Englands Hallelujah
ENGLANDS Hallelujah.
OR,
GREAT BRITTAINES
Gratefull Retribution, for Gods Gratious Benediction.
In our many and most famous Deliverances, since the Halcyon-Dayes of everblessed Queene ELIZABETH, to these present Times.
Together, with divers of Davids Psalmes, according to the French Metre and Measures.
By I: V:
PUBLISHED BY The: Purfoot
PUBLISHED FOR Henry Seile
1631
1.
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57.
The Prince in Spaine Joseph in Egypt.Yea, Hee (with Joseph) seem'd to before-sent,
Into That Egypt by his God and King;
Those many growing Mischiefes to prevent,
Which through all Europe, ranke began to spring:
To shield us from a Famine, not of Bread,
But of Gods Word, which most men, most did dread.
58.
For why? Romes Seven Lanke-Headed hungry Beast,
Hungring for Blood, yea Blood of Gods blest Saints;
Had his devouring Rage, so much encreast,
And our faire Peace brought to so hard constraints,
That all our former Full-felicity,
Was nigh devourd, throughout all Germany
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59.
But, as I sayd, What our false feares of strife,
Like Josephs Brethren, did misterme, mistake;
And what Spaine, Rome, like Potiphars base Wife,
Spaine and Rome, Potiphars Wife.
Wrought on good Joseph, spoile of him to make:
That did the Lord convert to our great good,
And well he went, as then our Cases stood.
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2.
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96.
Witnesse, and ever witnesse may That love,
That wondrous Love of His, to Thee (late) knowne
That most admired Mercie from above,
To London, latelie, lovelie, seene and showne:
To thee ô London, in thy wofull state,
when Death and Dearth sought Thee to ruinate.
3.
97.
Since thou thy selfe, thy Sinnes wouldst not bewaile,
And wet thy Heart, and weepe thy part in teares;
But would'st by Sinne, thy Selfe, thy Soule assaile,
And blocke it up, with blacke affrighting Feares:
Such Feares therefore forthwith upon thee came,
As able were a stoutest Heart to tame.
98.
Famine feared.A Feare (I say) of Famines scarefull Fangs,
Of piercing Death, by pining Dearth made hast;
With macerating, fierce and pinching pangs,
Our Sins fat fullnesse, foulenesse, to lay waste:
Their Provinder from pampered Colts to take,
More tame and tractable them thus to make.
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99.
Mighty & incessant shewers of pains.God, to this End, did send upon the Earth,
Such sad, incessant Shewers unseasonable,
Whose rainey Influence did menace Dearth,
And (for our Sins, unkind, unreasonable)
Did poure upon our Corne-fields most faire,
Fierce frequent Floods their beautie to impaire.
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4.
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108.
Wherewith they (waxing to the Harvess white,
And almost ripe and readie for the Sickle)
Were, all, so drencht, nigh drown'd (a pitteous sight)
With Heaven-shed-Teares, which did in streames downeth
That our glad Hope of Harvest justlie left us,
Sad Feare of Famine, thereof quite bereft us.
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109.
A dreaded Deluge, on us therefore growing,
And we with doubtfull Danger all-surounded;
Huge Shewers of Raine from th' angrie Heavens flowing,
And all our Graine with Raine like to be drownded:
Then, not till then our heart the Rods smart felt,
Our Rockey-hearts, then into teares gan melt.
110.
Then like stiffe-necked Israell we did stoope,
Then our distresse forc'd us to crie and call;
Then sighes and sorrowes made us drop and droope,
Then were we humbled and did humblie fall
Before Gods Foot-stoole, at his Mercy-seate,
And weepe and waile for our offences great.
111.
Yea, then (I say) our King religiouslie
A general Publike Fast.
Publisht, proclaim'd a Fast throughout the Land;
Then, All were ordered in Humilitie,
With broken-hearts before the Lord to stand:
Mercie to crave and Reconciliation,
On true Repentance and due Reformation.
112.
And see (oh see and never cease t' admire)
Gods infinite, ineffable compassion;
Readier to give, than we are to desire,
Yea, even upon appearance, shape and fashion
Of Penitence, Humility, and Feare,
See, see how soone, He lends and bends his eare.
113
No sooner did our Griefe, his Grace entreate,
No sooner did we, prostrate, promise make,
Sin to forsake, but Hee, in mercie great,
His Wrath forsooke, his Kindnesse did re-take:
And on bare-promise (oh twas bare indeed)
He did no farther in his wrath proceed.
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114.
August 2. 1626.For why, Behold (tis worth an Ecce, trulie)
That very-day on which that Fast was kept,
Whereon, the Kingdome was assembled dulie,
Mr Burton in his Popes Bul-baiting
Wherein they All for Sinne sincerelie wept:
God graciouslie, the Sluice of Heaven did stop,
Immediatelie it ceast to raine, one drop.
115.
When wee gan weepe, the Heavens began to smile
Whe wee were sad and sorrowfull for Sinne,
The Sunne began to laugh on us the while,
As if, with us, it n'ere had angrie bin:
The Heavens grim cloudie Countenance grew cleere,
And did our Hearts with happie Change re-cheere.
116.
A sweet & strange change.From That day forward, even That very day,
Most extraordinarie cleare and faire,
It constantlie continued to display,
(Without least intermission) Sun-shine rare:
Till, by Gods goodnesse and his favour great,
It banisht Feare and made our Joy compleate.
117.
Untill (I say) our Harvest happilie,
Not onelie in due season was possest;
But (ô the Lords boundlesse Benignity)
Our Rarnes were All with great aboundance blest:
A Copious Croppe of every kind of Graine,
Did unto All men, Every where, remaine.
118.
And is thy God (ô England) so propitious?
So prone, so prest, with mercies to embrace thee?
Unto thee still so lovinglie auspicious,
With so sweet Favours graciouslie to grace thee?
How gratefully shouldst thou such Grace repay?
How should thy Heart thy thankes expresse alway?
5.
122.
Well, if his Rod may not reforme thy Riot,
Take heed and tremble, for Hee hath an Axe;
Wherewith he can thee quicklie quaile and quiet,
If thou in Sinne, wilt worse and worser waxe.
And if his Axe be laid to th' Roote 'oth' Tree,
O then without redemption, woe is thee.
123.
Then, He, that with such Longanimitie,
Hath stood and knocked at thy hard-Hearts doore;
Will stay no longer, but most angrilie,
As thou hast griev'd his Spr'it, Hee'l grieve thee more:
Then thou shalt crie but Hee will give no care
Because when Hee did call, Thou wouldst not heare.
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124.
Then, maist Thou feare, least in his high displeasur
In stead of thy late dreaded Dearth of Bread,
He send a Famine fearefull, out of measure,
Even of his Word, whereby the Soule is fed:
Without which Food the Soule will starve and die,
And be expos'd to utmost Miserie.