Hymn LXIII. For times of extreame Drougth.
[_]
Many afflictions accompany excessive Drougths, as
may appear by this Lamentation, whereby they who
are unsensible of such a Judgement, may be made
more sensible of Gods Visitation in that kinde;
and such as have a true feeling thereof, may have
words whereby to expresse the same to the stirring up of penitence in their hearts.
[1]
Hear! oh great Almighty King!
Who from Earth's extreamest part,
Lightnings, Winds, and Rains do'st bring:
And, commander of them, art.
Thou art he, who sends the Rils,
To refresh the fruitfull plains;
And bedewes the thirsty Hils,
With sweet Show'rs, and wholsome Rains.
Hear, and heed thou from on high,
This, our loud and wofull cry:
For, from thee, we seek relief;
Who, hast Cures, for ev'ry Grief.
2
By a wastfull scortching Drougth,
We, now Lord, afflicted be;
And, the Earth with gaping mouth,
Makes a sad Complaint to Thee.
Hils, and Dales, and Fields, and Downs,
Robes of Sorrow have put on;
And in mourning-Ruslet Gowns,
Our Distresses do bemone.
For (unlesse thou gracious be)
Bird, and Beast, and Herb, and Tree,
And what e're doth Breathe or Spring,
To decay; this Drougth will bring.
3
Lo, the Branch that leaved was,
Is become a wither'd Spray.
Medowes, lately cloth'd with grasse,
Now, are short unmowed-hay.
Where much Corne did freshly sprout,
All is now consum'd with Heat.
And, the Flocks that skipt about,
Now do pine, for want of meat.
Pain'd by Thirst, the Heards do rore;
Hunger makes our cattell poore:
And, unlesse thou Mercy show,
They that owne them, poore will grow.
4
Earth (whose ever-teeming wombe,
Many Births, at once could bear)
Now, unfertile is become;
And, her Fruits abortive are.
At her Brest, the late green plant,
Starv'd, by lack of Sap, doth lie.
Moisture, now her Furrowes want;
And her Clods are stark and drie.
Clouds of Dust, in stead of Rain,
Overspread both Hill and Plain:
From his Banks, the River shrinks;
And the standing-water stinks.
5
Lord! with pitty now behold,
How distrest thy Creatures be.
At such needs, in times of old,
Help hath bin vouchsaf'd by Thee
When the People thirsty was,
Thou from Rocks didst water bring.
In the Jaw-bone of an Asse,
Thou for Sampson mad'st a Spring.
When Elias thee besought,
Needfull Rain, was timely brought:
And, thou mad'st the water sweet,
Which for usage was unmeet.
6
In the Floods, thy Chambers are;
They with Clouds be roof'd and wall'd.
To attend thy pleasure, there,
Dewes and show'rs are still exhal'd.
When we serve thee, they are sent.
To refresh us in our needs.
When we merit to be shent,
Thence Correction then proceeds.
When thou frown'st, the weather low'rs;
And, by Stormes or Drougth devours:
When thou smilest, we obtain,
Kindly Warmth, and timely Rain:
7
Lord, forgive us that offence
VVhich hath stir'd thine Anger thus:
Take this wasting Drougth from hence;
VVith calme show'rs recomfort us.
Let it plentifully Rain,
That it may refresh the Aire.
Drop thy fatnesse on the plain;
And the parched Hils repaire.
Mark what mone the Fowles do make;
On the beasts, compassion take:
Think upon the Widowes need;
And, the wants of Orphanes, heed.
8
By the moisture of thy Dew,
To the Plants new vigour give.
The decayed Herbs renew;
And the scorched seeds revive.
That the grasse anew may grow,
Where withall our Beasts are fed:
That, there may be Corn enow,
To supply our daily bread.
That, to make us also glad,
Wine, and oyle may still be had:
And, that these Lamenting Laies
May be chang'd to Songs of praise.
