Henry Charles Beeching, ed. (1859–1919). Lyra Sacra: A Book of Religious Verse. 1903.
|
GOOD 1 and Great God! can I not think of Thee | |
But it must straight my melancholy be? | |
Is it interpreted in me disease, | |
That laden with my sins I seek for ease? | |
O, be Thou witness, that the reins dost know | 5 |
And hearts of all, if I be sad for show; | |
And judge me after if I dare pretend | |
To aught but grace, or aim at other end. | |
As Thou art all, so be Thou all to me, | |
First, midst, and last, converted one and three, | 10 |
My faith, my hope, my love; and in this state | |
My judge, my witness, and my advocate. | |
Where have I been this while exiled from Thee? | |
And whither rapt, now Thou but stoop’st to me? | |
Dwell, dwell here still; O, being everywhere | 15 |
How can I doubt to find Thee ever here? | |
I know my state, both full of shame and scorn, | |
Conceived in sin, and unto labour born; | |
Standing with fear, and must with horror fall, | |
And destined unto judgment after all. | 20 |
I feel my griefs too, and there scarce is ground | |
Upon my flesh to inflict another wound. | |
Yet dare I not complain or wish for death | |
With holy Paul, lest it be thought the breath | |
Of discontent: or that these prayers be | 25 |
For weariness of life, not love of Thee. | |