Page:Wife of Beith (12).pdf/20

 When sinners knock to let them in. He said thou wrests the scriptures wrong, The night is come thou spent the day, In whoredom thou hast lived long, And to repent thou didst delay; Still my commandments thou abus'dst, And vice committedst busily, Since now my mercy thou refus'dst, Go down to hell eternally. O Lord, my soul doth testify. That I have spent my life in vain; Ah! make a wand'ring sheep of me, And bring me to thy flock again. Think'st thou there is no count to crave, Of all these gifts in thee was planted, I gave the beauty 'bove the lave, A pregnant wit thou never wanted. Master, quoth she, it must be granted. My sins is great give me contrition: The forlorn son when he repented, Obtained his father full remission. I spared my judgments many times, And spiritual pastors did thee send; But thou renewd'st thy former crimes, Aye more and more me to offend. My Lord, quoth she I do amend, Lamentng [sic] for my former vice The poor thief at the latter end, For one word went to paradise. The thief heard never of me teaching, My heavenly precepts and my laws.