7 I pity all that worldlings talk
Of pleasures that will quickly end;
Be this my choice, O Lord, to walk
With thee, my Guide, my Guard, my Friend.
V. LOT in Sodom. Chap. xiii. 10.
HOW hurtful was the choice of Lot,
Who took up his abode
(Because it was a fruitful fpot)
With them who fear'd not God!
2 A pris'ner he was quickly made, Bereav'd of all his ftore;
And, but for Abraham's timely aid,
He had return'd no more.
Yet ftill he feem'd refolv'd to ftay,
As if it were his rest ;
Altho' their fins from day to day
His righteous foul diftrefs'd.
4 Awhile he ftay'd with anxious mind,.
Expos'd to fcorn and ftrife:
At laft he left his all behind,
And fled to fave his life.
5 In vain his fons-in-law he warn'd,
They thought he told his dreams:
His daughters too, of them had learn'd,
And perifh'd in the flames.
6 His wife efcap'd a little way,
But dy'd for looking back': Does not her cafe to pilgrims fay, "Beware of growing flack?"
7 Yea, Lot himself could ling'ring stand, Tho' vengeance was in view;
'Twas mercy pluck'd him by the hand, Or he had perifh'd too.
8 The doom of Sodom will be ours, If to the earth we cleave;
Lord, quicken all our drowsy pow'rs,
To flee to thee and live.
VI. C. JEHOVAH-JIREH. The LORD will provide. Chap. xxii. 14.
"HE faints fhould never be difmay'd,
Nor fink in hopeless fear;
For when they leaft expect his aid,
The Saviour will appear.
2 This Abraham found, he rais'd the knife,
God faw, and faid, " Forbear;"
Yon ram fhall yield his meaner life;
Behold the victim there.
3 Once David feem'd Saul's certain prey;
But hark! the foe's at hand *;
Saul turns his arms another way,
To fave th' invaded land.
4 When Jonah funk beneath the wave,
He thought to rife no moret;
But God prepar❜d a fish to fave,
And bear him to the fhore.
5 Bleft proofs of pow'r and grace divine,
That meet us in his word!
May ev'ry deep-felt care of mine
Be trufted with the Lord.
6 Wait for his feasonable aid,
And tho' it tarry, wait:
The promife may be long delay'd,
But cannot come too late.
VII. The LORD will provide.
THO' troubles affail,
And dangers affright,
Tho' friends fhould all fail,
And foes all unite;
Yet one thing fecures us,
Whatever betide,
The fcripture affures us,
The LORD will provide.
2 The birds without barn
Or storehouse are fed,
From them let us learn
To truft for our bread:
His faints, what is fitting,
Shall ne'er be denied,
So long as 'tis written,
The LORD will provide.
3 We may, like the ships,
By tempefts be toft
On perilous deeps,
But cannot be loft:
Tho' Satan enrages
The wind and the tide,
The promise engages,
The LORD will provide.
4 His call we obey,
Like Ahra'm of old,
Not knowing our way,
But faith makes us bold;
For tho' we are strangers,
We have a good guide,
And truft in all dangers,
The LORD will provide.
To ftop up our path,
And fill us with fears,
We triumph by faith;
He cannot take from us,
Tho' oft he has try'd,
This heart-chearing promise,
The LORD will provide.
6 He tells us we're weak,
Our hope is in vain,
The good that we seek
We ne'er fhall obtain ;
But when fuch fuggeftions
Our fpirits have ply'd,
This anfwers all questions,
The LORD will provide.
7 No ftrength of our own,
Or goodness we claim ;
Yet fince we have known
The Saviour's great name,
In this our strong tower
For fafety we hide,
The LORD is our power,
The LORD will provide.
8 When life finks apace,
And death is in view,
This word of his grace
Shall comfort us thro':
No fearing or doubting
With CHRIST on our fide,
We hope to die fhouting,
The LORD will provide.
VIII. ESAU. Chap. xxv. 34. Heb. xii. 16.
POOR Efau repented too late,
That once he his birth right defpis'd,. And fold for a morfel of meat,
What could not too highly be priz'd:
How great was his anguifh when told,
The bleffing he fought to obtain
Was gone with the birth-right he fold,.
And none could recal it again !
2 He stands as a warning to all,
Where-ever the gospel fhall come;
O haften and yield to the call,
While yet for repentance there's room!
Your feafon will quickly be paft;
Then hear and obey it to-day,
Left when you feek mercy at laft,
The Saviour fhould frown you away.
3. What is it the world can propofe?
A morfel of meat at the best!
For this are you willing to lófe
A fhare in the joys of the bleft?
Its pleasures will speedily end,
Its favour and praise are but breath ;
And what can its profits befriend
Your foul in the moments of death?
4. If Jefus, for thefe, you defpife,
And fin to the Saviour prefer ;-
In vain your intreaties and cries,
When fummen'd to stand at his bar:
How will you his prefence abide ?
What anguish will torture your heart?
The faints all enthron'd by his fide,
And you be compell'd to depart.
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