 | A Collection of Poems on Various Subjects |  |
346
A Thought of Death.
When I with Pain and Sickness strive,
And turning This and That Way lie;
Convinc'd, I cannot long survive,
Yet, not prepar'd, afraid to die;
And turning This and That Way lie;
Convinc'd, I cannot long survive,
Yet, not prepar'd, afraid to die;
Can I the King of Terrors face,
When he approaches near my Bed,
With threatning Looks, and awful Pace?
Oh! how his Presence shall I dread!
When he approaches near my Bed,
With threatning Looks, and awful Pace?
Oh! how his Presence shall I dread!
While on my Judge I forward look,
And back on bold repeated Sin;
My shuddring Soul, with Horror struck,
Will agonizing thus begin.
And back on bold repeated Sin;
My shuddring Soul, with Horror struck,
Will agonizing thus begin.
347
To the cold Grave when I commit
This ruin'd Frame of Lifeless Clay,
These dark Terrestrial Regions quit,
And wing my Flight in unknown Way,
This ruin'd Frame of Lifeless Clay,
These dark Terrestrial Regions quit,
And wing my Flight in unknown Way,
Opprest with Guilt of Crimson Dye,
Can I th' Almighty's Sight endure;
To whose All-searching, Glorious Eye,
The brightest Angels scarce are pure?
Can I th' Almighty's Sight endure;
To whose All-searching, Glorious Eye,
The brightest Angels scarce are pure?
At His Impartial Judgment-Seat,
In what Confusion shall I stand?
Can I by Fraud his Pow'r defeat,
Or wrest his Vengeance from his Hand?
In what Confusion shall I stand?
Can I by Fraud his Pow'r defeat,
Or wrest his Vengeance from his Hand?
Frown'd from his Throne, and doom'd to dwell
In Endless Torment and Despair;
What Heart can think, or Tongue can tell
The Stings and Anguish I shall bear?
In Endless Torment and Despair;
What Heart can think, or Tongue can tell
The Stings and Anguish I shall bear?
348
Can I my dreadful Doom reclaim,
Or Heav'n's Almighty Wrath defy,
When pierc'd with Cold, or scorcht with Flame,
I ever Live and ever Dye?
Or Heav'n's Almighty Wrath defy,
When pierc'd with Cold, or scorcht with Flame,
I ever Live and ever Dye?
Can I the fierce Remorse asswage,
And Self-avenging Terrors bear,
When Conscience, with Immortal Rage,
Shall my distracted Bosom tear?
And Self-avenging Terrors bear,
When Conscience, with Immortal Rage,
Shall my distracted Bosom tear?
These Penal Sufferings to prevent,
And gain the Blissful Seats of Day,
Let me, with Ashes spread, repent;
Nor more the Laws of Sin obey.
And gain the Blissful Seats of Day,
Let me, with Ashes spread, repent;
Nor more the Laws of Sin obey.
Why should I hardy forward go
In Ways, that Dying I shall blame?
Why still repeat the Deeds, I know,
I must review with Grief and Shame?
In Ways, that Dying I shall blame?
Why still repeat the Deeds, I know,
I must review with Grief and Shame?
| A Collection of Poems on Various Subjects | |