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Edward Farr, ed. Select Poetry of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. 1845.

Stanzas from “Machiauel’s Dogge”

XXXVI. Anonymous

CHIDE sinners as the father doth his childe,

And keepe them in the awe of louing feare;

Make sinne most hatefull, but in words be nice,

That humble patience may the better heare,

And wounded conscience may receyue reliefe,

When true repentance pleads the sinner’s griefe.

Throw not the sinner headlong to damnation,

Nor fright the faithfull with a cursed feare,

But winne repentance vnto reformation,

And teach the christian how his crosse to beare.

Give comfort in thy cares, instruction

To saue the faithfull from the soule’s destruction.

Heale the infect of sinne with oyle of grace,

And wash the soule with true contrition’s teares,

And when confession shewes her heauy case

Deliuer fayth from all infernal feares;

That when high justice threatens sinne with death,

Mercy againe may giue repentance breath.

Yet flatter not the fowle delight of sinne,

But make it loathsome in the eye of loue,

And seeke the heart with holy cares to winne,

To work the best way for the soule’s behoue:

So teach, so liue, that both in word and deed

The world may ioy thy heauenly rules to read.