<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
<ETS>
<TEMPHEAD>
<REVDESCR>
<CHANGE>
<DATE>2009-01-04</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Mona Logarbo</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B081149.pdcc.</ITEM>
</CHANGE>
</REVDESCR>
</TEMPHEAD>
<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="B03100">
<STC T="W">E2994</STC>
<BIBNO T="umi">99887358</BIBNO>
<VID>182071</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="ballad">
<PB REF="1" MS="y"><!-- PDF PAGE 6 -->
<HEAD>ENGLANDS MERCIES In the Mid&s;t of Mi&s;erys.</HEAD>
<HEAD TYPE="sub">OR, <HI>The Poor-Man's Comfort in a Time of Trouble.</HI></HEAD>
<OPENER>To the Tune of, Packingtons; Pound, OR, Digbys <GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">arewell.</OPENER>
<HEADNOTE>
<P>Entred according to Order.</P>
</HEADNOTE>
<P><FIGURE>
</FIGURE>
<FIGURE>
<HEAD>England.</HEAD>
</FIGURE>
<FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<LG>
<L>POor <HI>England</HI> thy &s;orrows this many a year,</L>
<L>Has caus'd in thy mind a &s;u&s;pition of fear,</L>
<L>Dreading that thou &s;hould'd be brought very low,</L>
<L>But be of good comfort it may not be &s;o:</L>
<L>We have a good God that &s;till doth provide,</L>
<L>If we do but &s;erve him he will be our guide;</L>
<L>We need not to fear that our Foes can dev<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">ur</L>
<L>They can do no mo<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">e then the Lord gives them power</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>What though the times they be never &s;o bad,</L>
<L>Yet be of good comfort and look not &s;o &s;ad,</L>
<L>For every &s;orrow will &s;ure have an end;</L>
<L>If thou do&s;t endeavour to make him thy friend:</L>
<L>Who certainly wi<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">l provide for the ju&s;t</L>
<L>untroubles and &s;orrows tho<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">i<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">l &s;halt be ble&s;t:</L>
<L>Thou need'&s;t not to fear the fierce rage of thy foes</L>
<L>Nor yet in the lea&s;t to be di&s;compos'd.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Every mor&s;el of bread thou do&s;t eat,</L>
<L>If thou art contented be &s;ure it is &s;weet;</L>
<L>'Tis better to thee then the Mi&s;ers great &s;tore,</L>
<L>Though he hath abundance yet &s;till he is po<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">r:</L>
<L>His covetous heart is his Heaven for Gold</L>
<L>And's never at q<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">iet though he doth behold</L>
<L>A &s;uff<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">c<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">ent &s;upply for many a year,</L>
<L>Y<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">t he is po&s;&s;e&s;t with a poverty fear.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Why &s;hould we incumber our&s;elves with &s;uch care</L>
<L>To di&s;tract our wits or to live in d<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;pair,</L>
<L>What though thy condition be never &s;o mean,</L>
<L>If there be content, there will com<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">ort be &s;een:</L>
<L>'Tis certain we have not long for to &s;tay,</L>
<L>Death doth approach, and our lives doth decay,</L>
<L>Then ble&s;&s;ed is he that doth lye down in pe<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">ce,</L>
<L>H<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">s &s;orrows d<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">th end, and his joys will increa&s;e.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Why &s;hould we d<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;tru&s;t in his Mercies at all,</L>
<L>We &s;ee that his bountiful hand is to all,</L>
<L>We find that he hath a regard to the poor,</L>
<L>And feeds them with Bread from a plentiful &s;tore:</L>
<L>What though thou art ca&s;t into Pri&s;on for debt,</L>
<L>Yet be of good chear, in the lea&s;t do not fret;</L>
<L>For thou &s;halt have food for to nouri&s;h thy life,</L>
<L>And God will provide for thy Chi<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">dren and wife:</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Some men are complaining that trading is dead,</L>
<L>But ble&s;&s;ed be God there is plenty of bread,</L>
<L>The earth in abundance brings forth her increa&s;e,</L>
<L>Can we be but thankful, and re&s;t here in peace:</L>
<L>We have no ju&s;t cau&s;e to grieve and repine,</L>
<L>Rely upon him who is &s;o divine,</L>
<L>For &s;ure he is able always to provide,</L>
<L>For thee and for me, and the whole world be&s;tde.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Great per&s;ons that go &s;o gallant and fine,</L>
<L>That hath in their pockets great plenty of Coyn,</L>
<L>Yet &s;till they have troubles we daily do &s;ee,</L>
<L>On this &s;ide the Grave there is no man is free:</L>
<L>An extravagant Son may wa&s;te an e&s;tate,</L>
<L>VVhich may to his Father much &s;orrow create,</L>
<L>There is this way and likewi&s;e many ways more,</L>
<L>That rich men hath troubles as well as the poor.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Then let us prepare for the hour of death,</L>
<L>Tis certain we mu&s;t &s;urrender our breath,</L>
<L>For whether thou art prepared or no,</L>
<L>Death will thee arre&s;t, thou mu&s;t certainly go,</L>
<L>Then &s;et not thy heart on things here below,</L>
<L>For riches doth often thy mind overthrow,</L>
<L>For better it is to live mean and upright,</L>
<L>Then to have great plenty to ruine us quite.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Alas in this life there is trouble and pain,</L>
<L>Let's keep a good con&s;cience that we may obtain</L>
<L>The true joys of Heaven, likewi&s;e perfect peace,</L>
<L>And then all the cares of the world it will cea&s;e:</L>
<L>That man that doth live and dye in the Lord,</L>
<L>Shall certainly then receive his reward,</L>
<L>For Death &s;hall appear like a &s;t<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">ngle&s;s friend,</L>
<L>And lead him to joys which &s;hall never have end.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>All you that have heard the&s;e words now of me,</L>
<L>I wi&s;h they may prove an advantage to thee:</L>
<L>To bear us thy Spirits in &s;orrow and care,</L>
<L>And keep thee from every thought of di&s;pair:</L>
<L>Then may we have comf<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">rt and joy to the end,</L>
<L>As knowing that God will &s;till he our friend,</L>
<L>For he in his mercies will &s;till us defend,</L>
<L>And be our &s;afegaurd even to our lives end.</L>
</LG>
<P><TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="license">
<P>This may be Printed,</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>R. <HI>L</HI> S.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT></P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="colophon">
<P>Printed for J. Deacon, at the Angel without Newgate.</P>
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
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