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The Infancy of the World · Nicolas Billingsley

The Infancy of the World, Ejaculations

Divine Ejaculations.

1.

MY God which art a brazen wall,

A Bul-warke of consuming fire,

Guard me and let my foe-men fall,

Who; causleslly my fall conspire.

Oh let thy favour be my sheild,

So shall my soul maintaine the field.

2.

Oh thou which giv'st thine Angels charge,

To guide thy servants in their warrs,

Do thou protect me, and enlarge

My streightned heart, to sound thy praise,

If with thy favour, thou surround me,

No hell-borne mallice shall confound me.

3.

Thou which thy children from …he fire,

And D…niel from the Lions Den,

Hast freed? Oh free me from the ire

Of bloody and malitious men.

Thy grace can chase an hoast of evils,

And Legions of infernal Devils.

4,

When dang'rous waves on me did roul,

By thy right hand, I sav'd have been:

Thou heard'st the pantings of my soul.

And when I knock'd did'st let me in.

Thy court of mercy; nay thine ears,

Were prone to heare my silent tears:

5.

Although the tot'ring heav'ns quiver,

And earth her loosned limbs doe shake,

Yet hast thou promis'd to deliver,

Who, thee their hope, and Anchor, make.

And thou to thine a gratious God,

Abscond'st them from thy flaming rod.

6.

Thou from the chambers of the earth,

From gates of hell, and shades of death,

Hast power to save, and givest birth.

Unto a body-bannish'd breath.

O let thy quickning grace shine in

My breethless soul, when dead to sin.

7.

When as the clouds of thy displeasure

(Portending stormes) together gather,

Oh let thy fury know a measure,

Remember th' art a loving Father.

Though I'me a disobedient child,

Make me as good as thou art milde.

8.

In wisdome thou chastizest thine,

And in the furnace of affliction,

Their drossie souls thou dost refine;

And by thy Judgments, stamp conviction.

If thy corrections thou dost lengthen,

Accordingly be pleas'd to strengthen.

9.

Will he persist in wrath? and never

Admit of thoughts of mercy? can

The Lord abandon his for ever?

O… no, for he is God, not man.

He vows, (and will his vows performe)

His fury shall not alwayes storme.

10.

O happy he whom God corrects,

Therefore his chastening do… not shun;

The Lord afflicts whom he affects,

As doth a father, his lov'd Son.

Nor doth he alwayes fury like,

For he doth stroke, as well as strike.

11.

Who would not willingly endure

A minutes time …, little paine;

If after that he might be sure

Ten thousand years of cas… to gaine?

Afflictions light, and transitory,

Yeild an eternal weight of glory.

12.

Cleanse me from soul infecting sin,

And purely purg away my dross,

O do thou take from me my Tin;

(And make me joy in such a loss,)

O Lord my crooked wayes reforme,

And be my pilot in a storme.

13.

If thou affliction please to send

To try my frailties, and weak graces;

Make me look up, and learne to mend,

That thou mayest hugg me with embraces.

"The Law is rough, the Gospell calm,

"Be that the Launce, and this the Balm.

14.

Whither thy favour thou display,

Or dost with flaming fury glow;

O let me with the faithfull say,

I doe by good experience know,

All things shall worke for good to those

Who God affect, whome God hath chose:

15.

As my affliction Lord abounds

So let m… consolation,

Pour Balsam in my bleeding wounds,

And hide m' in thy pavilion.

Although I …ail yet I shall stand

Supported by thy helping hand.

16.

Great God! though my offences urge

Thy heavie hand, yet Lord refraine,

My Saviour's blood hath power to purge

My sca…let sins, though dy'd in graine.

One drop can scour, and make them full

As bright as snow, as white as wooll.

17.

Thy …rowning Justice stormes doe bring,

But thy cleare mercyes them doe stop:

I'le be content with a wet spring,

So I may have a joyfull crop.

Comforts will troops of greif destroy,

Who sow in teares shall reap in joy

18.

My God, my Rock, my Sheild, my Tower,

My health, my strength, deliver me,

From those three foes, that would devour,

Ah! I shall fall unheld by thee.

Thou only hast the power to quell

Pernitious foes, Sin, Death, and Hell,

19.

Thou Lord wilt lay no more on me

When my weak back can bear no longer

Either my burthen light shall be,

Or else my feeble faith grow stronger.

O let my well, prepared breast

With what thou send'st contented rest.

20.

The judgments of the Lord are just;

Why should his judgments then dismay me?

I in my God will put my trust,

Although my God should please to slay me.

O Lord before thee do I stand,

As clay within the potters hand.

21.

In time of want, grant I may live

By faith, and on thy promise seed;

Thou, Lord more ready art to give,

Then I to ask, when I do need.

O heav'nly Father, make it still

My meat, …nd drink, to do thy will.

22.

O may I first thy Kingdome seek,

And righteousness which flowes from thee▪

(So shall I be confirm'd though we…k.)

And other things shall added be.

Ah Lord! shall I presume to trust

Thee for a Kingdome, not … crust.

23.

In poverty … …ho… my w…lth,

May I fear thee, and esche will,

It shall be … my n…vil… he…lth;

And my dry … with marrow …ll▪

In thee it lies for to res…es…

The fainting spirit, and trembling fresh:

24.

O Lord, uphold … in my w…ll,

For ah! my …ee… are … stumbl…;

Chain thou my tongue … sinfull …,

In all conditions make …e humble?

O give me gr…e …o must i… thee,

So shall, it them goe well with me.