One may have freinds, who have a will To further his felicity, And yet be wanting to him still, Because of imbecility, In power and ability.
But whom the Lord is pleas’d to save, Such he is able to defend, His grace and might no limmits have, And therefore can to all extend Who doe or shall on him depend.
Nor stands he therefore surely, Whose Freinds most powerfull appeare, Because of mutabillity To which all mortalls subject are, Whose favours run now here, now there.
But in our Rock and mighty Fort, Of change no shadow doth remain, His favours he doth not Transport As trifles movable and vain, His Love alone is lasting gain.
Therefore my soule do thou depend, upon that Rock which will not move, When all created help shall end Thy Rock impregnable will prove, Whom still embrace with ardent Love.
The Winter of my infancy being over-past Then supposed, suddenly the Spring would hast Which useth every thing to cheare With invitation to recreacion This time of yeare.
The Sun sends forth his radient beames to warm the ground The drops distil, between the gleams delights abound, _Vèr_ brings her mate the flowery Queen, The Groves shee dresses, her Art expresses On every Green.
But in my Spring it was not so, but contrary, For no delightfull flowers grew to please the eye, No hopefull bud, nor fruitfull bough, No moderat showers which causeth flowers To spring and grow.
My Aprill was exceeding dry, therfore unkind; Whence tis that small utility I look to find, For when that Aprill is so dry, (As hath been spoken) it doth betoken Much scarcity.
Thus is my Spring now almost past in heavinesse The Sky of pleasure’s over-cast with sad distresse For by a comfortlesse Eclips, Disconsolacion and sore vexacion, My blossom nips.
Yet as a garden is my mind enclosed fast Being to safety so confind from storm and blast Apt to produce a fruit most rare, That is not common with every woman That fruitfull are.
A Love of goodnesse is the cheifest plant therin The second is, (for to be briefe) Dislike to sin. These grow in spight of misery, Which Grace doth nourish and cause to flourish Continually.
But evill mocions, currupt seeds, fall here also whenc springs prophanesse as do weeds where flowers grow VVhich must supplanted be with speed These weeds of Error, Distrust and Terror, Lest woe succeed