For Good Men
A good man want? will God so much deny
His lawes, his witnesses, his ministrie?
Which onely for examples he maintaines
Against th'vnlearnd, to proue, he is, and raignes:
And all things gouerns iustly: nor neglects
Things humane, but at euery part protects
A good man so, that if he liues or dies,
All things sort well with him? If he denies
A plenteous life to me, and sees it fit
I should liue poorely; What, alas, is it?
But that (refusing to endanger me
In the forlorne hope of men rich and hie,)
Like a most carefull Captaine, he doth sound
Retraite to me; makes me come backe, giue ground
To any, that hath least delight to be
A scuffler in mans warre for vanitie?
And I obey, I follow, and I praise
My good Commander. All the cloudie daies
Of my darke life, my enuied Muse shall sing
His secret loue to goodnesse: I will bring
Glad tidings to the obscure few he keepes:
Tell his high deeds, his wonders, which the deepes,
Of pouertie, and humblesse, most expresse,
And weepe out (for kinde ioy) his holinesse.
His lawes, his witnesses, his ministrie?
Which onely for examples he maintaines
Against th'vnlearnd, to proue, he is, and raignes:
And all things gouerns iustly: nor neglects
Things humane, but at euery part protects
A good man so, that if he liues or dies,
All things sort well with him? If he denies
A plenteous life to me, and sees it fit
I should liue poorely; What, alas, is it?
But that (refusing to endanger me
In the forlorne hope of men rich and hie,)
Like a most carefull Captaine, he doth sound
Retraite to me; makes me come backe, giue ground
To any, that hath least delight to be
A scuffler in mans warre for vanitie?
And I obey, I follow, and I praise
My good Commander. All the cloudie daies
Of my darke life, my enuied Muse shall sing
His secret loue to goodnesse: I will bring
Glad tidings to the obscure few he keepes:
Tell his high deeds, his wonders, which the deepes,
Of pouertie, and humblesse, most expresse,
And weepe out (for kinde ioy) his holinesse.
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