Edward Farr, ed. Select Poetry of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. 1845.
MercyXCVIII. Thomas Collins
D
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 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 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 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.