Sir Henry Wotton: Verses about Power

Oh, thou great Power ! in whom I move,
For whom I live, to whom I die,
Behold me through thy beams of love,
Whilst on this couch of tears I lie
And cleanse my sordid soul within,
By thy Christ's blood, the bath of sin.

No hallowed oyls, no grains I need,
No rags of saints, no purging fire ;
One rosie drop from David's seed
Was worlds of seas to quench thine ire
O precious ran some ! which once paid,
That Conmminatum est was said ;

And said by Him that said no more,
But seal'd it with his sacred breath :
Thou, then, that has dispong'd my score,
And dying wast the death of Death,
Be to me now, on thee I call,
My life, my strength, my joy, my all!

OH thou great Power, in whom I move,
For whom I live, to whom I die,
Behold me through thy beams of love,
Whilest on this Couch of tears I lye;
And Cleanse my sordid soul within,
By thy Chirsts Bloud, the bath of sin.

No hallowed oyls, no grains I need,
No rags of Saints, no purging fire,
One rosie drop from David's Seed
Was worlds of seas, to quench thine Ire.
O pretious Ransome! which once paid,
That Consummatum est was said.

And said by him, that said no more,
But seal'd it with his sacred breath.
Thou then, that hast dispung'd my score,
And dying, wast the death of death;
Be to me now, on thee I call,
My Life, my Strength, my Joy, my All.

Eternal Mover, whose diffused Glory,
To shew our groveling Reason what thou art,
Unfolds it self in Clouds of Natures story,
Where Man, thy proudest Creature, acts his part:
Whom yet (alas) I know not why, we call
The Worlds contracted sum, the little all.

For, what are we but lumps of walking clay?
Why should we swel? whence should our spirits rise
Are not bruit Beasts as strong, and Birds as gay,
Trees longer liv'd, and creeping things as wise?
Only our souls was left an inward light,
To feel our weakness, and confess thy might.

Thou then, our strength, Father of life and death,
To whom our thanks, our vows, our selves we owe,
From me thy tenant of this fading breath,
Accept those lines which from thy goodness flow:
And thou that wert thy Regal Prophets Muse,
Do not thy Praise in weaker strains refuse.

Let these poor Notes ascend unto thy throne,
Where Majesty doth sit with Mercy crown'd,
Where my Redeemer lives, in whom alone
The errours of my wandring life are drown'd:
Where all the Quire of heaven resound the same,
That only Thine, Thine is the saving Name.

Well then, my Soul, joy in the midst of Pain;
Thy Christ that conquer'd hell, shall from above
With greater triumph yet return again,
And conquer his own Justice with his Love;
Commanding Earth and Seas to render those
Unto his Bliss, for whom he paid his Woes.

Now have I done: now are my thoughts at peace,
And now my Joyes are stronger then my grief:
I feel those Comforts that shall never cease,
Future in Hope, but present in Belief.
Thy words are true, thy promises are just,
And thou wilt find thy dearly bought in Dust.

My soul exalt the Lord with Hymns of praise:
O Lord my God, how boundless is thy might?
Whose Throne of State is cloath'd with glorious rays,
And round about hast rob'd thy self with light.
Who like a curtain hast the Heavens display'd,
And in the watry Roofs thy Chambers laid.

Whose chariots are the thickned clouds above,
Who walk'st upon the winged winds below,
At whose command the airy Spirits move,
And fiery meteors their obedience show.
Who on this Base the earth didst firmly found,
And mad'st the deep to circumvest it round.

The waves that rise would drown the highest hill,
But at thy cheek they flie, and when they hear
Thy thundring voice, they post to do thy will,
And bound their furies in their proper sphere:
Where surging floods, and valing ebbs can tell,
That none beyond thy marks must sink or swell.

Who hath dispos'd, but thou, the winding way
Where springs down from the steepy crags do beat,
At which doth foster'd Beasts their thirsts allay,
And the wild Asses come to quench their heat;
Where Birds resort, and in their kind, thy praise
Among the branches chant in warbling laies.

The mounts are watred from thy dwelling place,
The barns and meads are fill'd for man and beast;
Wine glads the heart, and oyl adorns the face,
And bread the staff whereon our strength doth rest;
Nor shrubs alone feel thy suffizing hand,
But even the Cedars that so proudly stand.

So have the Fowls their sundry seats to breed,
The ranging Stork, in stately Beeches dwells;
The climing Goats on hills securely feed,
The mining Conies shroud in rocky Cells:
Nor can the heavenly lights their course forget,
The Moon her turns, or Sun his times to set.

Thou mak'st the Night to over-vail the Day;
The savage Beasts creep from the silent wood,
Then Lions whelps lie roaring for their prey,
And at thy powerful hand demand their food:
Who when at morn they all recouch again,
Then toyling man till eve pursues his pain.

O Lord, when on thy various works we look,
How richly furnish'd is the earth we tread!
Where, in the fair Contents of Nature's Book,
We may the wonders of thy wisdom read:
Nor earth alone, but lo, the sea so wide,
Where great & small, a world of creatures glide.

There go the Ships that furrow out their way;
Yea, thereof Whales enormous sights we see,
Which yet have scope among the rest to play,
And all do wait for their support on thee:
Who hast assign'd each thing his proper food,
And in due season dost dispence thy good.

They gather when thy gifts thou dost divide;
Their stores abound, if thou thy hand enlarge;
Confus'd they are, when thou thy beams dost hide;
In dust resolv'd, if thou their breath discharge.
Again, when thou of life renew'st the seeds,
The withered fields revest their chearful weeds.

Be ever gloried here thy Soveraign Name,
That thou may'st smile on all which thou hast made;
Whose frown alone can shake this earthly frame,
And at whose touch the hills in smoak shall vade.
For me, may (while I breathe) both harp & voice,
In sweet indictment of thy Hymns rejoyce.

Let Sinners fail, let all Profaness cease;
His Praise, (my Soul) His Praise shall be thy Peace.

My soul, exalt the Lord with hymns of praise :
O Lord my God, how boundless is thy might
Whose throne of state is cloath'd with glorious rays,
And round about hast robed thyself with light;
Who like a curtain hast the heavens displayed,
And in the watry roofs thy chambers laid ;

Whose chariots are the thickned clouds above,
Who walkst upon the winged winds below;
At whose command the airy spirits move,
And fiery meteors their obedience show;
Who on this base the earth didst firmly found,
And mad'st the deep to circumvent it round.

The waves that rise would drown the highest hill,
But at thy check they flie ; and when they hear
Thy thundering voice, they post to do thy will,
And bound their furies in their proper sphere ;
Where surging floods and valing ebbs can tell
That none beyond thy marks must sink or swell.

Who hath dispos'd, but thou, the winding way
Where springs down from their steepy crags do beat,
At which both fostered beasts their thirsts allay,
And the wild asses come to quench their heat;
Where birds resort, and, in their kind, thy praise
Among the branches chant in warbling lays.

The mounts are vvatred from thy dwelling-place,
The barns and meads are fill'd for man and beast;
Wine glacis the heart, and oyl adorns the face,
And bread the staff whereon our strength doth rest;
Nor shrubs alone feel thy sufficing hand,
But even the cedars that so proudly stand.

So have the fowls their sundry seats to breed;
The ranging stork in stately beeches dwells;
The climbing goats on hills securely feed,
The mining coneys shroud in rocky cells :
Nor can the heavenly lights their course forget,
The moon her turns, or sun his times to set.

Thou mak'st the night to over-vail the day;
Then savage beasts creep from the silent wood,
Then lions' whelps lie roaring for their prey,
And at thy powerful hand demand their food ;
Who when at morn they all recouch again,
Then toyling man till eve pursues his pain.

O Lord, when on thy various works we look,
How richly furnish'd is the earth we tread!
Where in the fair contents of Nature's book
We may the wonders of thy wisdom read :
Nor earth alone, but lo ! the sea so wide,
Where, great and small, a world of creatures glide.

There go the ships, that furrow out their way ;
Yea, thereof whales enormous sights we see,
Which yet have scope among the rest to play;
And all do wait for their support on thee ;
Who hast assigned each thing his proper food,
And in due season dost dispense thy good.

They gather, when thy gifts thou dost divide ;
Their stores abound, if thou thy hand enlarge ;
Confused they are, when thou thy beams dost hide;
In dust resolved, if thou their breath discharge
Again, when thou of life renewst the seeds,
The withered fields revest their cheerfull weeds.

Be ever gloried here thy sovereign name,
That thou mayst smile on all which thou hast made;
Whose frown alone can shake this earthly frame,
And at whose touch the hills in smoak shall vade:
For me, may (while I breathe) both harp and voice
In sweet indictment of thy hymns rejoyce.

Let sinners fail, let all profaneness cease ;
His praise (my soul), his praise shall be thy peace.