XXVIII. SAU L's armour. Chap. xvii.
WHEN firft my foul enlifted.
My Saviour's foes to fight;
Miftaken friends infifted
I was not arm'd aright:
So Saul advised David
He certainly would fail
Nor could his life be faved
Without a coat of mail.
2 But David, tho' he yielded To put the armor on
Soon found he could not wield it,
And venter'd forth with none.
With only fling and pebble
He fought the fight of faith;
The weapons feem'd but feeble,
Yet prov'd Goliath's death.
3 Had I by him been guided,
And quickly thrown away
The armor men provided,
I might have gain'd the day;
But arm'd as they advis'd me,
My expectations fail'd;
My enemy furpriz'd me,
And had almoft prevail'd
Furnish'd with books and notions,
And arguments and pride;
I practis'd all my motions,
And Satan's pow'r defy'd:
But fooon perceiv'd with trouble,
That these would do no good;
Iron to him is ftubble (9),
And brafs like rotten wood. 5 I triumph'd at a distance
While he was out of fight
But faint was my refiftance
When forc'd to join in fight:
He broke my fword in fhivers,"
And pierc'd my boafted fhield;
Laugh'd at my vain endeavors,
And drove me from the field.
6 Satan will not be braved
By fuch a worm as I;
Then let me learn with David,
To truft in the Moft High;
To plead the name of JESUS,
And use the fling of pray'r;
Thus arm'd, when Satan fees us
He'll tremble and defpair."
HOW David, when by fin deceiv'd,
From bad to worse went on!
For when the Holy Spirit's griev'd, Our strength and gurd are gone. 2 His eye on Bathfheba once fiz'd, With poifon fill'd his foul;
He ventur❜d on adult'ry next,
And murder crown'd the whole.
3 So from a fpark of fire at first,
That has not been defcry'd;
A dreadful flame has often burft,
And ravaged far and wide.
4 When fin deceives it hardens too,
For tho' he vainly fought
To hide his crimes from public view,
Of GOD he little thought.
5 He neither would, nor could repent,
No true compunction felt;
'Till GOD in mercy Nathan sent,
His ftubborn heart to melt.
6 The parable held forth a fact,
Defign'd his cafe to fhew;
But tho' the picture was exact,
Himfelf he did not know.
"Thou art the man," the prophet said,
That word his flumber broke;
And when he own'd his fin and pray'd,
The LORD forgiveness fpoke.
8 Let those who think they stand beware,
For David ftood before;
Nor let the fallen foul defpair,
For mercy can restore.
XXX Is this thy kindness to thy friend.
Chap. xvi. 17.
R, weak, and worthless tho' I am; I have a rich almighty friend;
JESUS, the Saviour, is his name,
He freely loves, and without end.
2 He ranfom'd me from hell with blood,
And by his pow'r my foes controll❜d;
He found me, wand'ring far from GOD,
And brought me to his chofen fold.
3 He cheers my heart, my wants fupplies,
And says that I fhall fhortly be
Enthron'd with him above the skies,
Oh! what a friend is CHRIST to me.
4 But ah! my inmoft fpirit mourns,
And well my eyes with tears may swim,
To think of my perverse returns;
I've been a faithlefs friend to him.
5 Often my gracious friend I grieve,
Neglect, diftruft, and difobey,
And often Satan's lies believe,
Sooner than all my friend can fay.
6 He bids me always freely come,
And promises whate'er I afk:
But I am ftrait'ned, cold and dumb,
And count my priviledge a task.
7 Before the world that hates his caufe, My treach'rous heart has throbb'd with
Loth to forego the world's applaufe, I hardly dare avow his name. 8 Sure were not I most vile and bafe, I could not thus my friend requite! And were not he the God of grace, He'd frown and spurn me from his fight. I KINGS,
XXXI. Afk what I shall give thee. Chap. iii. 5.
1 COME, my foul, thy fuit prepare,
JESUS loves to answer pray'r;
He himself has bid thee pray,
Therefore will not fay thee nay.
2 Thou art coming to a King (r)
Large petitions with thee bring;
For his grace and pow'r are fuch,
None can ever afk too much.
3 With my burden I begin,
LORD, remove this load of fin!
Let thy blood, for finners fpilt,
Set my
confcience free from guilt.
4 LORD! I come to thee for reft,
Take poffeffion of my breast;
There thy blood-bought right maintain,
And without a rival reign.
5 As the image in the glass
Answers the beholder's face;
Thus unto my heart appear,
Print thine own refemblance there.
While I am a pilgrim here,
Let thy love my fpirit cheer;
As my Guide, my Guard, my Friend,
Lead me to my journey's end.
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