from grief or sorrow:
To many Nations thou shalt lend,
But have no need to borrow.
Blessed are they that in him trust,
He will them bless with speed;
For do they hunger, do they thirst,
He is their help at need.
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He may with gladness smile;
Whose errours all are covered,
Whose Spirit hath no guile.
Blessed are they that now lament,
As being poor in Spirit;
For they are promis'd by the Lord
His Kingdom to inherit.
Blessed are they that now do mourn,
Thinking their joys are fled;
For though as yet they seem forlorn,
They shall be comforted.
The meek are blessed too; for they
That love not strifes increase,
Shall on the Earth bear happy sway,
Delighting much in Peace.
The hungry too, and they that thirst
For Righteousness as meat,
They shall be fill'd, when those accurst
Shall nothing have to eat.
Bless'd be the merciful to those
Whom they observe in pain;
For he that mercily bestows,
Shall mercy reap again.
Thrice blessed are the pure in heart,
Whose Souls and hands are free
From vanity and wicked oaths;
For they their God shall see.
Bless'd the peace-makers are; for they
His children shall be call'd:
And he that loves and doth obey,
Shall never be enthrall'd,
Blessed are they for Righteousness
Do persecution bear;
Their great reward none can express
But Heav'n, it lieth there.
Blessed are they that are revil'd
Because they seek the Lord;
Be they at home, or if exil'd,
His grace will strength afford.
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For great is your reward;
The Prophets by such usage bad,
Did get into regard.
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