| |
| FROM 1 depth of doole wherein my soule dooth dwell, | |
| From heauie heart which harbors in my brest, | |
| From troubled sprite whych sildome taketh rest, | |
| From hope of heauen, from dreade of darkesome hell, | |
| O gracious God, to thee I crie and yell: | 5 |
| My God, my Lorde, my louely Lorde alone, | |
| To thee I call, to thee I make my mone. | |
| And thou, good God, vouchsafe in gree to take | |
| This wofull plaint | |
| Wherein I faint:— | 10 |
| Oh, heare me then, for thy great mercies sake! | |
| |
| Oh, bende thine eares attentiuely to heare, | |
| Oh, turne thine eies—behold me how I waile; | |
| Oh, hearken, Lorde, giue eare for mine auaile; | |
| Oh, marke in minde the burthens that I beare! | 15 |
| See how I sinke in sorrowes euerywhere; | |
| Beholde and see what dolors I indure; | |
| Giue eare and marke what plaints I put in vre: | |
| Bende willing eare, and pitie therewithall | |
| My wayling voyce, | 20 |
| Which hath no choyce | |
| But euermore upon thy name to call. | |
| |
| If thou, good Lorde, shouldst take thy rod in hande, | |
| If thou regard what sinnes are daylye done, | |
| If thou take hold where wee our workes begone, | 25 |
| If thou decree in iudgment for to stande, | |
| And be extreame to see our ’scuses scand,— | |
| If thou take note of euerythinge amisse, | |
| And wryte in rowles how fraile our nature is, | |
| O gloryous God! O King! O Prince of power! | 30 |
| What mortall wight | |
| May then haue light | |
| To feele thy frowne, if thou haue list to lowre? | |
| |
| But thou art good, and hast of mercye store; | |
| Thou not delyhgtst to see a sinner fall; | 35 |
| Thou hearknest first before wee come to call; | |
| Thine eares are set wyde open euermore; | |
| Before wee knocke, thou commest to the doore: | |
| Thou art more prest to heare a sinner crie | |
| Then he is quicke to climbe to thee on hye. | 40 |
| Thy mighty name bee praysed then alwaye: | |
| Let fayth and feare | |
| True witnesse beare, | |
| Howe fast they stand which on thy mercie staye. | |
| |
| I looke for thee, my louelye Lord, therefore; | 45 |
| For thee I wayte, for thee I tarrye styll: | |
| Mine eies doe long to gaze on thee my fyll; | |
| For thee I watche, for thee I prie and pore: | |
| My soule for thee attendeth euermore; | |
| My soule dooth thyrst to take of thee a tast; | 50 |
| My soule desires with thee for to be plast; | |
| And to thy worde, which can no man deceiue,— | |
| Myne only trust, | |
| My loue and lust,— | |
| In confidence continuallye shall cleaue. | 55 |
| |
| Before the breake or dawning of the daye, | |
| Before the lyght be seene in lofty skies, | |
| Before the sunne appeare in pleasant wyse, | |
| Before the watche—before the watche, I saye, | |
| Before the ward that waits therefore alway, | 60 |
| My soule, my sence, my secreete thought, my sprite, | |
| My wyll, my wish, my ioye, and my delight, | |
| Unto the Lord that sittes in heauen on hie, | |
| With hastie wing, | |
| From me dooth fling, | 65 |
| And stryueth styll unto the Lorde to flie. | |
| |
| O Israel, O housholde of the Lorde, | |
| O Abraham’s brats, O broode of blessed seede— | |
| O chosen sheepe, that loue the Lord indeede— | |
| O hungrye heartes, feede styll upon his worde, | 70 |
| And put your trust in him with one accorde! | |
| For he hath mercye euermore at hande; | |
| His fountaines flowe, his springs doe neuer stand; | |
| And plenteouslye he loueth to redeeme | |
| Such sinners all | 75 |
| As on him call, | |
| And faithfully his mercies most esteeme. | |
| |
| He wylle redeeme our deadly, drowping state; | |
| He wylle bring home the sheepe that goe astray; | |
| He wylle helpe them that hope in him alwaye; | 80 |
| He wylle appease our discorde and debate; | |
| He wylle soon saue, though wee repent us late. | |
| He wylle be ours, if we continue his; | |
| He wylle bring bale to ioye and perfect blis; | |
| He wylle redeeme the flocke of his elect | 85 |
| From all that is, | |
| Or was amisse | |
| Since Abraham’s heires did first his lawes reiect. | |
