5 If afk'd, what of Jefus I think?
Tho' ftill my best thoughts are but poor,
I say, he's my meat and my drink,
My life, and my ftrength, and my store;
My Shepherd, my Husband, my Friend,
My Saviour from fin and from thrall;
My hope from beginning to end,
My portion, my Lord, and my All.
XC. The Foolish Virgins. Chap. xxv.
WHEN, defcending from the fky,
The Bridegroom'fhall appear,
And the folemn midnight cry
Shall call profeffors near,
How the found our hearts will damp!
How will thame o'erfpread each face!
If we only have a lamp,
Without the oil of grace.
2 Foolish virgins then will wake,
And feek for a fupply;
But in vain the pains they take
To borrow or to buy:
Then with thofe they now defpife,
Earneftly they'll with to fhare;
But the best among the wife
Will have no oil to fpare.
3 Wife are they, and truly bleft,.
Who then shall ready be !
But defpair will seize the reft,
And dreadful mifery:
Once they'll cry, we fcorn to doubt,
Tho' in lies our trust we put ;
Now our lamp of hope is out,
The door of mercy fhut.
Book III. Hyma 72.
4 If they then prefuine to plead,
"Lord, open to us now;
We on earth have heard and pray'd,
And with thy faints did bow:"
He will answer from his throne,
"Tho' you with my people mix'd,
Yet to me you ne'er were known;
Depart, your doom is fix'd."
50 that none who worship here
May hear that word, Depart
Lord, imprefs a godly fear
On each profeffor's heart:
Help us, Lord, to fearch the camp,
Let us not ourselves beguile;
Trufting to a dying lamp,
Without a stock of oil.
XCI. Peter finning and repenting.
Chap. xxvi. 73.
WHEN Peter boafted, foon he fell,
Yet was by grace restor❜d;
His cafe fhould be regarded well
By all who fear the Lord.
2 A voice it has, and helping hand, -
Backfliders to recall;
And cautions thofe who think they ftand, Left fuddenly they fall.
3 He faid, "Whatever others do,
With Jefus I'll abide ;"
Yet foon amidst a murd'rous crew
His fuff'ring Lord deny'd.
4 He who had been fo bold before,
Now trembled like a leaf;
Not only ly'd, but curs'd and fwore,
To gain the more belief.
5 While he blafphem'd, he heard the cock,
And Jefus look'd in love;
At once, as if by lightning ftruck,
His tongue forbore to move.
6 Deliver'd thus from Satan's fnare,
He starts, as from a fleep;
His Saviour's look he could not bear,
But hafted forth to weep.
7 But fure the faithful cock had crow'd
A hundred times in vain,
Had not the Lord that look beftow'd,
The meaning to explain.
8 As I, like Peter, vows have made,
Yet acted Peter's part;
So confcience, like the cock, upbraids
My base, ungrateful heart.
Lord Jefus, hear a finner's cry,
My broken peace renew;
And grant one pitying look, that I
May weep with Peter too.
XCII. The legion difpoffeffed. Chap. v. 18. 19.
Egion was my name by nature,
Satan rag'd within my breaft;
Never mifery was greater, Never finner more poffess'd: Mifchievous, to all around me, To myself the greatest foe; Thus I was, when Jefus found me, Fill'd with madness, fin, and woe. 2 Yet in this forlorn condition, When he came to fet me free, 1 reply'd to my Physician, "What have to I do with thee?"
But he would not be prevented,
Refcu'd me against my will;
Had he ftaid till I confented,
I had been a captive Itill.
3." Satan, tho' thou fain wouldst have it,
Know, this foul is none of thine;
I have fhed my blood to fave it,
Now I challenge it for mine *:
Tho' it long has thee refembled,
Henceforth it fhall me obey "
Thus he spoke, while Satan trembled,
Gnath'd his teeth, and fled away.
4 Thus my frantic foul he healed,
Bid my fins and forrows ceafe;
"Take, faid he, my pardon fealed,
I have fav'd thee, go in peace :"
Rather take me, Lord, to heaven,
Now thy love and grace I know;
Since thou haft my fins forgiven,
Why should I remain below!
"Love, he faid, will fweeten labours,
Thou haft fomething yet to do;
Go and tell your friends and neighbours
What my love has done for you :
Live to manifeft my glory,
Wait for heav'n a little ípace;
Sinners when they hear thy ftory,
Will repent and feek my tace."
XCIII The Ruler's Daughter raifed.
Chap. v. 39-42.
Ould the creatures help or eafe us,
Seldom thould we think of pray'r
Few, it any, come to Jefus,
Till reduc'd to felf-delpair:
Long we either flight or doubt him,
But when all the means we try
Prove we cannot do without him,
Then at last to him we cry.
2 Thus the ruler when his daughter
Suffer'd much, tho' Chrift was nigh,
Still deferr'd it, till he thought her
At the very point to die :
Tho' he mourn'd for her condition,
He did not intreat the Lord,
Till he found that no phyfician
But himself could help afford.
3 Jefus did not once upbraid him,
That he had no fooner come;
But a gracious anfwer made him,
And went ftraitway with him home:
Yet his faith was put to trial
When his fervants came, and faid,
"Tho' he gave thee no denial,
'Tis too late, the child is dead.”
4 Jefus, to prevent his grieving,
Kindly fpoke and eas'd his pain;
"Be not fearful, but believing,
Thou fhalt fee her live again :"
When he found the people weeping,
"Ceafe, he faid, no longer mourn;
For the is not dead, but fleeping,"
Then they laughed him to fcorn.
50 thou meek and lowly Saviour,
How determin'd is thy love!
Not this rude unkind behaviour,
Could thy gracious purpose move:
Soon as he the room had enter'd,
Spoke, and took her by the hand;
Death at once his prey furrender'd,
And the liv'd at his command.
|