The Hierarchie of the blessed Angells :: :: University of Virginia Library

Thou Great God, now and euer blessed,
Thy Seruants wretched and distressed,
Assist with thy Diuinest aid:
Lest We (like Those that did rebell,
And head-long were throwne downe to Hell)
Be Reprobates and Out-casts made.

II

O Thou, who Heav'n and Earth dost guide,
And aboue all sinnes hatest Pride,
(Because soone after the Creation,
The first bright Angell led the way,
And then our two first Parents, They
Trod the same path, to our Damnation.)

III

There is no Sinne that can be nam'd,
But with a strange selfe-loue inflam'd,
Originall 'tis, and In-nate.
And since that time, it is (wee finde)
Dispersed into all Mankinde,
To ouerthrow our blest estate.

IV

He that is with this Sinne infected,
Hath both Thy Loue and Feare reiected.
Although Thou bee'st the onely Holy,
And that Thy Maiestie and Might,
With Thy great Glory shining bright,
Are still to be adored solely.

V

The Heart that's obstinate shall be
With sorrowes laden heauily.

402

He that is wicked in his wayes,
What doth he but heape sinne on sin?
Which where it endeth, doth begin:
Whom nothing (being downe) can raise.

VI

To the persuasion of the Prowd
No remedie there is allow'd:
His steps shall faile, that steddy seem'd:
Sinnes Root in him is planted deepe,
And there doth strong possession keepe;
He therefore shall not be esteem'd.

VII

We know the Sinne from whence it grew;
We know the Torment thereto due,
And the sad place for it assign'd.
And yet the more we seeme to know,
The more we dull and stupid grow;
As if we sencelesse were, and blind.

VIII

Ope then our hearts, our eyes vnmaske,
And grant vs what we humbly aske:
So much of Thy Diuinest Grace,
That we may neither erre nor stray;
But finding out the perfect way,
We may evade both Paine and Place

IX

Though Atheists seeme to jest at Hell,
There is a Tophet, we know well:
(O Atheismes pestilent infection!)
There's a Gehinnon, a sad Graue,
Prepar'd at first for such as haue
No hope in the blest resurrection.

X

Three times our Sauior wept, we read:
When he heard Lazarus was dead,
Bewailing Humane frailty then.
When to Ierusalem he rid,

403

And a poore Asses Colt bestrid;
At the grosse folly blinding men.

XI

He wept vpon the Crosse againe,
'Gainst Humane Malice to complaine;
Seeing their insolence and pride,
When in such bitter grosse despight
They crucify'd the Lord of Light,
Him who for Mans redemption dy'de.

XII

How necessarie then are Teares,
To free vs from all future feares
Of Death, of Torment, of Damnation?
Teares that can wash our Soules so white,
To bring vs to Eternall light,
Instating vs in our saluation.

XIII

A contrite Spirit, a broken Heart,
Moist eyes, whence many dew drops start,
O grant vs then, thou heav'nly King:
So we with Hearts and Tongues vnited,
May with the Psalmist be accited,
And Praise and Glory to Thee sing.

XIV

Ye Sonnes of Men, with one accord
All Strength and Glory giue the Lord:
You that are Sonnes to men of Fame,
Giue them the Lord, they are his due.
For know that it belongs to you,
To magnifie his holy Name.

XV

Within his glorious Temple Hee
Deserueth Worship on the knee:
O kneele then at His sacred Shrine.
His Voice is on the Waters great,
His Glory thunders from his Seat;
His Pow'r doth on the Waters shine.

XVI

His Voice is mighty, glorious too,

404

For all things the Lords Voice can doo.
The strongest Cedars He doth breake;
When the Lords Voice from him is gon,
The Cedars ev'n of Lebanon,
(Torne as they stand) his Pow'r can speake.

XVII

His Voice them of their leaues can strip,
He makes them like yong Calues to skip.
Nor doth the stedfast Mountaine scorne,
Or Hermon, for his Dew so prais'd;
But when his voice aloft is rais'd,
To skip like a yong Vnicorne.

XVIII

When the Lords Voice is lifted higher,
It doth diuide the flames of fire:
It makes the Wildernesse to quake,
Ev'n the great Wildernesse of all,
The Desart which we Kadesh call,
It doth compell to moue and shake.

XIX

His Voice doth make the Hinde to beare,
And all those Forrests that cloath'd were,
Stand at his pleasure nak'd and bare.
And therefore in his Temple now
All meet, and to his Glory bow,
With Sacrifice of Praise and Prayer.

XX

The Lord the raging Seas doth sway,
The mighty Flouds to Him obay;
And neuer shall his Kingdome cease.
The Lord shall giue his People strength,
And will deliuer them at length,
And blesse them with his ioyfull Peace.

Non Delinquenti, sed peccata relinquenti, condonat Deus. Ambros.