Verse 1
Witness thou righteous man,
If now redeem’d from sin,
What agony and pain
It cost to enter in?
Didst thou not knock, and call, and wait,
And long besiege the sacred gate?
Verse 2
The heavenly way to find
Didst thou not seek, and strive,
And cast thyself behind,
And rather die than live,
The fruits of sad repentance bear,
And sink at last in self-despair?
Verse 3
When thou hadst found the grace
And gift unspeakable,
All in a moment’s space
Woudst thou consent to sell?
Or didst thou toil, and suffer on
Before thou mad’st the pearl thine own?
Verse 4
When the old Adam was
With Jesus crucified,
Expiring on the cross
What frequent deaths he died,
And feign’d himself intirely slain,
Yet soon reviv’d, and fought again?
Verse 5
The flesh and Spirit’s strife
Subsisting still within,
The strugling after life,
The strength of inbred sin
How did it to the utmost prove
Thy feeble faith and childish love!
Verse 6
By endless conflicts tried
Thy patience seem’d to fail,
Thy weary steps to slide
And sin and hell prevail,
The tempter thrust at thee so sore,
So near each moment to devour.
Verse 7
Almost o’repower’d, compel’d,
Throughout the evil day,
A thousand times to yield,
And cast thy faith away,
Thy soul was ready to expire,
And scarcely sav’d as thro’ the fire.
Verse 8
Now in the wilderness,
Now in the garden pain’d,
Thy Lord’s extreme distress
How oft hast thou sustain’d?
Thy soul perspir’d his bloody sweat,
And fainted at the Saviour’s feet.
Verse 9
Didst thou at once spring up
Into a sinless saint?
Or on the mountain-top
Renew his deep complaint,
And cry in lingring misery,
Why hath my God forsaken me!
Verse 10
Down to the gates of hell
Times without number brought,
Thy spirit, as it fell,
In mercy’s arms He caught,
And after countless falls restor’d,
And show’d himself thy God and Lord.
Verse 11
Thy trials yet behind,
Only to Him are known,
And when thy soul is join’d
To saints around the throne,
Thy soul shall sink with theirs above
Lost in astonishment, and love.
Verse 12
Thy God’s mysterious grace
Thou wilt in heaven adore,
And wonder on and praise
His love’s stupendous power,
The face of thy Redeemer see,
And gaze thro’ all eternity.