If thou, good Lord, should'st take thy rod in hand, A
If thou regard what sins are daily done, i. T
If thou take hold where we our works begun, 9251V7
If thou decree in judgement for to stand,
And be extreme to see our senses scann'd,
If thou take note of every thing amiss,
And write in rolls how, frail our nature is,

O glorious God, O King, O Prince of power,
What mortal wight

May then have light

To feel thy frown, if thou have list to lower?

4..

But thou art good, and hast of mercy store,
Thou not delight'st to see a sinner fall,
Thou heark'nest first before we come to call,
Thy ears are set wide open evermore,
Before we knock thou comest to the door,'
Thou art more prest to hear a sinner cry,
Than he is quick to climb to thee on high;
Thy mighty name be praised then alway,
Let faith and fear

True witness bear,

How fast they stand, which on thy mercy stay.

5.

I look for thee, my lovely Lord, therefore,
For thee I wait, for thee I tarry still,

Mine eyes do long to gaze on thee my fill,
For thee I watch, for thee I pry and pore,
My soul for thee attendeth evermore.
My soul doth thirst to take of thee a taste,
My soul desires with thee for to be plac'd;
And to thy word, which can no man deceive,
Mine only trust,

My love and lust

In confidence continually shall cleave.

6.

Before the break, or dawning of the day, Before the light be seen in lofty skies, Before the sun appear in pleasant wise, Before the watch (before the watch I say) Before the ward that waits therefore alway, My soul, my sense, my secret thought, my sprite, My will, my wish, my joy, and my delight, Unto the Lord that sits in heaven on high, With hasty wing

From me doth fling,

And striveth still unto the Lord to fly.

7.

O Israel, O household of the Lord,

O Abraham's brats, O brood of blessed seed,
O chosen sheep, that love the Lord indeed,
O hungry hearts, feed still upon his word,
And put your trust in him with one accord:
For he hath mercy evermore at hand,
His fountains flow, his springs do never stand,
And plenteously he loveth to redeem
Such sinners all,

As on him call,

And faithfully his mercies most esteem.

8.

He will redeem our deadly drooping state,
He will bring home the sheep that go astray,
He will help them that hope in, him alway,
He will appease our discord, and debate,
He will soon save, though we repent us late.
He will be ours, if we continue his;

He will bring bale to joy and perfect bliss,
He will redeem the flock of his elect

From all that is,

Or was amiss,

Since Abraham's heirs did first his laws reject.

GASCOIGNE

PSALM CXXX.*

FROM the deeps of grief and fear,
O Lord! to Thee my soul repairs;
From thy heaven bow down thine ear:
Let thy mercy meet my prayers
Oh! if thou mark'st

What's done amiss,

What soul so pure,

Can see thy bliss ?

A

* Phineas Fletcher is well known to the reader of English Poetry as the author of the Purple Island; a poem very highly commended by Mr. Headley, who justly observes, that "it is to † Fletcher's honour that Milton read and imitated him," and adds that, "he is eminently entitled to a very high rank among our old English classics."

After his Purple Island, and Piscatory Eclogues, follow "Certain of the Royal Prophet's Psalms metaphrased;" from these I have selected one, which appears to me very superior to the rest, and well worthy of republication.

At Beauties of Ancient English Poetry.

But with thee sweet mercy stands,
Sealing pardons, working fear;
Wait, my soul, wait on his hands,
Wait, mine eye, oh, wait, mine ear:
If He his eye,

Or tongue affords,

Watch all his looks,

Catch all his words.

As a watchman waits for day,

And looks for light, and looks again;

When the night grows old and

To be reliev'd he calls amain:

So look, so wait,

So long mine eyes

grey,

Wait, ye saints, wait on our Lord,

For from his tongue sweet mercy flows;
Wait on his cross, wait on his word,

Upon that tree Redemption grows:

He will redeem

His Israel,

Da From sin and wrath,

From death and hell."

P. FLETCHER.