Classic Poem

Song I

1

This World's Wilderness.
To God's afflicted Saints:
A place of Dangers, Fears, and Foes;
A place of Woes and Wants.
This Life's a very Death,
At least a dying life:
For this is Death in Life, to find
Sin in our Hearts so rife.

2

That we not only are
Encompassed with Foes:
But have a treacherous Part within
That doth with Satan close.
That's ready to seduce
And lead us into Evil,
And on sudden to betray
Our souls unto the Devil.

3

We pestered are with Sin,
So long as here we live,
Which makes us cry, From this vile death
Who will deliverance give.
Bodies of Sin and Death,
We carry to and fro,
And carry must unto our grief,
Whil'st we are here below.

4

We find a Law of sin,
Within our Members dwelling,
Which is against God's holy law.
(Chose by our mind) rebelling.
So that we cannot do
The good things that we would,
And oftentimes we do those things
Which leave undone we should.

5

For though we mourn for sin
And watch, and strive and fight,
Yet is our weakness often foil'd,
By Satan's subtile sleight.
This is a heaviness,
A Death unto the Saints,
Whereof the best while here on Earth,
Make sorrowful complaints.

6

Oh what a glorious thing,
In all true Christians eyes
Would full deliverance be from sin,
They would this freedom prize
More then the richest mines
Or most resplendent Gems,
They would prefer it far before,
Scepters and Diadems

7

It would be richer Gains
Then Honour, pleasure, Wealth;
It would be sweeter to their Souls,
Then Libertie or Health.
Yea Temp'ral life it self,
Might not herewith compare,
Which is more worth then all things else
Which most esteemed are.

8

Who would not then be willing,
When Christ him calleth hence,
To lay aside this sinful Flesh,
Cause of so much offence?
What Saint that hateth sin,
Can love his life so well
As for the sake thereof to chuse
In sinful Flesh to dwell?