| |
| EXCEPT the Lord himselfe will daigne | |
| To buyld the house, the work to guide, | |
| The builder’s labour is in vaine; | |
| Like Babell’s builders’ haughtie pride. | |
| |
| Nor watch, nor guard, nor centinell, | 5 |
| Can batteld, scourg’d, fenced townes defend, | |
| Vnles the God of Israël | |
| Doo guard and guide, and his help send. | |
| |
| It is not early rising vp, | |
| Nor going very late to bed, | 10 |
| Nor drinking of a strengthles cup, | |
| Nor sweatting, eating carefull bread, | |
| |
| That aught availes: ’tis all in vaine; | |
| Carking is naught worth approu’d; | |
| But God giues rest, and without paine | 15 |
| All needful things to his belou’d. | |
| |
| Children, the staff and crowne of age, | |
| Is sure for to succeed their sires,— | |
| Are the Almightie’s heritage, | |
| Wherewith he crownes his saints’ desires. | 20 |
| |
| As shafts are in an archer’s hand, | |
| Who drawes a stiff-bent synnowy bow; | |
| Euen so are children in thy hand, | |
| Which vp in strength and vertue grow: | |
| |
| Straight, shaft-like sprowts in shape and mind, | 25 |
| Strong but to vertue, not to vice, | |
| Straight bent to glorious deeds by kind, | |
| And to no braue acheiuements nice. | |
| |
| O happie sire, whose aged wings | |
| Are ympt with plumes of this airount! | 30 |
| He neede not feare the face of kings, | |
| But eagle-like his fame shall mount. | |
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