E’er since that from above,
The witness of Thy love,
Thy Spirit came, and doth abide
With us, dispelling fear
And falsehood, that we here
May fight and conquer on Thy side.
Give strength whene'er our strength must fail,
Give strength the flesh to curb,
Give strength when craft and sin prevail
To weaken and disturb.
The world doth lay her snares
To catch us unawares :
Give strength to sweep them all away;
So in our utmost need,
And when death comes indeed,
Thy strength shall be our perfect stay.
What a blessed change I find,
Since I entertained this guest;
Now, methinks, another mind
Moves and rules within
my
breast;
Surely I am not the same
That I was before He came ;
But I then was much to blame.
All the ways of righteousnesse,
I did think were full of trouble ;
I complained of tediousnesse,
And each duty seemed double ;
While I served them but from feare,
Every minute did appeare
Longer far than a whole yeare.
But the case is altered now,
He no sooner turns His eye,
But I quickly bend and bow,
Ready at His feet to lie:
Love hath taught me to obey
All His precepts, and to say,
Not “to-morrow,” but “to-day."
WHILE o'er life's wide darkling plain,
Unheeding as we roam,
Through many a path of joy and pain,
God leads his children home.
And though sometimes in prospect view'd
The winding way seems dark and rude; Ah! who the backward scene hath scanned,
But bless'd his Father's guiding hand.
I ASK'D the Lord that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace;
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek more earnestly His face.
'Twas He who taught me thus to pray ;
And He, I trust, has answer'd prayer;
But it has been in such a way,
As almost drove me to despair.
I hop'd, that, in some favour'd hour,
At once He'd answer my request;
And, by His love's constraining power,
Subdue my sins, and give me rest:
Instead of this, He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry powers of hell
Assault
my
soul in every part: Yea, more, with his own hand He seem'd Intent to aggravate my woe; Cross'd all the fair designs I schem'd, Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.
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