Divine glimpses of a maiden muse being various meditations and epigrams on several subjects : with a probable cure of our present epidemical malady if the means be not too long neglected / by Chr. Clobery ...

CHAP. III.

[verse 1] I Am the man that hath affliction seen [verse 2] By his wrath's rod. By him led have I been Into obscurest darkness; (grief to tell) But not into the light (save that like Hell.) [verse 3] Surely against me is he turned right: His hand is turn'd against me day and night. [verse 4] He hath made old my flesh, and skin; and spilt [verse 5] My broken bones: He hath against me built. With gall and travel he hath compass'd me. [verse 6] (Like dead of old) in the dark places he Me fet: He hath me hedged round about: [verse 7] Made my chain heavy; that I can't get out. [verse 8] My pray'r he shuts out, when I shout and cry. [verse 9] He curv'd my paths, and wall'd my ways up high.

[verse 10] VVith squared stone. He was a bear to me, Lying in wait: and lyon-like was he [verse 11] In secret place. My wayes he turn'd aside: And into pieces he did me divide; [verse 12] And made me desolate. He bent his bowe, Made me his shafts-mark, so to shoot me through: [verse 13] He caus'd his quiver's arrows in my reins [verse 14] To enter deep. And in their merry veins, Distressed I, the people's laughter was, [verse 15] And song all day. He me hath fill'd (alas) VVith bitterness, with wormwood made me drunk. [verse 16] VVith gravel stones my teeth he broke, and sunk [verse 17] Me under ashes. And far off from peace My soul thou hast remov'd: In me doth cease [verse 18] Prosperitie's remembrance. And I said, My strength and hope is from the Lord decai'd. [verse 19] Recording mine affliction, misery, [verse 20] The wormwood and the gall: my soul (still shy) In their remembrance humbled is in me. [verse 21] This I re-call to minde, and thence hope see. [verse 22] 'Tis the Lords mercy we are not o'erborn; [verse 23] 'Cause his compassions fail not: Ev'ry morn They are renew'd; great is thy faithfulness. [verse 24] My soul doth say the Lord my portion is; [verse 25] Therefore I'll hope in him. The Lord is good To them that wait for him, to souls that woo'd [verse 26] His face. It's good for man to hope and wait [verse 27] The Lords salvation quietly, (though strait) [verse 28] The youth-born yoke is good which having born, [verse 29] He sits in silence still. And doth adorn His mouth with dust; if so there hope may be. [verse 30] He gives his cheek to smiters, fill'd is he [verse 31] Full with reproach: for God will not for ay [verse 32] Cast off. And (though he causeth grief to day) He will compassion have, according to [verse 33] His mercies multitude. God doth not do

That willingly, that may afflict or grieve [verse 34] The sons of men; to crush (and not reprieve) [verse 35] Earth's pris'ners under feet; to turn awry The right of man before his face most high. [verse 36] The Lord approves not to subvert man's cause. [verse 37] Who's he that saith, and it doth come to pass [verse 38] When God commands it not? Both good and ill Proceed they not out of the Lords mouth still? [verse 39] Wherefore doth man complain? man for his sins [verse 40] Just punishment? Let's search, and try what's in's, [verse 41] And to the Lord rerurn: to God in heaven [verse 42] Let's lift our hearts and hands: for we have even Transgrest, rebell'd, and pardon thou gav'st none. [verse 43] With anger thou hast covered alone, And persecuted us: thou hast us slain, [verse 44] And hast not pitied. Thou dost detain Thee in a cloud, that our prayers should not pass. [verse 45] Thou hast us made as the off-scowring: as [verse 46] Refuse in peoples mid'st. And all our foes [verse 47] Open'd their mouths against us: fear, snare, woes, Destruction, desolation on us lie. [verse 48] Rivers of tears do run down from mine eye, For the destruction that is come upon [verse 49] My peoples daughter: Mine eye trickleth down, And ceaseth not, without all intermission, [verse 50] Till God look down from heav'n on her condition, [verse 51] And it behold. Mine eye affects my heart, Because of all my cities daughter's smart. [verse 52] Mine enemies me chased very sore, (Ev'n like a bird) without a cause wherefore. [verse 53] They have cut off my life; in dungeon throw'd [verse 54] A stone upon me. And the waters flow'd Over my head: I am cut off, (said I) [verse 55] And in low dungeon on thy Name did cry. [verse 56] O Lord, thou hast me heard; hide not thine ear [verse 57] At my sad cry and breathing. Thou drew'st near

I'th' day that I did call on thee, and said'st [verse 58] Fear not. O Lord, thou my souls causes plead'st: [verse 59] Thou hast redeem'd my life. Thou see'st my wrong; [verse 60] Judge thou my cause. Thou hast seen all along [verse 61] Their vengeance and their thoughts against me. Thou Hast their reproaches heard (O Lord) and how [verse 62] Against me they imagine; lips of those, And their device, that up against me rose [verse 63] All day. Behold their sitting and their rising; [verse 64] I am their musick. Lord, for their devising, Render them recompence, according to [verse 65] Their handy-work. Give them heart-sorrow, wo, [verse 66] Thy curse unto them. Persecute, destroy In wrath them from beneath thy throne of joy.