| |
| WHO 1 would have thought there could have bin | |
| Such joy in tears wept for our sin? | |
| Mine eyes have seen, my heart hath proved, | |
| The most and best of earthly joys, | |
| The sweets of love and being loved, | 5 |
| Masks, feasts, and playes, and such like toyes; | |
| Yet this one tear which now doth fall | |
| In true delight exceeds them all. | |
| |
| Indeed, mine eyes at first let in | |
| Those guests that did these woes begin; | 10 |
| Therefore mine eyes in tears and grief | |
| Are justly drown’d: but that those tears | |
| Should comfort bring, is past belief,— | |
| Oh God, in this thy grace appears; | |
| Thou that mak’st light from darkness spring, | 15 |
| Mak’st joyes to weep, and sorrowes sing. | |
| |
| Oh where am I? what may I think? | |
| Help, help! alass, my heart doth sink: | |
| Thus lost in seas of wo, | |
| Thus laden with my sin, | 20 |
| Waves of despair dash in, | |
| And threat my overthrow. | |
| What heart opprest with such a weight | |
| Can chuse but break, and perish streight? | |
| |
| Yet as at sea in storms men choose | 25 |
| The ship to save, their goods to loose: | |
| So in this fearful storm, | |
| This danger to prevent, | |
| Before all hope be spent, | |
| I’le choose the lesser harm; | 30 |
| My tears to seas I will convert, | |
| And drown my eyes, to save my heart. | |
| |
| Oh God, my God! what shall I give | |
| To thee in thanks? I am and live | |
| In thee, and thou didst safe preserve | 35 |
| My health, my fame, my goods, my rent; | |
| Thou makest me eat while others sterve, | |
| And sing while others do lament. | |
| Such unto me thy blessings are, | |
| As if I were thy only care. | 40 |
| |
| But, oh my God! thou art more kind, | |
| When I look inward on my mind: | |
| Thou fillest my heart with humble joy, | |
| With patience, meekness, fervent love | |
| (Which doth all other loves destroy), | 45 |
| With faith (which nothing can remove), | |
| And hope assured of heaven’s bliss;— | |
| This is my state,—thy grace is this. | |
