A very godly Song, intituled, The earnest petition of a
faithfull Christian, being Clarke of Bodnam, made upon his
Death bed, at the instant of his Transmutation.
To a pleasant new tune.
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NOw my painfull eyes are rowling,
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And my passing Bell is towling:
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Towling sweetly: I lye dying,
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And my life is from me flying.
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Grant me strength, O gracious God,
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For to endure thy heavy rod:
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Then shall I rejoyce and sing,
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With Psalmes unto my heavenly King.
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Simeon that blessed man,
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Beleeved Christ when he was come,
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And then he did desire to dye,
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To live with him eternally.
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Christ wrought me a strong salvation,
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By his death and bitter passion:
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He hath washt and made me cleane,
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That I should never sinne againe.
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Grievous paines doe call and cry,
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O man, prepare thy selfe to dye.
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All my sinnes I have lamented,
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And to dye I am contented.
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Silly Soule, the Lord receive thee,
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Death is come, and life must leave thee,
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Death doth tarry no mans leasure,
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Then farewell all earthly pleasure.
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In this world I nothing crave,
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But to bring me to my Grave,
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In my Grave while I lye sleeping,
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Angels have my soule in keeping.
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When the Bells are for me ringing,
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Lord receive my soule with singing:
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Then shall I be free from paine,
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To live and never dye againe.
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Whiles those wormes corruption breed on,
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Wayte my noysome corpes to feed on,
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My fervent love (this prison loathing)
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Craves a robe of Angels cloathing.
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Farewell world and worldly glory,
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Farewell all things transitory,
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Sion hill my soule ascendeth,
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And Gods Royall Throne attendeth.
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Farewell wife and children small,
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For I must goe now Christ doth call,
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And for my death be ye content,
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When I am gone, doe not lament.
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Now the Bell doth cease to towle.
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Sweet Jesus Christ receive my soule.
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The second part of the Clarke of Bodnam.
To the same tune.
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O God which did the world create,
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Heare a poore sinner at thy gate:
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Thou that from death didst set me free,
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Remit my sinnes and shew mercy.
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Oh thou that caus'dst thy blessed Sonne,
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Into this Universe to come,
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Thy Gospell true here to fulfill,
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And to subdue death, sinne, and hell.
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Grant for his sake that dy'd on tree,
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On the blest Mount of Calvary:
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That I being grieved for my sin,
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May by repentance heaven win.
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The Gospell saith, Who so beleeve,
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To them wilt thou a blessing give:
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Amongst which number grant me faith,
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That to beleeve, thy Gospell saith.
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Which if I doe, (as grant I may,
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Though here I dye, I live for aye:
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Then Saviour sweet, remit my sin,
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And give me grace that life to win.
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And since they death (a price most great)
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Hath bought me, here I doe intreat,
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To give me grace thy Name to praise,
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Both now, and evermore alwaies.
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For by thy death my soule is free
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From hell, which still by thy decree,
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To sinners all for sinne [is] due,
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Untill thy Son our Saviour true,
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Did vanquish by Almighty power,
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Death, hell, and all that could devoure
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My sinnes, O Lord, I doe confesse,
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Like sands in Sea are numberlesse.
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Yet though my sinnes as scarlet show,
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Their whitenesse may exceede the S[now]
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If thou thy mercy doest extend,
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That I my sinfull life may mend.
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Which mercy thy blest Word doth say,
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At any time obtaine I may,
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If power and grace in me remaine,
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From carnall sin for to refraine.
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Then give me grace, Lord, to refraine
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From sinnes, that I may still remaine
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With thee in heaven, where Angels sing,
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Most joyfully to thee our King.
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And grant (O Christ) that when I dye,
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My soule with thee immediately,
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May have abode amongst the blest,
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And live for ever in true rest.
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FINIS.
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