Classic Poem

Some few perticular mercy (amongst many) taken notice of throug the whole course of life.

How sweet it is, to meditate
upon thy love, and grace
And quietly to ruminate
whilst we, thy works do trace

Now from the cradle, I'le begin
then I was nurst by thee
From all my friends, thou dist me bring
and hadst a care of me.

Betimes, thou maydest me to find
and see, earths emptynese
Yet thou didst shew, thy self most kinnd
unto the fatherlese

Before I was twelve yeers of age
thy sweetnese, I did tast
But thorow sin, and Satens rage
I let time run to wast

Somtimes on duty, I would set
then throw it by again
yet still, thou wouldst not me forget
but laidst a cecreet traine

To fecth again my wandring soull
back to thy blessed self
Though many times, my hart was stole
by earths vain, foolish pelf

Thou notwithstanding leavst me not
But didst my soull persue
Till my hart, thou hadst fully got
thou wouldst not bid adeiw

With many triels, I did meet
thou drewest me therby
Making me tramble, under feet
the world, as vanity

Thus I went on, not questioning
once thine eternall love
Thinking I should, to heaven spring
when hence, I should remove

But quikly, I met with a storm
which lasted many a yeer
Fearing, I was not yet new born
seeing no fruit, appear

The want of grace, was in my eye
the thing I only pris'd
As that I thought would qualifie
me, for to come to Christ

Could I but get inherant grace
I thought it no hard thing
For to beleive, & then apace
comfort to me, would spring

Whilst thus, in duty, I went on
and could no comfort get
I saw that I was in the wrong
and did encrease the dept

But herein, did the tender love
of god to me apear
In that he would not let me move
away from him by fear

But out of self, he threw, me more
and more, still ev'ry day
Untill he brought me, to Christs store
where my hope, and strength lay

Thou maidst me, give my self to thee
by a firm covenant
Taking thee, for my god to bee
and guide unto the end

I gave my self to thee, by vow
and resignation
And am my own, noe longer now
but thine, and thine alone

My soull by cecreet hope thou didst
cary on day, by day
Yet from me still, thy face thou hidst
darknese, was in my way

The most thou gavest in to me
was strong enlarg'd desire
That I might be, made more like thee
and might in grace, get high'r

Somtimes my hart, was brok, and bent
and on thee, fully sett
T'was sweet to give my soull full vent
(what though the seedtime's wet)

Somtimes thou shinest on my grace
then hope, I did conceive
And then again, thou hidst thy face
as though thou wouldst me leave

Of late, thou hast made me to see
that it is not in vain
With constancy, to wait on thee
it shall prove ceirtain gain

Somtimes thou dost, sweetly reveill
thy self, to be my god
And to my soull, dost fully seall
That none, shall break the knot

My god then take thou all the praise
for it belongs to thee
I could to thee, make no esays
untill though drewest mee

Ther is no reason, but free grace
that I should mercy find
And be rul'ed, out from the race
of sinfull, lost mankinnd

Oh cary on, thy blessed work
in me, with hast. & speed
Let noe cecreet sin, in me lurk
Doe thou it clean outweed

Make me apace, to grow in grace
because thy love is free
Oh let me quikly see thy face
and have my fill of thee

And whilst I live do thou make use
of me, to glorifie
Thy name, & let me not abuse
thy grace, to levity