Self-Examination

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What strange perplexities arise

Author: Samuel Davies
Published in 56 hymnals

Representative Text

1 What strange perplexities arise,
What anxious fears and jealousies!
What crowds in doubtful light appear,
How few, alas, approved and clear!

2 And what am I?--my soul, awake,
And an impartial survey take.
Does no dark sign, no ground of fear,
In practice or in heart appear?

3 What image does my spirit bear?
Is Jesus formed and living there?
Ah, do His lineaments divine
In thought, and word, and action shine?

4 Searcher of hearts, O search me still;
The secrets of my soul reveal;
My fears remove; let me appear
To God and my own conscience clear!

Source: Church Book: for the use of Evangelical Lutheran congregations #469

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Author: Samuel Davies

Davies, Samuel., M.A., born near Summit Ridge, Newcastle, Delaware, America, Nov. 3, 1723, and educated under the Rev. Samuel Blair, of Chester County, Pennsylvania, through the pecuniary assistance of the Rev. William Robinson, a Presbyterian Minister of New Brunswick. In 1745 he was licensed by the Presbytery of Newcastle as a probationer for the ministry, and undertook duty in Virginia, in 1747. After visiting England in 1753, on behalf of the New Jersey College, and having received the degree of M.A., he was appointed President of New Jersey Presbyterian College, Princeton, in succession to Jonathan Edwards. He died Feb. 4, 1761, at the early age of 37. His manuscripts were entrusted to Dr. T. Gibbons, who published therefrom 5 volumes… Go to person page >

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