Plead Thou my cause, O Lord my Advocate! Against all those with whome I haue debate; Fight against them that doe against mee fight, Take up Thy shield, and helpe mee with Thy might; Lift up Thy launce, stopp them which mee pursue, Say to my soule, I am Thy SAUIOUR true; Let shame on them which seeke my ruin light, And with confusion turne them all to flight. Let them bee like the dust before the winde, With God's feirce angell followinge them behinde; Set them in slipperie wayes, and darke withall, And let God's Angell smite them as they fall; For they have spred a nett and dig'd a pitt, Euen without cause to catch my soule in it: But in that pitt let them fall vnawares, And bee entangled in their proper snares; But thou my soule, whom God[215] thus guides from ill, Rejoyce in Him, and His saluation still; My bones shall say, Lord who is like to Thee? Who poore weake men from their strong foe dost free: False witnesses arose with oathes untrue, And chargèd mee with things I neuer knew; They to my greife did ill for good requite, And recompenc't my kindnes with dispight; Yet in their sicknes I did sackcloth weare,[216] And fast and pray with many a secret teare; I could not more for friend or brother mourne, Or if my mother to her graue were borne: But in my woe they made great mirth and glee, The very abjects mockt and mowde[217] at mee; Base flatterers and jesters came withall, [And] gnasht their teeth to show their bitter gall. How long shall this bee Lord? my soule withdraw From these men's wrongs, and from the lyon's jaw: Soe in Thy CHURCH shall I my thankes proclaime, And in our Great Assembly praise Thy name; Let not my foes trihumph[218] on mee againe, Nor with their mockinge eyes shew their disdaine; They meet and parte, but peace they doe not seeke But to supplant the peaceable and meeke; They gape and drawe their mouthes in scornefull wise, And cry, fie, fie, wee sawe it with our eyes. But Thou their deed (O Lord!) dost alsoe see; Then bee not silent soe, nor farr from mee. Awake, stand up O GOD and LORD OF MIGHT, Auenge my quarrell, judge my cause aright; To Thy DOOME rather lett mee fall or stand Then subject bee to their insultinge hand; Then they should say, soe, soe, these things goe right, We haue our will, and haue deuour'd him quite. Shame bee to them that joy in my mischance, And which to cast mee downe themselues aduance; Let them bee glad that my wellwishers bee, And blesse the Lord that hath soe blessèd mee. As for my tongue it shall sett forth Thy praise, And celebrate Thy justice all my dayes. [Footnote 215: Written with a small 'g': the Scribe varies much in this. We have given the capital uniformly in Divine names, nouns and pronouns. G.] [Footnote 216: 'Ware' written and erased. G.]