Look upon my affliction and my pain, and forgive all my sins. BOTH work and strokes? both lash and labour too? What more could Edom, or proud Ashur do? Stripes after stripes; and blows succeeding blows! LORD, has thy scourge no mercy, and my woes No end? my pains no ease? no intermission? Of those that trust thee? will thy goodness please The toilsome task of thy laborious will? Was there not blood enough, when one small drop Thy losses from my sides? my blood is thin, And thy free bounty scorns such easy thrift; I am but dying dust: my day's a span; What pleasure tak'st thou in the blood of man? Spare, spare thy scourge, and be not so austere : Send fewer strokes, or lend more strength to bear. S. BERN. Hom. lxxxi. in Cant. Miserable man! who shall deliver me from the reproach of this shameful bondage! I am a miserable man, but a free man; free, because a man ; miserable, because a servant: in regard of my bondage, miserable; in regard of my will, inexcusable: for my will, that was free, beslaved itself to sin, by assenting to sin; for he that committeth sin is the servant to sin. EPIG. 4. Tax not thy GOD: thine own defaults did urge |