XCVIII. Thomas Collins

DAUID did mercy craue, and nothing more,

In all his troubles and aduersities;

’Cause mercy paies sins’ debt, and cleares the score,

Leauing no sign of our iniquities,

To feare our soules or to offend our eyes.

Wherefore, with him, I will for mercy craue,

That of my sins I may remission haue.

Mercy’s the sum and substance of my sute;

Mercy’s the marke at which I aime by prayer;

Mercy’s soule’s manna, heauen’s sacred fruit;

Mercy’s the idea of the onely faire;

Mercy’s God’s seat, his hie and only chaire;

Mercy’s the loadstone, that to life doth drawe;

Mercy’s the gospell, that fulfills the lawe.

Mercy’s the obiect of the angells’ loue;

Mercy’s the arke doth in sin’s deluge saue;

Mercy’s the martir’s oliue-bringing doue;

Mercy’s the means that men saluation haue;

Mercy’s the most good that a man can craue;

Mercy’s the salue that cures sin’s vgly sores;

Mercy’s the porter of heauen’s pretious dores.

Mercy mou’d Christ to come, and die for men;

Mercy moues man to deeds of charitie;

Mercy may saue me, sinfull publican;

Mercy the saints pray for continually;

Mercy doth pardon man’s iniquitie;

Mercy’s most royall, bred and borne in heauen;

Mercy’s God’s gift, the best that ere was giuen.