BA:X'ftR:'S POEMS:. 8 1 Have i 110t call'd thee from a life of sin, · When thousands round aboat thee live therein ? Remember how I used ~hee at the first,. When in thy blood I found thee at the· worst : Who gave thee notice of thy sinful state, Wakening thy soul before ·it was too late? Who did .convince thee of the worldling's folly , And shew thee tnat it's better to be holy? · Who :saved thee from the world's deceit and lies, And wean' d thee from thy former \ranities ? Who taught thee to bewail 'thy heavy load, · And made thee long to know and love thy God r · If thou art willing that I should be thine, · · , It is because at first I call'd thee mine: · I offered Christ: I made thee to con:sent: And in the terms of grace to rest content. When thou wast ignorant, who did thee teach ; And made thee long a higher state to reach? · Who made thee l<>ve and choose the scorned way, And cleave to Christ, whatever flesh could say ? Who made thee pray? and who thy prayer heard ? And saved thee from: the·plagues thy conscience fear' d? Who made thy sinful heart long to be better? A1t thou not for all this to nie a debtor? That thou d<?st rn.iss me, ~nd rny pleased face, That thou dost mourn and groan, is from my grace. Freely I did forgive thee what was past, And all thy deadly sins behind me cast.· And yet must I be taken for thy foe, : · And all these accusations undetgo ? · After all this, canst thou my love suspect; And all my comforts peevishly reject?· E2
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=