The psalms :: :: University of Virginia Library

It is most true that God to Israell,
I meane to men of undefiled hartes,
Is only good, and nought but good impartes.
Most true, I see, allbe allmost I fell
From right conceit into a crooked mynd;
And from this truth with straying stepps declin'd.
For loe, my boiling brest did chafe and swell
When first I saw the wicked proudly stand,
Prevailing still in all they tooke in hand.
And sure no sicknes dwelleth where they dwell:
Nay, so they guarded are with health and might,
It seemes of them death dares not claime his right.

They seeme as priviledg'd from others paine:
The scourging plagues, which on their neighbours fall,
Torment not them, nay touch them not at all.
Therefore with pride, as with a gorgious chaine,
Their swelling necks encompassed they beare;
All cloth'd in wrong, as if a robe it were:
So fatt become, that fattnes doth constraine
Their eies to swell: and if they thinck on ought,
Their thought they have, yea have beyond their thought.
They wanton grow, and in malicious vaine
Talking of wrong, pronounce as from the skies!
Soe high a pitch their proud presumption flyes.

Nay heav'n it self, high heav'n escapes not free
From their base mouthes; and in their common talk
Their tongues no less then all the earth do walk.
Wherefore ev'n godly men, when so they see
Their horne of plenty freshly flowing still,
Leaning to them, bend from their better will:
And thus, they reasons frame: how can it bee
That God doth understand? that he doth know,
Who sitts in heav'n, how earthly matters goe?
See here the godlesse Crue, while godly wee
Unhappy pine, all happiness possesse:
Their riches more, our wealth still growing lesse.

144

Nay ev'n within my self, my self did say:
In vain my hart I purge, my hands in vain
In cleanes washt I keepe from filthy stayn,
Since thus afflictions scurge me ev'ry day:
Since never a day from early East is sent,
But brings my payne, my check, my chastisement.
And shall I then these thoughtes in wordes bewray?
O lett me, Lord, give never such offence
To children thine that rest in thy defence.
So then I turn'd my thoughtes another way:
Sounding, if I, this secrets depth might find;
But combrous cloudes my inward sight did blynd.

Untill at length nigh weary of the chase,
Unto thy house I did my stepps direct:
There loe I learn'd what end did these expect,
And what? but that in high, but slippery place,
Thou didst them sett: whence, when they least of all
To fall did feare, they fell with headlong fall.
For how are they in lesse then momments space
With ruine overthrowne? with frightfull feare
Consum'd soe cleane, as if they never were?
Right as a dreame, which waking doth deface:
So, Lord, most vaine thou dost their fancies make,
When thou dost them from carelesse sleepe awake.

Then for what purpose was it? to what end
For me to fume with malcontented hart,
Tormenting so in me each inward part?
I was a foole (I can it not defend),
So quite depriv'd of understanding might,
That as a beast I bare me in thy sight.
But as I was, yet did I still attend,
Still follow thee, by whose upholding-hand,
When most I slide, yet still upright I stand.
Then guide me still, then still upon me spend
The treasures of thy sure advise, untill
Thou take me hence into thy glories hill.

145

O what is he will teach me clyme the skyes?
With thee, thee good, thee goodnes to remaine?
No good on earth doth my desires detaine.
Often my mind, and oft my body tries
Their weake defectes: but thou, my God, thou art,
My endlesse lott, and fortresse of my hart.
The faithlesse fugitives who thee despise,
Shall perish all, they all shall be undone,
Who leaving thee to whoorish idolls runn.
But as for me, nought better in my eyes
Then cleave to God, my hopes in hym to place,
To sing his workes while breath shall give me space.