Strange contradictions me befal,
I can't believe unless I see;
Yet never can believe at all,
Till once I shut the seeing eye.

When sight of sweet experience
Can give my faith no helping hand,
The sight of sound intelligence
Will give it ample ground to stand.

I walk by faith and not by sight;
Yet knowledge does my faith resound,
Which cannot walk but in the light,
Ev'n when experience runs a-ground.

By knowledge I discern and spy
In divine light the object shown;
By faith I take and close apply
The glorious object as mine own.

My faith thus stands on divine light,
Believing what it clearly sees;
Yet faith is opposite to sight,
Trusting its ear, and not its eyes.

Faith list'ning to a sweet report,
Still comes by hearing, not by sight;
Yet is not faith of saving sort,
But when it sees in divine light.

In fears I spend my vital breath:
In doubts I waste my passing years;
Yet still the life I live is faith,
The opposite of doubts and fears.

'Tween clearing faith and clouding sense,
I walk in darkness and in light.
I'm certain oft, when in suspence,
While sure by faith, and not by sight.