Classic Poem

1.

   Descend, O Lord,
 Into this gloomy heart of mine,
   And once afford
 A glimpse of that great light of thine!
  The sun doth never here
To shine on basest dunghills once forbear.

2.

   What though I be
 Nothing but high corruption?
   Let me have Thee,
 And at thy presence 'twill be gone.
  Darkness dare never stand
In competition, while the sun's at hand.

3.

   And though my sins
 Be an unnumber'd number, yet
   When thou begins
 To look on Christ, do then forget
  I helped to cause his grief:
If so, Lord, from it grant me some relief!

4.

   All thou demands
 Is that small piece of me, my heart;
   Lo, here it stands
 Thine wholly; I'll reserve no part;
  Let the three corners be,
(Since nought else can) fill'd with one triple Thee.

5.

   Set up a throne;
 Admit no rival of thy power;
   Be thou alone
 (I'll only fear thee) Emperour;
  And though thy limits may
Seem small, Heaven only is as large as they.

6.

   And if by chance
 The old oft-conquer'd enemy
   New stirs advance,
 Look but upon him, and he'll fly:
  The smallest check of thine
Will do't; so cannot all the power that's mine.

7.

   Thy kingdom is
 More than ten thousand worlds, each heart
   A province is;
 Keep residence in mine, 'tis part
  Of those huge realms; I'll be
Thy slave, and by this means gain liberty.

8.

   Such as all earth
 Ne'er could so much as fancy yet,
   Nor can give birth
 To thoughts enough to fathom it.
  No, no, nor can blest I,
When I enjoy it, know what I enjoy.

9.

   Then give me this
 I ask for; though I know not what,
   O Lord! it is:
 But what's of greatest price, give that;
  Or plainly bold to be
In begging—Lord, I pray thee give me Thee!