But, ah! alas! th' ensuing hour

My lusts arise and swell;

They rage and reinforce their pow'r,

With new recruits from hell.

Though I resolv'd and swore, through grace,

In very solemn terms,

I never should my lusts embrace,
Nor yield unto their charms,

Yet such deceitful friends they are,
While I no danger dream,

I'm snar'd before I am aware,

And hurri'd down the stream:

Into the gulf of sin anon,

I'm plunged head and ears; Grace to my sense is wholly gone, And I am chain'd in fears:

Till straight my Lord with sweet surprise

Returns to lose my bands,

With kind compassion in his eyes,

And pardon in his hands.

Yet thus my life is nothing else

But heav'n and hell by turns;

My soul, that now in Goshen dwells,
Anon in Egypt mourns.

SECTION VI.

FAITH AND FRAMES COMPARED; OR, FAITH BUILDING UPON SENSE DISCOVERED.

FAITH has for its foundation broad

A stable rock on which I standThe truth and faithfulness of God:

All other grounds are sinking sand.

My frames and feelings ebb and flow;
And when my faith depends on them

It fleets and staggers to and fro,

And dies amidst the dying frame.

That faith is surely most unstay'd,

Its stagg'ring can't be counted strange, That builds its hope of lasting aid

On things that every moment change.

But could my faith lay all its load
On Jesus' everlasting name,

Upon the righteousness of God,

And divine truth that 's still the same;

Could I believe what God has spoke,
Rely on his unchanging love,

And cease to grasp at fleeting smoke,
No changes would my mountain move.
But when, how soon the frame 's away,
And comfortable feelings fail;

So soon my faith falls in decay,

And unbelieving doubts prevail:

This proves the charge of latent vice,
And plain my faith's defects may show;
I built the house on thawing ice,

That tumbles with the melting snow.

When divine smiles in sight appear,
And I enjoy the heav'nly gale;
When wind, and tide, and all is fair,
I dream my faith shall never fail :

My heart with false conclusions draw,
That strong my mountain shall remain,

That in my faith there is no flaw,

I'll never, never, doubt again.

I think the only rest I take,

Is God's unfading word and name;

And fancy not my faith so weak,

As e'er to trust a fading frame.

But, ah! by sudden turns I see

My lying heart's fallacious guilt, And that my faith, not firm in me, On sinking sand was partly built :

For, lo! when warming beams are gone,
And shadows fall; alas, 't is odd,

I cannot wait the rising Sun,
I cannot trust a hiding God.

So much my faith's affiance seems
Its life from fading joys to bring,
That when I lose the dying streams,
I cannot trust the living spring.

When drops of comfort, quickly dried,
And sensible enjoyments fail:

When cheering apples are denied,

Then doubts instead of faith prevail.

But why, though fruit be snatch'd from me, Should I distrust the glorious Root;

And still affront the standing Tree,

By trusting more to falling fruit?

The smallest trials may evince

My faith unfit to stand the shock,
That more depends on fleeting sense,
Than on the fix'd eternal rock.

The safest ark when floods arise,
Is stable truth that changes not:
How weak's my faith, that more relies
On feeble sense's floating boat!

For when the fleeting frame is gone,
I straight my state in question call;
I droop and sink in deeps anon,

But though I miss the pleasing gale,

And Heav'n withdraw the charming glance,

Unless JEHOVAH's oath can fail,

My faith may keep it countenance.

The frame of nature shall decay,

Time-changes break her rusty chains; Yea, heav'n and earth shall pass away; But faith's foundation firm remains.

Heav'n's promises so fix'dly stand,
Ingrav'd with an immortal pen,