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From “The Soules Harmony.”
LORD, when I thinke how I offend thy will, | |
| And know what good is in obedience to it, | |
| And see my hurt, and yet continue still | |
| In doing ill, and cannot leaue to do it; | |
| And then againe doe feele that bitter smart | 5 |
| That inward breeds of pleasures after-paine, | |
| When scarce the thought is entred in my heart | |
| But it is gone, and sinne gets in againe: | |
| And when againe the act of sinne is past, | |
| And that thy grace doth call me backe againe, | 10 |
| Then in my teares I runne to thee as fast, | |
| And of my sinnes and of myselfe complayne: | |
| What can I doe but cry, Sweet Iesus, saue me? | |
| For I am nothing but what thou wilt haue me. | |
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| MY heauenly Loue, from that high throne of thine, | 15 |
| Where gracious mercy sits in glorie’s seat, | |
| In that true pity of thy power diuine, | |
| That dries the teares that mercy doe entreat, | |
| Behold, sweet Lord, these bleeding drops of loue | |
| That melt my soule in sorrow of my sinne; | 20 |
| And let these showres some drops of mercy moue, | |
| That in my griefe my comfort may beginne: | |
| Let not despaire confound my praying hope, | |
| That begs an almes at thy mercie’s gate; | |
| But let thy grace thy hand of bountie ope, | 25 |
| That comfort yeelds which neuer comes too late: | |
| That in the cure of my consuming griefe | |
| My ioyful soule may sing of thy reliefe. | |
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