1The hunted hart
, when she begins to tire, 2Before her vital spirits
doth expire, 3She every way doth roll her weeping eye;
4At last she finds her longed for dittany
, 5Which, having ate, if she be but alive,
6It doth her fainting spirit so revive
7That she outruns all that her life pursue;
8Though they their courage and their cries renew,
9Yet she trips on, the hounds their yelping cease,
10And she in those sweet shades doth rest in peace
. 11Thus, if at any time she be oppressed,
12In her loved dittany she findeth rest.
13Even so, a soul which is o’erwhelmed with grief,
14And in this empty orb
finds no relief, 15Though present sorrows doth her heart oppress,
16And future fears afflict her thoughts no less,
17Though her sad soul with suff’rings ’gins
to tire, 18Her fainting spirit ready to expire,
19Though she is pursued by her ghostly
foes, 20Who all her sins in their
true colors shows, 21Her soul being filled with horrid, hellish fears,
22Her heart e’en broke with sighs, her eyes with tears,
23Being quite dissolved
, even fainting
: then she goes 24To Him
who for her sake his life did lose. 25Then, O, my God, though sorrows do involve
26My sinful soul, though I to tears dissolve,
27Or though my spirit I suspire
to air, 28Yet let me trust in Thee and not despair;
29And when my sorrows and my sins do cease,
30Let me enjoy Thy everlasting peace.