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| WHY am I loth to leave this earthly scene? | |
| Have I so found it full of pleasing charms? | |
| Some drops of joy with draughts of ill between— | |
| Some gleams of sunshine ’mid renewing storms, | |
| Is it departing pangs my soul alarms? | 5 |
| Or death’s unlovely, dreary, dark abode? | |
| For guilt, for guilt, my terrors are in arms: | |
| I tremble to approach an angry God, | |
| And justly smart beneath His sin-avenging rod. | |
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| Fain would I say, “Forgive my foul offence,” | 10 |
| Fain promise never more to disobey; | |
| But, should my Author health again dispense, | |
| Again I might desert fair virtue’s way; | |
| Again in folly’s part might go astray; | |
| Again exalt the brute and sink the man; | 15 |
| Then how should I for heavenly mercy pray | |
| Who act so counter heavenly mercy’s plan? | |
| Who sin so oft have mourn’d, yet to temptation ran? | |
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| O Thou, great Governor of all below! | |
| If I may dare a lifted eye to Thee, | 20 |
| Thy nod can make the tempest cease to blow, | |
| Or still the tumult of the raging sea: | |
| With that controlling pow’r assist ev’n me, | |
| Those headlong furious passions to confine, | |
| For all unfit I feel my pow’rs to be, | 25 |
| To rule their torrent in th’ allowed line; | |
| O, aid me with Thy help, Omnipotence Divine! | |
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