Prayers and other pieces of Thomas Becon ... Comprising, The Flower of Godly Prayers. The Pomander of Prayer. The Sick Man's Salve. A Comfortable Epistle to the Afflicted People of God. An Humble Supplication for the Restoring of God's Word. The Displaying of the Popish Mass. The Common-Places of The Holy Scripture. A Comparison between The Lord's Supper and The Pope's Mass. Certain Articles of Christian Religion Proved and Confirmed. The Diversity between God's Word and Man's Invention. The Acts of Christ and of Antichrist. Christ's Chronicle. The Summary of The New Testament. The Demands of Holy Scripture, with Answers. Edited for The Parker Society. By the Rev. John Ayre |
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 | Prayers and other pieces of Thomas Becon |  |
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THE HUNDRED AND THIRD PSALM,
MADE IN ENGLISH METRE BY THOMAS BECON, FOR A THANKSGIVING UNTO GOD, IMMEDIATELY AFTER HIS DELIVERANCE OUT OF PRISON, WHOSE IMPRISONMENT BEGAN THE 16th DAY OF AUGUST, THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 1553, AND ENDED THE 22nd OF MARCH THEN NEXT ENSUING.
Be thankful, O my soul, unto the Lord,
And all that within me have their being,
Laud, praise, and magnify with one accord
His holy and blessed name above all thing.
And all that within me have their being,
Laud, praise, and magnify with one accord
His holy and blessed name above all thing.
O my soul, once again to thee I say,
Be thankful unto the Lord evermore,
And look thou forget not night nor day
All his benefits that thou hast in store.
Be thankful unto the Lord evermore,
And look thou forget not night nor day
All his benefits that thou hast in store.
For he it is, yea, he it is alone
Which pardoneth all thy sins, both more and less:
He delivereth thee from all grief and moan,
And sendeth thee health in time of sickness.
Which pardoneth all thy sins, both more and less:
He delivereth thee from all grief and moan,
And sendeth thee health in time of sickness.
He saveth thy life from destruction,
Which otherwise should perish without doubt:
He of mere grace and tender compassion
Crowneth thee with loving-kindness round about.
Which otherwise should perish without doubt:
He of mere grace and tender compassion
Crowneth thee with loving-kindness round about.
He with good things thy mouth doth satisfy,
To eat and drink giving thee abundance:
He maketh thee joyful, young, and lusty,
Even as an eagle that is full of pleasance.
To eat and drink giving thee abundance:
He maketh thee joyful, young, and lusty,
Even as an eagle that is full of pleasance.
The Lord doth minister justice and judgment
To such as are opprest with violence:
He defendeth the good and innocent;
But the wicked he casteth from his presence.
To such as are opprest with violence:
He defendeth the good and innocent;
But the wicked he casteth from his presence.
He shewed his ways unto faithful Moses,
And his works to the sons of Israel,
That all his people might know both more and less
In all kind of virtue for to excel.
And his works to the sons of Israel,
That all his people might know both more and less
In all kind of virtue for to excel.
O the Lord God, even of his own nature,
Is bent unto gentleness and mercy:
Yea, friendly is he above all measure,
Long-suffering, and eke of great pity.
Is bent unto gentleness and mercy:
Yea, friendly is he above all measure,
Long-suffering, and eke of great pity.
For though our sins be both great and many,
Yet will not the Lord be alway chiding,
Neither will he for ever be angry,
But shew himself to us both gentle and loving.
Yet will not the Lord be alway chiding,
Neither will he for ever be angry,
But shew himself to us both gentle and loving.
After our sins he dealeth not with us,
Neither according to our wickedness;
But like a father, both gentle and gracious,
He forgiveth all our sins, both more and less.
Neither according to our wickedness;
But like a father, both gentle and gracious,
He forgiveth all our sins, both more and less.
For look, how high is the heaven supernal
In comparison of the earth full low,
So great is his mercy toward them all
That fear him, and wickedness away throw.
In comparison of the earth full low,
So great is his mercy toward them all
That fear him, and wickedness away throw.
And look, how wide the east is from the west,
So far hath he set all our sins from us;
Because our conscience should be at rest,
And no more troubled with works odious.
So far hath he set all our sins from us;
Because our conscience should be at rest,
And no more troubled with works odious.
Yea, like as a father, gentle and tender,
Pitieth his own children natural,
Even so is the Lord merciful ever
Unto them that fear him, both great and small.
Pitieth his own children natural,
Even so is the Lord merciful ever
Unto them that fear him, both great and small.
For he, being our Maker, knoweth certes
Of what matter we be made and formed:
He remembereth we are but dust and ashes,
All of vile and slimy earth created.
Of what matter we be made and formed:
He remembereth we are but dust and ashes,
All of vile and slimy earth created.
A man in his life is like unto grass:
His days are few, and but a while endure:
Like the flower of the field away he pass,
Flourishing for a time, but nothing sure.
His days are few, and but a while endure:
Like the flower of the field away he pass,
Flourishing for a time, but nothing sure.
For as a flower, with fierce wind assailed,
Fadeth shortly away and cometh to nought,
So doth man, of cruel death oppressed,
Depart hence, and unto nothing is brought.
Fadeth shortly away and cometh to nought,
So doth man, of cruel death oppressed,
Depart hence, and unto nothing is brought.
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But the merciful goodness of the Lord
Doth continue for ever and ever
Upon them that fear him with one accord,
And his justice upon their childer's childer;
Doth continue for ever and ever
Upon them that fear him with one accord,
And his justice upon their childer's childer;
I mean upon such as keep his covenant,
And do themselves diligently apply
To keep his precepts, and likewise do grant
To frame their whole life accordingly.
And do themselves diligently apply
To keep his precepts, and likewise do grant
To frame their whole life accordingly.
In heaven hath the Lord a seat prepared
For himself, both glorious and royal;
And his prince-like power is so outstretched,
That it reigneth and ruleth over all.
For himself, both glorious and royal;
And his prince-like power is so outstretched,
That it reigneth and ruleth over all.
O praise the Lord, all ye angels of his,
Ye that excel both in strength and virtue;
Ye that do his will without any miss;
Ye that hearken to his voice, and that ensue.
Ye that excel both in strength and virtue;
Ye that do his will without any miss;
Ye that hearken to his voice, and that ensue.
O praise the Lord our God omnipotent,
All ye his hosts and armies supernal:
Ye servants of his, which always are bent
To do his will, O praise the Lord above all.
All ye his hosts and armies supernal:
Ye servants of his, which always are bent
To do his will, O praise the Lord above all.
Yea, all things that ever God created,
Praise ye the Lord, the God of might and power;
But thou, O my soul, with heart unfeigned
Look that thou praise the Lord at every hour.
Praise ye the Lord, the God of might and power;
But thou, O my soul, with heart unfeigned
Look that thou praise the Lord at every hour.
Give the glory to God alone.
PSALM CXII.
O blessed is the man at each season
That feareth the Lord God omnipotent,
For such one hath all his delectation
To accomplish the Lord's commandment.
That feareth the Lord God omnipotent,
For such one hath all his delectation
To accomplish the Lord's commandment.
His seed upon the earth shall be mighty,
Flourishing aye like the green olive-tree:
The generation of the godly
Shall be blessed in every degree.
Flourishing aye like the green olive-tree:
The generation of the godly
Shall be blessed in every degree.
Such a man in his house shall have alway
Of honour and riches great abundance;
And his righteousness shall never decay,
But in all ages have continuance.
Of honour and riches great abundance;
And his righteousness shall never decay,
But in all ages have continuance.
When the other in darkness do remain,
Unto the godly pleasant light shall shine;
For such one doth love mercy to maintain,
To kindness and justice his heart he incline.
Unto the godly pleasant light shall shine;
For such one doth love mercy to maintain,
To kindness and justice his heart he incline.
A good man is bent all unto mercy,
And gladly lendeth to such as have need:
As for his talk, he ordereth discreetly;
So that his words unto virtue do lead.
And gladly lendeth to such as have need:
As for his talk, he ordereth discreetly;
So that his words unto virtue do lead.
From his place shall he never be moved,
But alway abide both constant and sure:
The remembrance of the just and true-hearted
Shall for ever and ever still endure.
But alway abide both constant and sure:
The remembrance of the just and true-hearted
Shall for ever and ever still endure.
The righteous shall be nothing afraid
Of any evil tidings when they be brought;
For his heart on the Lord is wholly stayed
Through strong faith, that God therein hath wrought.
Of any evil tidings when they be brought;
For his heart on the Lord is wholly stayed
Through strong faith, that God therein hath wrought.
Yea, his heart is so throughly stablished,
That he will not shrink in no condition,
Until he seeth his desire satisfied
On his enemies and their destruction.
That he will not shrink in no condition,
Until he seeth his desire satisfied
On his enemies and their destruction.
He disperseth abroad plenteously,
And giveth to the poor their need to sustain;
Remembered therefore continually
Shall he be, and his praise ever remain.
And giveth to the poor their need to sustain;
Remembered therefore continually
Shall he be, and his praise ever remain.
The ungodly seeing these things shall wax wood,
Gnash with his teeth, and consume away;
Yet shall the ungodly with all his mood
Shortly come to nought, perish, and decay.
Gnash with his teeth, and consume away;
Yet shall the ungodly with all his mood
Shortly come to nought, perish, and decay.
Give the glory to God alone.
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