Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	day_n	king_n	time_n	8,754	5	3.5001	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66783	Three grains of spirituall frankincense infused into three hymnes of praise, and humbly offered toward the publike thanksgiving, commanded by authority of Parliament to be celebrated throughout the Commonwealth of England, the 30 of this present January, 1650.	Wither, George, 1588-1667.	1651 (1651)	Wing W3196; ESTC R11665	5,852	15

THREE GRAINS OF Spirituall Frankincense Infused into Three Hymnes of Praise AND Humbly offered toward the publike Thanksgiving commanded by Authority of Parliament to be celebrated throughout the Commonwealth of England the 30. of this present January 1650. IF Scorners term these Ballads 't will not much Regarded be though there be many such For they perhaps are Fools or Children yet And may be wiser when they shall have wit If any thinks these Odes are over long Let him not do his credit so much wrong To say it till he sees what may be spar'd And passe thereon his judgment afterward There can arise no great discommendation By lengthning out a pious Recreation Nor merit they much heed that can be weary To sing of Dangers past and to be merry LONDON Printed by R. Austin 1651. To the Right Honourable JOHN BRADSHAVV Esqu LORD PRESIDENT OF THE Councell of STATE My Lord THe Parliament having lately graciously considered my humble Suit and long patience and I by the refreshment thereby obtained getting some leisure to entertain my naturall Genius an earnest Desire immediately possest me to perform somwhat which might shew me thankful to God and to those friends by whose Mercy I and my Family have been preserved from perishing under our late Pressures and he who wrought that Desire in me offered therewith to my thought an Undertaking sutable to my inclination with hope that he would inable to the perfecting thereof in due season though interruptions will be many and the time whereto I must confine my self very short The Supreme Authority hath enacted a publique Thanksgiving throughout this Common wealth on the thirtieth of this January being the last day of the late Kings life as also the first of Englands resuming her long lost Liberty a Day which may by good reason be made an everlasting Anniversary in remembrance of that and other great Deliverances And therefore I thought it would neither be an impertinent expression of my Gratitude nor unacceptable where I owe it to prepare proper Hymnes for that daies Celebration with some other brief Commemoration to keep in mind GODS late Mercies to this Republique when that daies solemnity shall be forgotten and thereupon composed among other assaies yet unfinished the three following Hymnes which I thus communicate before the perfecting of what is further intended in hope it may be a means to prepare the hearts of some for a more due observation of that Day by giving them space to consider how pertinent they are to the duty then required and that they may be thereby in readinesse for those who shall be willing to make use of such helps to Devotion Hymnes are so proper to publique acknowledgements of extraordinary Deliverances and Mercies spirituall or temporall that by the Primitive Churches Jewish and Christian they were this way commemorated and left upon record even to this day as appears in Holy Writ by the Hymns Songs and Psalms of Moses Deborah Hannah David Esay Hezekiah Simeon Zachary and Mary with others The practise also of Christian Churches in and after the Apostles time makes it evident that they sung Hymnes and Songs upon the severall occasions happening from time to time And though Scorners and ignorant persons do in this Age vilifie or contemn the gift of Poesie yet the most knowing and most pious among all Nations have alwaies practised and do still approve the use of that Faculty to rouze up spirituall affections in the soul toward the illustrating of Gods Praises and they who dispise it are dispisers of that Gift which God hath given for his own glory with our advantage For it is none of those accomplishments which may be acquired by meer human industry though it may be much better'd thereby but is one of Gods Peculiars and infused in the mothers womb as is generally confessed by learned and understanding men many of which have long studied for it in vain by meer helps of Art Upon these considerations and by the example of many Prophets and Poets for in some other languages one word signifies both who very well knew that advantages may be made by the right use of that Faculty upon such occasions of praise as have been vouchsafed to this Nation I have thereby sought to illustrate Gods Mercies with an assurance that it shall prepare the hearts of many to a more cheerfull performance of what is commanded and help to charm down those distempers which trouble the Common Peace and hinder our reconcilement both to God and to each other and I hope it will not seem Arrogance in me to offer them to that use For though it be no rare thing to see many run on errants before they are sent and to obtrude their undigested Conceptions upon publique Auditories yet private persons qualified by their Education Conversation and Gifts may with modesty and submission make tender of that which they conceive edifying yea and ought as I think so to do their consciences perswading it to be their duty because I find it was a Liberty Apostolically allowed and taken for private Christians to communicate their severall Gifts in publique Congregations and that he who brought a Hymn brought that which was acceptable as appears in that place where the Apostle prescribes what Order is to be observed at such Meetings According to that approved practise I offer the ensuing Hymnes composed and fitted to the Meridian of vulgar capacities and yet I hope not so inartificially composed as to make them despised of the learned I have also out of such tunes as the people are acquainted withall chosen those which are best sutable to the matter and occasion sitting the first Hymn to a strain beseeming the beginnings of Exultation The second to higher straines of rejoycing and the last to the fulnesse of praisefull Thanksgivings all which I humbly submit to your grave Censure And I dedicate and first send them to your Lordship for many good Reasons First by your approbation of their usefullnesse I shall be the more comfortably confirmed in that hope which I have thereof already Secondly your exemplary respect may make others perhaps take the more heed of them and by growing acquainted with them for your sake respect them afterward for their own Thirdly you were one of the most eminent personall instruments under God of that Justice upon which the many Mercies followed which are the subject of these Hymns and I thought they would be the more acceptable unto you in regard no man had been in greater danger if God by not appearing for us had permitted our Adversaries to prevail Lastly an Obligation lies upon me to give you some visible testimony of my thankfullnesse for benefits conferred For Sir notwithstanding it offends your modesty to hear me make offers of acknowledgements though it be in private yet I will now take the boldnesse to tell it openly that if God by his compassion moving in the heart of your Lordship and one other Noble Friend whose

modesty hath likewise yet stopt my mouth had not freely vouchsafed supplies during my late streights I and my Family considering in what hazzard all my other hopes then lay had in probability long since been quite ruined or exposed to most despicable wants as would be manifest if the circumstances of my suffering should be fully declared and I should not now perhaps have had courage enough in me to have composed these Hymnes or to have sung a joyfull song in the Land of the Living this day They are therefore not so much mine as yours and his Take them therefore at your own and with them my prayers that God would return your mercies a thousand fold into your bosomes And make them comfortable unto you both all the daies of your lives and at the hours of your death I have nothing else to retribute but Prayers except it be by adding so much to the honour of your Justice and Mercy as the single testimony of an honest man never aspersed with flattering may confer If that be any thing worth I can truly say that I have seen you active in the most eminent prosecution of human publiqke Justice under the Sun and that I am a witnesse also of your extraordinary private mercy by being twice thereby delivered from probable destruction Vpon contemplation whereof I am warranted to assure you from him who can make it good that if you persevere whereof I doubt not in your heroicall progress all the power threats and mischievous practises of your most inraged and malicious Adversaries shal be but as fire and materialls co-operating with better Ingredients to make refined Gold for your immortall Crown and that their revilings snarlings and detractions shall make it more glorious then Diamonds Pearls and Rubies shine brighter many Ages hence then it can now It shall questionlesse be so and therefore if ought happen hereafter that may seem bitter to the flesh in more then ordinary measure or threaten any terrible event be assured they are but operations of that Fire which is used in preparing the essentiall Materialls of your expected Crown He so presageth whose predictions you have seen verified in more dubious matters and he is also unfainedly Your Lordships most humble servant GEORGE WITHER Hymne 1. This first Hymne prepared for the publike Thanksgiving injoyned on the thirtieth of Jan. 1650. may most properly be sung at the beginning of Divine Exercises publike or private the same day Sing this as the 100 Psalm 1. WIth aweful Joy and joyful Fear To sanctifie O Lord this day Before thy Foot-stool we appear And our Thank-offrings here to pay Which though it be no other thing Then thy Free-mercies to confesse Or Songs unto thy praise to sing Vouchsafe acceptance nay-the-lesse 2. Within our selves we are so poor That we have nothing of our own But what we had from thee before Which by our sins impair'd is grown For our wit beauty strength and health The goods of body and of mind Our time our honours and our wealth To serve our lusts have been resign'd 3. And therefore till thou shalt renew Thine Image by our fault defac'd We and our Offrings from thy view Deservedly may forth be cast There is no musick in our Songs That 's worthy to be heard of thee Because our hearts eyes ears and tongues Prophaned and untuned be 4. Yet by those favours heartned on Which were on us bestown of late A Hymn we joyntly have begun To sing this Day at Mercies gate Lord those eternall doores unclose Through which thy speciall graces flow The cords of our Corruption lose And let thy Spirit on us blow 5. Then ev'ry word we hear or say With ey'ry thing that 's done or thought In celebrating of this Day Shall do thee honour as it ought And they that study publike harms Or flout what we are doing here Shall be so bound up by these Charms That when they flout us they shall fear Hymne 2. This other Hymne composed for the same Day may be sung before the Sermon or between the Sermons where two are preached or before the second Chapter or after any pause or change of Exercises in Devotion Sing this as the 113. Psalm 1. OH God! how good how kind art thou What help what grace dost thou bestow On us in our distrest estate Our tears to triumphs thou hast turn'd We now do sing who lately mourn'd And by our Foes were jeered at When we were weak poor and forlorn Expos'd to dangers fears and scorn Our Comforter thou didst become And when we dreaded shame of face Spoils death or wounds joyn'd with disgrace Those fears we were deliver'd from 2. As thou from base and servile bands And out of cruel Pharoahs hands Thine Heritage redeemd'st of old Ev'n so from those who sought our harm Thou broughtst us off with out-stretch'd arm With signs and wonders manifold They so were blinded Lord by thee Who might have seen but vvould not see Nor hear when they were counsell'd well And He that fraud and force imploy'd To make our Lavvs and Freedomes void In our own view like Pharoah fell 3. This is the Day whereon our Yoke Of Norman Bondage first was broke And England from her chains made free This is the Day vvhereon the Lord Did manumit us by the sword And 't is novv signall by decree Slaves they deserve to be therefore And to be bar'd for evermore The Freedoms of this Commonweal Who shall not thankfull now appear And vindicate with sword and spear Gods just Replies to our Appeal 4. By thee our Freedoms Lord vve got Oh! to our keeping leave them not But still their Guardianship retain And let not those vvho under thee Sub-keepers of those Freedoms be Nor our sins forfeit them again On those alone that are unjust Or shall be traytrous to their trust To this Republike or to Thee Let thy avenging justice fall And on all those who hinder shall That Peace with Truth may setled be 5. Write in our hearts thy sacred Law And let no future failings draw Our former cursed bondage back But our depraved wills renew And to thy service keep us true Which wil our Freedoms perfect make The Kingdom Power and Praise be thine As long as Moon and Sun shall shine Be likewise thou our Heritage And in this Nation let there be No other King or GOD but thee What e're they are who thereat rage Hymne 3. This third Hymne may most properly be sung the same day after the conclusion of the last Sermon or at the consummation of any other Devotion Sing this as the 148. Psalm doubling the last strain of the Tune 1. ALl you that present are Come let our hearts and tongues The Praise of God declare In new-Thanksgiving songs Come let us sing Strains that may make the walls to shake The Roofs to ring Still sounding higher Till thereby we with Angells be Joyn'd in one Quire 2. Related we have heard What he for us hath done With how much disregard Our Foes he looks upon And we have seen How he befriends when righteous ends Pursu'd have been VVe likewise vievv VVhat will befall to those that shall Their lust pursue 3. We see or may behold That he our Armies leads And as in times of old His Banner o're them spreads And for our sakes Through threats and spights through depths and heights Their passage makes VVhilst to his praise Their Foes to nought are justly brought In plainer waies 4. He made both Seas and Wind To them assistance lend And what they had design'd Sun Moon and Clouds befriend Force he repells He makes them bold to march where cold And hunger dwells And when their fear Did most abound they mercy found And Victors were 5. To him doth Praise belong For he did them subdue Who num'rous were and strong When we were weak and few And when our Foes Came bragging on and thought all won They all did lose Still be it thus Lord alway so them overthrow VVho malice us 6. His wise-foresight prevents The Politicians wiles He crosses their intents He at their Projects smiles In his due time Contrived by them And in that snare VVhich for our feet they closely set Still caught they are 7. Vain sons of men therefore Your bruitish grumbling cease Pursue false hopes no more But follow after peace More prudent grow Reform your waies and sing his Praise As now we do Oh! whilst you may In God rejoyce and hear his Voice VVhile 't is to day 8. Let all men do the same Of whatsoe're degrees And magnifie his Name As all obliged be His Righteousnesse His Power and Grace in ev'ry place Let all confesse And lay aside Their own deserts their selfish hearts Their stinking pride 9. Your strength to him submit You that have conquests won Wise men ascribe your wit To him ev'n him alone For he supplies The Fool with skill and when he will Befools the wise And certainly Unto to your Foes he gives the blows By which they die 10. Rich-men your precious things Bring forth your Thanks to show Before him Oh'ye Kings Your Heads and Scepters bow And as 't is meet Come from your Thrones and cast your Crown Beneath his feet For Kingdomes all To him pertain and he again Resume them shall 11. Oh! let all things that were That are or shall ensue Or but in thought appear Thy Praise O God forth-shew Till Times last bound And let it run when time is done An endlesse Round Where needs not be Privations Night that we true Light May better see 12. Mean time let not his praise Be meerly in our Voice As if vve thought to raise A Trophy out of Noise But let us more Our Thanks expresse in Righteousnesse Then heretofore Els this is plain False shows we make and do but take GODS Name in vain FINIS