The Spirit a Comforter

LOrd we thy People here on Earth
Do meet with great sorrow;
Tho' each Soul knows what now he hath,
Yet knows not what to morrow

May him befall; Afflictions are
Oft great, and may encrease;
Both from without and from within
We meet with little peace.

A Comforter, O Lord, we want,
O send us one we pray
For to sustain each drooping Saint!
O send him strait away!

Thou told'st us, Lord, thou wouldst send one
To live with us for ever,
And thou didst, Lord, ascend thy Throne
His presence to procure.

The Holy Ghost, O it is he!
Our comfort in him lyes!
There's none else, none can have we
Besides to cease our cryes.

We know, O Lord, he able is
To speak unto our heart;
For troubles he, whate're they be,
Can joy to us impart:

And willing he is always too
His helping-hand to lend;
He loves us dear, and will appear,
We han't a sweeter Friend.

The Second Part.

Thy Spirit, Lord, is in thy stead
Sweet comfort to afford,
And of him we do stand in need
I 'th' absence of our Lord.

He visits us, and oft does grieve
To see our Souls so sad,
And in our troubles doth relieve
Us, though our case be bad.

He searches and does try our hearts
To find our sorrows out,
And strives all causes to remove,
And so joy work about.

According as he finds our state,
So unto us doth speak;
He does reprove as he sees cause,
Which makes our hearts to ake;

But presently he smiles again
When we do see our sin,
And puts a period to our pain,
And brings much comfort in.

O he is God, and can't mistake
The state of any one,
And never will our Souls forsake,
Nor leave us all alone;

But if he doth withdraw at all,
It is our Souls to try;
Where e're we be when we do call,
Ah, he is always nigh!

The Third Part.

If thy Spirit, Lord, doth speak peace,
We peace besure have;
He can make all our sorrows cease,
And in all troubles save.

All Comforters besides him be
Unable to relieve,
Instead of comfort Job did see
They did of joy bereave.

The best of them we have below
Can speak but to the Ear,
But, Lord, thy Spirit we all know
Can make our hearts to hear.

O then let us not grieve him, Lord,
He is our blessed Fsiend;
If he to us don't help afford,
Our Souls will die i'th' end;

But if we are truly sincere,
He will us never leave,
But in our straits he will appear,
And to us close will cleave.

O then let us break forth and sing,
We shall have peace at home;
Our sighs shall go, for we do know
The Comforter is come.