| |
| IN the hour of my distress, | |
| When temptations me oppress, | |
| And when I my sins confess, | |
| Sweet Spirit, comfort me! | |
| |
| When I lie within my bed, | 5 |
| Sick at heart, and sick in head, | |
| And with doubts discomforted, | |
| Sweet Spirit, comfort me! | |
| |
| When the house doth sigh and weep, | |
| And the world is drowned in sleep, | 10 |
| Yet mine eyes the watch do keep, | |
| Sweet Spirit, comfort me! | |
| |
| When the artless doctor sees | |
| No one hope but of his fees, | |
| And his skill runs on the lees, | 15 |
| Sweet Spirit, comfort me! | |
| |
| When his potion and his pill | |
| Has or none or little skill, | |
| Meet for nothing but to kill,— | |
| Sweet Spirit, comfort me! | 20 |
| |
| When the passing-bell doth toll, | |
| And the Furies, in a shoal, | |
| Come to fright a parting soul, | |
| Sweet Spirit, comfort me! | |
| |
| When the tapers now burn blue, | 25 |
| And the comforters are few, | |
| And that number more than true, | |
| Sweet Spirit, comfort me! | |
| |
| When the priest his last hath prayed, | |
| And I nod to what is said | 30 |
| ’Cause my speech is now decayed, | |
| Sweet Spirit, comfort me! | |
| |
| When, God knows, I ’m tost about | |
| Either with despair or doubt, | |
| Yet before the glass be out, | 35 |
| Sweet Spirit, comfort me! | |
| |
| When the tempter me pursu’th | |
| With the sins of all my youth, | |
| And half damns me with untruth, | |
| Sweet Spirit, comfort me! | 40 |
| |
| When the flames and hellish cries | |
| Fright mine ears, and fright mine eyes, | |
| And all terrors me surprise, | |
| Sweet Spirit, comfort me! | |
| |
| When the judgment is revealed, | 45 |
| And that opened which was sealed,— | |
| When to thee I have appealed, | |
| Sweet Spirit, comfort me! | |
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