A Considering Glass, Floating text 1
A HYMNE Of CONFESSION and PRAISE.
1.
LORD, Thou from duſt didſt raiſe me,
When I no being had,
And I in fleſh to praiſe thee,
A living Soul was made:
That, therefore, I may praiſe thee,
as I am bound to do,
Still henceforth let me praiſe thee,
In Soul and Body too.
2.
To have thy Will fulfilled,
To thee, I oft have pray'd;
Which, that I truly willed,
Now, comes it to be tride;
And, that, my Soul obeys thee,
as thou thy Will mak'ſt known,
I am reſolv'd to praiſe thee,
by laying down mine own.
3.
Thy Servants are confunded,
this day with ſhame of face,
And with their Plagues ſurrounded
for their neglects of Grace;
On us therefore to praiſe thee
a Judgement is begun,
In which, my heart, to praiſe thee
ſtill cries, thy Will be done.
4.
And, ſince by my Tranſgreſſions,
the breach was wider made,
I will by my Confeſſions
unto thy Glory add;
Oh! make thou them to praiſe thee
ſo hearty and ſincere;
That, other men to praiſe thee
their failings may declare.
5.
Me, thou haſt not corrected
with worſe or ſharper things.
This are ſometimes inflicted
upon the greateſt Kings:
By Charity to praiſe thee,
their wants thou then ſupplid'ſt;
And, now to make me praiſe thee,
that way for me provid'ſt.
6.
Nought heretofore I wanted
wherewith to give thee praiſe;
But, what to me was granted,
I waſted otherwayes:
And, ſince I did not praiſe thee
when I enjoyed moſt,
I now am come to praiſe thee
when all I had is loſt.
7.
Oft, when my Conſcience chid me,
I, in my ſins went on;
She therefore lately led me
to what hath me undone;
Yet, that, at laſt will praiſe thee,
for which, I ſuffer muſt;
And I confeſſe to praiſe thee,
that all thy wayes are juſt.
8.
The portion by thee given,
I, on my Luſts have ſpent;
Sinn'd againſt Thee and Heaven,
for which, I now repent:
And ſince I did not praiſe thee,
as I oblig'd have been,
I meekly now do praiſe thee
In ſuff'rings for my ſin.
9.
Of earthly Joys and Pleaſure
that moſt deſired are,
To me in ample meaſure
thou didſt vouchſafe a ſhare;
But, I for them to praiſe thee
performed not my part;
And therefore, now I praiſe thee
with ſad and contrite heart.
10.
An honeſt Reputation
on me thou haſt beſtown,
That, to this Generation
thy praiſe I might make known.
But by what I ſhould praiſe thee,
I ſought a fruitleſſe fame;
And therefore now I praiſe thee
for my Reproach and ſhame.
11.
Of Good Men, much eſteemed
I rend'red was by thee;
But, better oft I ſeemed
then I could truly be:
I therefore now do praiſe thee
that my Defects were hid,
And, that, ſome now diſpraiſe me
for what I never did.
12.
To thee I am a Debter
for what I moſt eſteem;
(No earthly bleſſing better
deſerving Thanks doth ſeem)
And for the, ſame ſtill praiſe thee,
though lately for my ſin,
That, for which now I praiſe thee,
a bitter-ſweet hath been.
13.
But ſharp and ſweets together
(through all my life-time paſt)
And, ſingle ſhares of either
ſo timely, deign'd thou haſt:
That, I not onelyonly praiſe thee
for what moſt ſweet appear'd;
But, alſo, truly praiſe thee
for what I ſhun'd and fear'd
14.
Thou didſt with Robes adorn me,
which men of Honour weare,
That Fools the leſſe might ſcorn me
when I thy praiſe declare:
But, what thou gav'ſt to praiſe thee,
I did to folly turn:
And therefore, now I praiſe thee
in Garments thred-bare-worn.
15.
To, thouſands, much delightful,
my Youthful days were made;
My Heart was blith, and ſprightful
thy praiſe the more was ſpread
But, I with them to praiſe thee
did not what ſhould be done;
For which, I'm left to praiſe thee
all day and night, alone.
16.
My private Faith infringed
to others and to thee,
Thou lately haſt avenged
by publique breach to me:
And therefore now I praiſe thee
for that juſt doom of thine;
Oh! make them alſo praiſe thee
whoſe ſins have puniſh'd mine.
17.
Inſpight of their Oppreſſions
who my Deſtruction ſought,
Thou gav'ſt me large poſſeſſions,
which now are come to nought:
And ſince I did not praiſe thee
when I enjoyed more,
I juſtly now do praiſe thee
in Wants, Diſtreſſe, and Poor.
18.
I, heretofore, had fullneſs
of ev'ry pleaſant meat,
Which brought on me a dulneſſe,
that made me thee forget:
And therefore now to praiſe thee,
Affliction, bread prepares;
And thou doſt make me praiſe thee,
in drinking of my tears:
19.
Like Baruch, out of ſeaſon
things for my ſelf I ſought;
Miſſed by Carnal Reaſon,
lent, borrowed, built, and bought
But, left the way to praiſe thee
that's taught me in thy Schools,
And therefore now to praiſe thee
I, numbred am with Fools.
20.
Yet, as to ſinck me lower,
Scorns, wrongs, and Wants encreaſe;
So, dayly Faith gets power,
Hope thrives, and Fears grow leſſe;
To move me to diſpraiſe thee,
the more my Temper tries,
My Spirit, ſtill, to praiſe thee,
a pitch the higher flies.
21.
Though I myſelf have nothing,
in thy hands all things be:
And harbour, food and cloathing
thou wilt provide for me:
For thou haſt means to praiſe thee
ſtirr'd up in every Town,
Whereby each man may praiſe thee
who hath not of his own.
22.
And for Reptue or Treaſures
I will not thee implore;
For friends, lands, goods, and pleaſures
enjoyed heretofore,
I, rather, ask to praiſe thee,
what moſt extolls thy Name,
Although it be to praiſe thee.
in Sorrow, Death, and Shame.
23.
Whilſt here my ſins benight me,
ſtill cauſe thy face to ſhine:
For what will more delight me,
then Corn, and Oyl, and Wine.
And though oppreſſion weighs me
quite down unto the ground,
I, with more joy ſhall praiſe thee,
then when wealth did abound.
And whatſoe'r betide me
I will not change my Caſe,
With any who derides me,
nor ſhall diſtruſt thy Grace,
My ſoul deſires to praiſe thee,
and loves thy praiſe ſo well,
That, might I there beſt praiſe thee
thee, praiſe I would in HELL.
25.
For, Thee to love thou mov'ſt me,
which ſhews thou loveſt Me,
And doubtleſſe whilſt thou loveſt me,
ev'n Hell a Heaven would be:
Since, Love enough to praiſe Thee,
he, that could thither bear,
Should make the Devils praiſe thee,
And, quench the Fires there.
26.
For LOVE all things created,
ſubdued Hell and Death;
Thy Law it hath compleated,
outlaſteth Hope and Faith.
Thou, when that love doth praiſe thee,
giveſt beſt reſpects thereto;
And, till in love we praiſe thee.
in vain is all we do.
27.
Were I therefore bereaven
of all that's called mine,
Of Body, Soul, and Heaven,
my love ſhould live in thine:
And, as I then did praiſe thee,
when I no being had;
So I again ſhall praiſe thee,
When I am quite unmade.
28.
But, never comprehended
Can be thy Love to me;
And therefore never ended
My Songs of praiſe muſt be:
A Hymne wherein to praiſe thee
I have on earth begun;
And better hope to praiſe thee
When this ſhort life is done.
29.
Then, when aſleep Death lays me,
LORD, let me from the Grave
(Where Dead-men cannot praiſe thee
A Joyful Riſing have:
Let thoſe likewiſe who praiſe thee
With me, whilſt I am here,
Where Saints and Angels praiſe thee,
(To praiſe thee) meet me there.
Two other Meditations here I'll add,
Which though ſuch Muſings mean eſteem have had
In latter times, may now as uſeful be
To ſome, in my caſe, as they are to me.