1 Now I'm convinc'd the Lord is kind
To Men of Heart sincere;
Yet once my foolish Thoughts repin'd,
And border'd on Despair.

2 I griev'd to see the Wicked thrive,
And spoke with angry Greath,
"How pleasant and profane they live!
"How peaceful is their Death!

3 "With well-fed Flesh and haughty Eyes,
"They lay their Fears to sleep;
"Against the Heav'ns their Slanders rise,
"While Saints in Silence weep.

4 "In vain I lift my Hands to pray,
"And cleanse my Heart in vain,
"For I am chasten'd all the Day,
"The Night renews my Pain."

5 Yet while my Tongue indulg'd Complaints,
I felt my Heart reprove;
"Sure I shall thus offend thy Saints,
And grieve the Men I Love."

6 But still I found my Doubts too hard,
The Conflict too severe,
Till I retir'd to search thy Word,
And learn thy Secrets there.

7 There, as in some prophetic Glass,
I saw the Sinner's Feet
High mounted on a slipp'ry Place,
Beside a fi'ry Pit.

8 I heard the Wretch profanely boast,
'Till at thy Frown he fell;
His Honours in a Dream were lost,
And he awakes in Hell.

9 Lord, what an envious Fool I was!
How like a thoughtless Beast!
Thus to suspect thy promis'd Grace,
And think the Wicked blest.

10 Yet I was kept from full Despair,
Upheld by Pow'r unknown;
That blessed Hand that broke the Snare
Shall guide me to thy Throne.