The teares or lamentations of a sorrowfull Soule Set foorth by Sir William Leighton |
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| 5. | The fift Lamentation in distresse. |
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 | The teares or lamentations of a sorrowfull Soule |  |
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The fift Lamentation in distresse.
Wherein the distressed prayeth God to keepe him from dispaire, howsoeuer men goe about to make him afraide.
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In thee O Lord I put my trust,and yet there are which dayly say:
There is no helpe for me vniust,
but Lord thy word cannot decay.
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Thou art my God how can they then,proue that thou wilt none helpe me send
I am brought lowe in sight of men,
there's none will helpe or comfort lend.
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My basket and my store is spent,they say, it was by thee accurst:
Thou did'st it take, that had'st it sent,
but they take all thinges at the worst.
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At me they gape, at me they wonder,as at a monster seldome seene:
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What I now am, what haue I beene.
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I faint at nought thou know'st my smartth'art my Father & do'st me foster:
what words or workes, can daunt my hart
I am in thee become a boaster.
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Thiese men thy might & power disableor else thy loue to man diminish:
Or else they thinke thou art vnstable,
or do'st begin and wilt not finish.
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Or that the poore wilt not support,nor helpe thee needy in distresse:
But as thou know'st what they report,
so make them feele their wickednes.
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But I do know thou failest neuer,them that in thee their trust repose:
If they be constant and perseuer,
all things are for the best to those.
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Thou art in deed a iealous God,and first thy children thou dost monish
Thou bear'st with loue, & beat'st with rod
if they mend not, wilt further pūnish.
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Yet cal'st thy chosen children backe,by gentle stroakes, from running riot:
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and do'st prescribe to them their diet.
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We may condignely then deride,the iudgments of such foolish men:
That vnto thee Lord wilt prescribe,
the measure what, & the time when.
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Such fleshly men by wealth & woe,censure thy loue or thy displeasure:
As natures friend or graces foe,
by humaine reason all things measure
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They thinke thou lou'st whom thou feed'st fatt,with plentie pleasures worldly riches:
And that all others thou do'st hate,
thiese world & flesh, & deuils bewiches
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And great is this temptation,vnlesse our natures thou assist:
Infeebled with affliction,
whose helpe doth rest in Iesus Christ,
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When thou therefore do'st me correctwith one hand, hould me with ye other:
Let faith in thee make thee accept,
me for thy sonne by Christ my brother.
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Lay not vpon me greater loade,then I poore wretch can well indure:
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and if I fall then keepe me sure.
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thou know'st lord whereof I am madeI am a silly simple man:
A worme, a flea, a puffe a shade,
that no good doe, nor no good can.
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Try by the crosse, true to the crownethat we may proue by wants & losses
But to dispaire pull me not downe,
but vnto comforts turne my crosses.
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I am not able beare thy yoake,least Christ thy son doth with me draw
I am not able fend thy stroake,
lesse he O Lord doth beare the blow.
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Lord with thy mercies compasse me,protection draw out of dispaire:
O let me thy saluation see,
and all things fit obtaine by pray'r.
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Thou showest mercy to thee meeke,that trust in thee in all mens sight:
Thy children shall finde that they seeke,
thou shalt to sunshine turne their night.
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a place whēce worldlings are excludedand all that hellish rable rout:
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to roote Gods faithfull children out.
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And such as haue with hate pursu'de,and trusted in the arme of flesh:
And would their hands in blood imbru'd,
shall say in iudgement they were rash.
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god's on my sid, who cā or'ethrow me,Christ pleades my cause, cā god refuse me
As iust in Christ, ye Lord doth know me,
he doth acquite, who can accuse me.
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Wee thought that this mans life was madnes,then shall the wicked worldlings say:
But see his words are turn'd to gladnes,
whom we haue deem'd a cast away.
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his hād hath wrought yt he would haueyea I my selfe shall say I er'd:
That thought poore wretch would'st not me saue
because my ioyes were then defer'd.
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I thought my cries thou would'st not heare,when I thee sought thy selfe did'st hide
When I complaind thou cam'st not neare
I would no time, and place thee tide.
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But now I knowledge and confesse,thy wisdome great in humbling me:
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thy prouidence relieuing me.
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This past all iudgement and conceit,of learned'st, grauest, wisest men:
Therefore deare father I will waite,
take thine own time, how, where & whē
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I will not with thy will indent,nor thee direct the manner how:
Thou should'st me helpe t'is mine intent
vnto thy will to bend and bow.
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Heareafter I will hould my peace,though men shall say yet still of me:
(& though their tongues will neuer cease
there is no helpe for me from thee.
| The teares or lamentations of a sorrowfull Soule | |