Classic Poem

hope.

A Christians life's a life of hope
My soull without this could not cope
with any single foe
But they would quikly win the day
And sweep my comforts, clean away
filling my soull with woe

What have I else, to live upon
In my defer'd salvation
but futerietys
Hope saith, tis but a litle while
Er'e I shall all enemies foyle
and gain the happy prize

When I fear, the length of my race
Hope, spurs me on, to run apace
that it may sooner end
Hope saith, it is the surest way
To hasten my desired day
when I shall hence ascend

When I through fear, & sloth sit down
Hope then takes up the glor'ous crown
and holds it to my veiw
That I may up, again, and climb
To win the hill, beyound times line
thus hope, doth strength renew

When god dos frown, and I do tire
Because I cant, have my desire
nor come to have my fill
Tis but a litle while, and then
(saith hope) thou shalt be filled when
thou getst, to Zion hill

Hope in the soull, doth put new life
When grace, and sin, ar att a strife
and sin, doth seem to strong
Hope, will not let us drouping lye
But prompts us on, with victory
we shall have, ere't be long

Hope in the sadest stat of all
Doth keep the soull, it cannot fall
into finall despair
Hope in the worst extremity
Doth fecth down cordi'als, from on high
to free the soull from care

If hope, did not beyound time look
Wee never were able to brook
the bitternese we meet
But hope is to the soull, a wing
To mount it to an higher spring
where stremes, be pure, & sweet

Hope makes us run unto the goal
And is an anchor, of the soull
entring within the vaill
Tis fastned on a rock, soe strong
wee cannot come to suffer wrong
whilst on this sea we sayl

If in this life, only we had
Hope, our condition were so bad
as none might with us vie
By faith, and hope we come to stand
Till entred in the holy land
then they, from us, shall fly

We need them not, but in our race
To fruition, they both give place
When they to this hath led
They will then to us, bid far well
Leaving us ever, for to dwell
att the sweet fountain head