The teares or lamentations of a sorrowfull Soule Set foorth by Sir William Leighton |
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| 1. | The first Lamentation in distresse cōteineth
a confession of sinnes, and a petition to be
released of the punishments due for the same. |
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 | The teares or lamentations of a sorrowfull Soule |  |
The first Lamentation in distresse cōteineth a confession of sinnes, and a petition to be released of the punishments due for the same.
1. The first part.
The first part sheweth that a man must not only repaire vnto God in prayers, in silent sighes, and in inward desires and groanes: But wee must also worship God, with our tongue, words, and voice, and in royall speech praise his holy name.
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O Father full of knowledg deepe,thou searchest secrets of each hart,
Behold'st desires, we priuate keepe,
with hidden silence in the darke.
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But yet thou do'st thus much require,thy children should know & confesse:
Thee for to be their lightsome fire,
that iudg'st their works in righteousnes.
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3
As thou hast fram'd in man a heart,wherewith his maker to beleeue:
A tongue and lippes, and euery part,
wherewith he glory may thee giue.
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And thou do'st challenge at his hands,free sacrifice of prayers praise:
And honors due throughout all lands,
that all men can'st deiect and raise.
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Thy children must not in their minde,be dumbe, nor in their tongues be mute
whē they should seeke thine help to find:
and by petition shew their suite.
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Thy sonne doth bid me aske and haue,and find to seeke, to knock and enter,
What they do want, that they may craue
by faith in him they may aduenture.
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Thou still art ready to be found,& helpe thine owne in their distresse:
That in their faith are constant sound,
and patient in their heauines.
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Therefore deere father, I beset,with many miseries distrest:
Come vnto thee thine ayde to get,
and after trouble to finde rest.
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And haue thy grace with-out with-in,but I that am of sinners chiefe:
Because thou hat'st in me my sinne,
many doubt thou wilt not giue reliefe.
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Alas poore wretch what shall I doe?to aske I am so far vnfit,
Vnapt my God to seeke vnto,
vnworthy to haue benefit.
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Of what I craue or do desire,and yet to cry I will not lin:
Till thou do'st send refining fire,
and purifie me, from my sinne.
2. The second part.
The distressed prayeth to be sanctified, and to inioy the renewed graces of regenerations: and though his infirmitie causeth him to thinke that the Lord doth not heare his prayers, but deferreth him too long, yet he concludeth that Gods faithfull promises still nourish and feed him with neuer dying hope of comfortable issue.
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O let thy spr'it me sanctifie,vntie my tongue, open my lips:
I cannot silence keepe, for why,
my conscience euery houre me whips.
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My miseries grow more and more,within my bones, I find no rest:
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& let me speake, what likes thee best.
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That thine eares euer be inclin'd,to my extreame and dolefull cries:
Let me thy mercies ready finde,
to take my teares from weeping eies.
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Thou euermore do'st heare the cries,of all that feare thy holy name:
And comforts them with thy mercies,
that trust in thee and begge the same
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Their soules thou do'st from death defend,& cheares their hearts in time of need:
To me therefore thy comforts send,
and giue thy helpe with louing speede,
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Thy seruants cānot hold their tongue,though oft they muse & cannot see:
Why their afflictions last so long,
and they for mercy cry to thee.
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Till at the length the fire of zeale,doth kindle, then it out must breake:
Tongue cannot hould but must reueale,
their grones & grieues & neds must speak
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To shew their hope which like to firenone can suppresse when they belieue:
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yet thou do'st seeme no helpe to giue.
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At last thy goodnes doth appeare,and thou imbracest him with ioy:
Time of deliuerance draweth neere,
& thou Lord feed'st him from anoy.
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Good God, how cōmeth this to passe,that I so long haue sought to thee:
And thou still seem'st to hide thy face,
and keep'st thy graces still from mee.
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How long haue I vnto thee pray'd,and thou seem'st not to giue me eare:
This makes mine hart & thoughts afraid
ready to faint with deepe dispaire.
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I ready was for to surcease,the suite which I so long had sought:
Made vnto thee for to appease,
thy wrath by Christ that hath me bought.
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O Lord my God thy promises,and louing kindnes only feed'st:
And comfort'st me in heauines,
with neuer dying hope in neede.
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I know expected time will come,when thou forgetting all my sinne:
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and free the bondage I am in.
3. The third part.
The repentant sheweth his faith & confidence in Gods fatherly goodnes and wisdome who knoweth best, what and when to giue his children, and therefore he conditioneth not with God by appointing him a time: but onely desireth that the Lord would not defer his graces too long: but mercifully heare him as he did alwaies heare the righteous and holy fathers who also were subiect to the same impuritie of sinne as well as the suppliant.
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Thou art my god thy helps at handthou art a father, thou know'st whē
To giue the state, do'st vnderstand,
of richest kings and poorest men.
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The things most fit thou do'st bestow,and helpest, when all helpe is missing:
Those could not creep thou mak'st to goe
& pourest downe on them thy blessing.
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Therefore God all sufficient,repleate with mercy full of loue:
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but pray thee doe what mercy moue.
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To say come now or then doe this,for the time, when, where, what, & how:
What thou do'st ayme, my marke may misse,
me to thy prouidence I bow.
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Yet be not ouer long away,for thou do'st know my feeblenes:
Thou see'st my troubles day by day,
bow'd down to extreame wretchednes.
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Without hope of recouery,I fall (alas) what shall I doe:
There is no trust but trust in thee,
for helpe and ayde and succour too.
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I know by proofe that thou art bent,to heare poore sinfull wretched men:
When they are truely penitent,
and when they pray, deliuer'st then.
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From troubles strife and all debate,from sicknes death and deadly paine:
From enuy mallice sinne and hate,
the righteous thou wilt not disdaine.
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But who is righteous in thy sight,or in thy iudgements cleane are seene,
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much lesse we wretches righteous been.
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But all are sinners, all transgresse,our elder fathers were impure:
All haue offended more or lesse,
yet was thy promise firme and sure.
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And did obtaine mercy and grace,reliefe, hope, strength, saluation:
They saw the brightnes of thy face,
thou gau'st them consolation.
4. The fourth part.
The repentant sheweth that the Fathers were iustified onely by grace in Iesus Christ: And therefore desireth that his sinnes may also bee couered in Christ his righteousnes: and then (complaining that his prayers are not heard) commendeth himselfe to God, whose good pleasure he still attendeth in steadfast faith & hope.
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Ovr fathers Lord were comforted,steength'ned relieued & blest:
Onely by grace and iustified,
as righteous men in Iesus Christ.
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Impute not sinne vnto my charge,not for my merrit and desert:
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all those that bee of contrite heart.
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Thou Lord full of compassion,and in thy mercies infinite:
Beare with my imperfection,
and let me in thy lawes delight.
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Couer my sinnes, as right'ous take meand right'ous shall I euer bee:
That right'ous am not, right'ous make me
in Christ O Lord cosider mee.
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O Lord what can it profit thee,mee to forsake or leaue in thrall:
As though thou did'st disualew mee,
my dayly cries and offerings all.
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My troubles yet continue still,I seeke thee, and am yet denied:
Of earthly blessings, do thy will,
thy name be alwaies glorified.
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Wretch that I am, what end shall be,I still complaine, I sigh, and cry:
I cry and call, yet heerest not me,
I still will seeke thee till I die.
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Thou mai'st be found, be as thou wilt,Into thy hands I me commend:
Thou full of mercy, I of guilt,
in faith and hope do still attend.
Finis.
| The teares or lamentations of a sorrowfull Soule | |