Stanzas - On The Same Occasion.

Why am I loth to leave this earthly scene?             How I so found it full of pleasing charms?         Some drops of joy with draughts of ill between:             Some gleams of sunshine 'mid renewing storms:         Is it departing pangs my soul alarms?             Or Death's unlovely, dreary, dark abode?         For guilt, for guilt, my terrors are in arms;             I tremble to approach an angry God,         And justly smart beneath his sin-avenging rod.         Fain would I say, "Forgive my foul offence!"             Fain promise never more to disobey;         But, should my Author health again dispense,             Again I might desert fair virtue's way:         Again in folly's path might go astray;             Again exalt the brute and sink the man;         Then how should I for heavenly mercy pray,             Who act so counter heavenly mercy's plan?         Who sin so oft have mourn'd, yet to temptation ran?         O Thou, great Governor of all below!             If I may dare a lifted eye to Thee,         Thy nod can make the tempest cease to blow,             Or still the tumult of the raging sea:         With that controlling pow'r assist ev'n me             Those headlong furious passions to confine;         For all unfit I feel my pow'rs to be,             To rule their torrent in th' allowed line;         O, aid me with Thy help, Omnipotence Divine!