The teares or lamentations of a sorrowfull Soule Set foorth by Sir William Leighton |
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| 9. | [The ninth Lamentation.] |
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 | The teares or lamentations of a sorrowfull Soule |  |
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[The ninth Lamentation.]
1. The first part of the ninth Lamentation in distresse.
The penitent acknowledgeth mans vildenes & Gods mercies by faith and example of Gods prouidence, relieth on his goodnes.
1
O Lord thy name's most excellent,in all the world, thy glorie's spred:
Through heauens and the firmament,
and by all creatures vttered.
2
In vniuersall harmony,extold in heauen and in earth:
Exprese'st in Song and melody,
with all alacritic and mirth.
3
What thou bestow'st, what man can number,vpon vs slaues, and sonnes of men:
Who by our sinnes are farre put vnder,
all Creatures we can name by pen.
4
Forgetfull and so capeable,of sinne, as pouder is of fire:
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and know not what we should desire:
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Aboue all Creatures we forget,thy grace, are prone to disobey:
And if thy mercy did not let,
all Adams broude thou should'st destroy
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And I for my part, me confesse,guilty of all sinnes, and all euilles:
And that I haue deseru'd no lesse,
then to be damn'd among'st the diuels.
7
The world for disobedience,did'st punnish, & thou mought'st subuert:
But chiefely me for negligence,
mai'st plague with all plauges, t'is desert
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I am not worthy breath in th'aire,nor haue the vse of any creature:
Much lesse to thee to make my prayer,
cause gainst my God I am a traitor.
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Thou worthily, me do'st afflict,at me thou takest iust offence:
All punnishments thou do'st inflict,
because thy wrath I did incense.
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My trespasses do more offend,then I can please with my best zeale:
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I least performe my soule Lord heale:
The second part of the ninth Lamentation.
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I shame at mine vnworthines,yet faine would be at one with thee:
Thou art a ioy in heauines,
a succour in necessitie.
12
To them that do their liues reforme,and rightly frame their penitence:
Sincearely follow and performe,
thy will without all negligence.
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All this to doe I do desire,and what thou sayest I do belieue:
Thy pardon graunt me I require,
release and pardon Lord me giue.
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O be with them that doe thee seeke,& yeeld them helpe that hould by thee
Instructing, humble men and meeke,
that wisdome seeke by thy mercy.
15
Sith I so long haue to thee cride,so long thee sought yet hope I will:
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in constant patience i'le waite still.
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thou rightly hear'st my inward gronesmy sorrowes sighes wants & desire:
And do'st respect the outward mones,
of men distrest that feare the fire.
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Though in their lippes they mute do seeme,& do speake nothing with their tonges:
what they would haue, thou doest deeme
and present art to right their wrongs.
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But loe the time is not expir'd,of mine ordeined punishment:
Nor of that freedome I desir'd,
i'le waite by hope in languishment.
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My helpe my comfort and my life,saluation mine depends on thee:
Within my conscience stint the strife,
and giue me grace and libertie.
The third part of the ninth Lamentation.
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My life, my comfort, helpe and all,saluation, on Christ dependeth:
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he all begins and he all endeth.
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I will not murmure neither grudg,nor feare nor faint; but alwaies waite:
He is my Sauiour, and my Iudge,
his grace decree'd who can retrait.
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Is there not an appointed time,for all things that by God be wrought?
Iob was brought low, at last did clime,
to wealth and honor he was brought.
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And Ioseph was afflicted long,by brethren and by false accuse:
He was shut vp in prison strong,
did'st all his cause and wrongs peruse.
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At length brought'st him to honor great,and Dauid was at first cast downe:
And then inthron'd in princely seate,
and long enioy'd the royall Crowne.
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Poore widdow of Sarepta shee,and hirs were ready for to pine:
Hir barrell, and hir cruise by thee,
were blest, and by that Prophet thine.
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Her meale, and oyle, did neuer faile,thou send'st that Saint, eu'n to that end:
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so did'st from famine hir defend.
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Wherefore a little while i'le waite,I know th'appointed time will come:
I shalbe freed from sinnes deceite,
wilt mercy send in miseries roome.
The fourth part of the ninth Lamentation.
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Thou art my portiō & my strengthmy defence and saluation:
Thou seest my troubles, and at length
wil't giue me consolation.
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Thou send'st them not as ignorant,of thē, thou know'st thou did'st me make
Therefore what's needfull God me grant
good Lord do neuer me forsake.
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I am brought to the very pit,of all confusion men suppose:
Thou hast decreed the time most fit,
of my deliuery from my foes.
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To me vnknowne that being seene,I may attribute to thee then:
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without the aide of mortall men.
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Which I haue sought so long in vaine,yea while I called thee vpon:
Let me acknowledge helpe againe,
to come from thee or else from none.
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And all that the world can affoord,bee but th'effects of thy deere loue:
Thy power thy prouidence and woord,
do send me comfort from aboue.
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O blessed man whom thou dost chuse,and call'st by crosses vnto thee,
Whom thou by death seem'st to refuse,
by secret sweetenes liues by thee.
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With inward consolation,fed with the Manna of thy loue:
Who dwels in thy protection,
with liuely hope can neuer moue.
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He fainteth not at mightiest frowne,so I O Lord assured rest:
Thou art my portion and my crowne,
to dignifie those loue thee best.
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Thou tendrest me as a deare sonne,though thou me visit with thy rod:
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with sinners and to fall from God.
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Although I seeme of hope depriued,and that my wonted comforts past:
Yet I O Lord shalbe reuiued,
by thee and by thy grace at last.
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For all my long and instant cries,I will not shrinke though knowing this:
Thy wonderous power & great mercies,
most infinite thy mercy is.
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Yf mad'st the Rocke a water spring,thy thirsty people to refresh:
Frō mine hard hearted foes can'st wring,
some comfort for my withered flesh.
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Yf thou raind'st Manna from aboue,meate by a Rauen thy saints to feede:
Thousands of men did feede with loue,
when their was little shew of bread.
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Yf to thy people thou sendest Quailes,in desert where all foode was scant:
And since thy goodnes neuer failes,
should I suppose that I should want.
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The fift part of the ninth Lamentation.
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Confirme my faith for euermore,that I most constantly belieue:
Thou can'st and wilt encrease my store,
and all good things thou wilt me giue.
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All power belongeth vnto thee,who can imagine or will say:
Thou can'st not in my neede helpe me,
or that thy loue is tane away.
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Sith thou hast don such mighty thingsso freely for men in distresse:
Should not I fly with swiftest wings,
to thee in time of heauines.
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But lo O Lord all things are thine,the heauens are thine the earth also:
The Cattle, Fowles, the shrubs & vine,
all things in heauen and earth belowe.
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All things aboue, all things beneath,is thine, who truely then can say?
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to whom thou wilt, who can say nay?
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Thou makest ye corn to spring & grow& waterst th'earth with thy sweet showers
Thou causest beasts with thankes to low,
with dewes, thou water'st fragrāt flowers.
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Since then thou art the Lord of all,sith thou cōmaund'st, & do'st forbid:
The rich & poore, mak'st proud men fall,
that down can'st throvv & raise at need.
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Sith that thou tryest & vvilt revvard,sith thou dost vvhat shall please thy will
And in what manner vvilt regard,
& vvhom thou vvilt, can'st saue or spill.
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No liuing man commandeth thee,not all the vvorld can thee controle:
O Lord I still vvill pray to thee,
for health of body and of soule.
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Let it be thus, O father deare,for Christ his sake thy dearest sonne,
That dyed and rose my soule to cleare,
in all things Lord, thy wilbe done.
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All glory to the Trinity,to Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost:
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of power in might and glory most.
FINIS.
| The teares or lamentations of a sorrowfull Soule | |