Hymne XXVI. In a Storme at Sea.
[_]
Passionate expressions of Fear, intermixt with reasonable
considerations do help mitigate our passions in
great Extreames; and Lamentations are as properly
exprest in Song, as mirth: Therefore this
Hymne may profitably, be said or Sung, in a
terrible Tempest to beget Courage, and strengthen our Faith.
[1]
Lord, how dreadfull is this howre?
And how sad is ev'ry Eie?
Clouds dissolve, the Skies do lowre,
Waves are fierce, and windes are high:
Wrath, above us frowning sits,
Danger, hath enclos'd us round;
Fear, of us, possession gets,
And, beneath us, Death is found.
Lord, awake! awake we pray;
Chase this raging Storme away:
Els, we perish all to Day.
2
Lord, we know that thou art nigh,
Though, as yet, thou seem not near;
And are sure thou hear'st our cry,
Though asleep, thou dost appear.
Let, ô let not any Crime,
(Past or present) come in place,
To condemn us, in a time,
When, so much, we need thy grace:
But, ô send us, now, thine ayde;
Let not Mercy be delayd:
For, thy Servants are afraid.
3
If our Vessell bear ô Lord!
Wicked Fraught, or Crying Sin;
Help to heave it over-boord,
That, Salvation may come in.
Bid the Seas, more calme become;
Bid the Waves more lowly grow;
Check the Winds, and call them home:
That, the Deeps they stir not so.
Hear, whilst call on thee we may:
For, if Thou the Word but say,
Winds and Waves will thee obay.
4
More this Tempest doth not rage,
Then when Ionah shunn'd thy Face:
But, that Storme thou didst asswage,
When the Seamen sought thy grace.
When in Dangers, like to these,
Thy Disciples, grew afraid;
Thou didst Then the Winds appease,
And, the Tempest was alayd.
They for help, invoked Thee.
Lord! they Cryde; and so do we:
Therefore, saved let us be.
5
Though our Lives, we value dear,
And our Goods, too highly rate:
Death is not our chiefest Fear,
Nor the losse of our estate.
More we fear to loose thy Love;
More we fear thy wrathfull Frown:
For, our Conscience doth reprove;
And, to us, our Guilt hath shown.
Sense, and Conscience, of our Sin,
Is more terrible, within;
Then the Storme, without, hath bin.
6
These internall Stormes controul:
And, (how er'e our Bodies fare)
Speak thou kindly to the Soul,
Thy sweet Calmes, vouchsafing there.
Then, the Tempest rais'd without,
Shall, to us, no Danger bring:
But, (repreev'd from Fear, and Doubt)
We thy praise, ô Lord! will sing.
Yea, though Winds and Waters roare,
(Rend the Rocks, and tear the Shore)
We will sing thy Praise the more.
