 | Miscellaneous works of George Wither |  |
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THREE GRAINS of Spirituall Frankincense,
Infused into Three Hymnes of Praise; and Humbly offered toward the publike Thanksgiving, commanded by Authority of Parliament to be celebrated throughout the Commonwealth of England, the 30. of this present January, 1650.
To the Right Honourable John Bradshavv
Esqu.
LORD PRESIDENT OF THE Councell of STATE.
[If Scorners term these Ballads, 'twill not much]
If Scorners term these Ballads, 'twill not muchRegarded be, though there be many such:
For, they, perhaps, are Fools, or Children, yet;
And may be wiser, when they shall have wit.
If any thinks these Odes are over long,
Let him not do his credit so much wrong,
To say it, till he sees what may be spar'd;
And, passe thereon his judgment, afterward.
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By lengthening out a pious Recreation:
Nor merit they much heed, that can be weary
To sing of Dangers past, and to be merry.
7
Hymne. 1.
[With aweful Joy, and joyful Fear]
[_]
This first Hymne (prepared for the publike Thanksgiving, injoyned on the thirtieth of Jan. 1650.) may, most properly, be sung at the beginning of Divine Exercises, publike or private, the same day.
Sing this as the 100. Psalm.
1
With aweful Joy, and joyful Fear,To sanctifie, O Lord, this day,
Before thy Foot stool we appear;
And, our Thank-offrings here to pay:
Which though it be no other thing,
Then thy Free-mercies to confesse;
Or, Songs, unto thy praise to sing;
Vouchsafe acceptance, nay-the-lesse.
2
Within our selves, we are so poor,That, we have nothing of our own,
But, what we had from thee, before;
Which, by our sins impair'd is grown:
For, our wit, beauty, strength, and health,
(The goods of body, and of mind)
Our time, our honours, and our wealth,
To serve our lusts, have been resign'd.
3
And, therefore, till thou shalt renewThine Image, by our fault defac'd,
We, and our Offrings, from thy view,
Deservedly, may forth be cast.
There is no musick in our Songs,
That's worthy to be heard of thee;
Because, our hearts, eyes, ears, and tongues,
Prophaned, and untuned be.
8
4
Yet, by those favours, heartned on,Which were on us bestown, of late,
A Hymn, we joyntly have begun,
To sing this Day, at Mercies gate.
Lord! those eternall doores unclose,
Through which thy speciall graces flow;
The cords of our Corruption lose,
And, let thy Spirit on us blow.
5
Then, ev'ry word, we hear, or say,With ev'ry thing, that's done, or thought
(In celebrating of this Day)
Shall do thee honour, as it ought:
And, they that study publike harms,
Or, flout, what we are doing here,
Shall be so bound up, by these Charms,
That when they flout us, they shall fear.
Hymne 2.
[Oh God! how good! how kind art thou!]
[_]
This other Hymne (composed for the same Day) may be sung before the Sermon (or, between the Sermons, where two are preached) or, before the second Chapter; or, after any pause (or change of Exercises) in Devotion.
Sing this as the 113. Psalm.
1
Oh God! how good! how kind art thou!What help, what grace, dost thou bestow
On us, in our distrest estate!
Our tears to triumphs, thou hast turn'd,
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And, by our Foes, were jeered at.
When we were weak, poor and forlorn,
Expos'd to dangers, fears and scorn,
Our Comforter, thou didst become:
And, when we dreaded shame of face;
Spoils, death, or wounds, joyn'd with disgrace;
Those fears, we were deliver'd from.
2
As thou, from base and servile bands,And out of cruel Pharoahs hands,
Thine Heritage redeemd'st of old:
Ev'n so, from those, who sought our harm,
Thou broughtst us off, with out-stretch'd arm,
With signs and wonders manifold.
They so, were blinded, Lord, by thee,
Who, might have seen, but vvould not see;
Nor hear when they were counsell'd well:
And He that fraud, and force imploy'd,
To make our Lavvs, and Freedomes void;
In our own view, like Pharoah, fell.
3
This is the Day, whereon our YokeOf Norman Bondage, first was broke;
And, England from her chains made free.
This is the Day, vvhereon the Lord,
Did manumit us by the sword,
And, 'tis novv signall, by decree.
Slaves, they deserve to be, therefore,
And to be bar'd for evermore,
The Freedoms of this Commonweal,
Who shall not thankfull, now appear,
And vindicate with sword and spear,
Gods just Replies, to our Appeal.
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4
By thee, our Freedoms, Lord, vve got;Oh! to our keeping, leave them not:
But, still their Guardianship retain,
And, let not those, vvho under thee,
Sub-keepers, of those Freedoms be,
Nor, our sins, forfeit them, again:
On those alone, that are unjust
Or shall be traytrous to their trust,
To this Republike, or to Thee,
Let thy avenging justice fall;
And, on all those who hinder shall,
That Peace, with Truth, may setled be:
5
Write in our hearts, thy sacred Law;And, let no future failings, draw
Our former cursed bondage back:
But, our depraved wills renew,
And, to thy service, keep us true:
Which, wil our Freedoms perfect make.
The Kingdom, Power, and Praise be thine,
As long as Moon, and Sun shall shine:
Be, likewise, thou our Heritage:
And, in this Nation, let there be
No other King, or GOD, but thee,
What e're they are, who thereat rage.
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Hymne 3.
[All you, that present are]
[_]
This third Hymne, may most properly be sung the same day, after the conclusion of the last Sermon; or, at the consummation of any other Devotion.
Sing this as the 148. Psalm, doubling the last strain of the Tune.
1
All you, that present are,Come, let our hearts, and tongues,
The Praise of God declare,
In new Thanksgiving songs;
Come, let us sing
Strains, that may make, the walls to shake,
The Roofs to ring:
Still sounding higher,
Till thereby, we, with Angells, be
Join'd in one Quire.
2
Related, we have heard,What he, for us, hath done;
With how much disregard,
Our Foes, he looks upon:
And, we have seen,
How, he befriends, when righteous ends
Pursu'd have been
VVe, likewise vievv
VVhat will befall, to those that shall
Their lust pursue.
3
We see, or may behold,That, he our Armies leads;
And (as in times of old)
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And for our sakes,
Through threats and spights, through depths and heights,
Their passage makes,
VVhilst, to his praise
Their Foes to nought, are justly brought,
In plainer waies.
4
He, made both Seas and Wind,To them assistance lend;
And, what they had design'd,
Sun, Moon, and Clouds befriend.
Force, he repells;
He makes them bold, to march where cold,
And hunger dwells;
And, when their fear
Did most abound, they mercy found,
And Victors were.
5
To him doth Praise belong;For, he did them subdue,
Who num'rous were, and strong
When we were weak, and few;
And when our Foes
Came bragging on, and thought all won,
They all did lose.
Still, be it thus;
Lord! alway, so, them overthrow
VVho malice us.
6
His wise-foresight prevents,The Politicians wiles:
He, crosses their intents,
He, at their Projects smiles:
In his due time.
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Contrived by them:
And, in that snare,
VVhich, for our feet, they closely set,
Still caught they are.
7
Vain sons of men, therefore,Your bruitish grumbling cease;
Pursue false-hopes no more,
But follow after peace.
More prudent grow;
Reform your waies, and sing his Praise
As now we do:
Oh! whilst you may
In God rejoyce, and hear his Voice
VVhile 'tis to day.
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Let all men do the same,Of whatsoe're degree;
And magnifie his Name,
As all obliged be.
His Righteousnesse,
His Power and Grace, in ev'ry place
Let all confesse:
And lay aside
Their own deserts, their selfish hearts,
Their stinking pride.
9
Your strength to him submit,You, that have conquests won:
Wise men ascribe your wit,
To him, ev'n him alone,
For, he supplies
The Fool with skill, and, when he will
Befools the wise.
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Unto to your Foes, he, gives the blows
By which they die.
10
Rich men, your precious thingsBring forth, your Thanks to show;
Before him, (Oh ye Kings)
Your Heads, and Scepters bow;
And, as 'tis meet,
Come from your Thrones, and cast your Crowns
Beneath his feet:
For, Kingdomes all
To him pertain, and he again
Resume them shall.
11
Oh! let all things that were,That are, or shall ensue;
(Or, but in thought appear)
Thy Praise, O God, forth-shew;
Till Times last bound:
And, let it run, when time is done,
An endlesse Round:
Where, needs not be
Privations Night, that we true Light
May better see.
12
Mean time, let not his praiseBe meerly, in our Voice,
As if vve thought to raise
A Trophy, out of Noise:
But, let us more
Our Thanks expresse, in Righteousnesse,
Then heretofore:
Els (this is plain)
False shows we make, and, do but take
GODS Name in vain.
FINIS.
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