Sidebilder
PDF
ePub

With the vast empires you controul,
His praise in one loud concert sing.
Youth of the strong and feeble sex,
Just rising on the stage of life;
In this divinest duty mix,
With pleasing and immortal strife.

Ye sages, in your silver hairs,
With praises totter on to death;
And let the babe of tender years,
Stammer his God with weaker breath.
At once let Nature's ample round,
To God one vast thanksgiving raise;
His glories, bursting through all bound,
Fill up immeasurable space!

The CHRISTIAN.-A POEM.

ON God alone, through Jesus, cast your care: Keep nigh to him; 'twill save you from each

snare.

Jesus is strong, and can your burdens bear;
Jesus is good, to ease you of your care.
If you are rich, this man will let you know,
That he is God, from which true riches flow:
If you are poor, this Saviour will you feed;
He once was poor-He loves his poor, indeed.
If you are sick, and would physician find ;
He knows what's good for body and for mind :
you are lame; he makes the lame to walk :
you are dumb; he makes the dumb to talk.
When friends forsake you, Can you Jesus find;
He'll be your friend, when all the world's unkind:

If

If

If you're a stranger; he will be your guide:
When you're in danger,keep him by your side.
He is the Virgin's Son, the bard foretold;
He is the man who was for silver sold ;
He is the man who suffer'd for your guilt;
And for your sins his precious blood was spilt.
Amazing love !---and did he die for you!
Sure you can trust him for his guidance too.
Lay hold on him; he is the surest rock;
He will not lose one of his tender flock.
If storms arise, be sure you keep fast hold;
He is a shelter from the heat and cold.
Before you knew him, he was then your aid:
He'll not forsake you when you Jordan wade.
When on the brink, be not afraid to go ;
He'll be your guide, and safely lead you through.
He is your strength and refuge ever nigh;
In present trouble, he will not you fly.
And should the earth remove, ye need not fear;
Rely on him-you'll find him always near.
He is your King, and greatly to be fear'd;
He is your Lord, must always be rever'd.
He is your Prophet, and will you direct :
And his atonement God will not reject.
He is the woman's seed, Jehovah said
Should bruise the serpent's head--Be not afraid.
He's God and man, by whom the world was
made;

And by him were the earth's foundations laid.
By him the sun does shine, the planets roll;
He orders all the movements of the soul.
By him the Holy Spirit's on you shed,
It's he that gives you rich and heav'nly bread.
It's he that wash'd you; he that purifies;

Besides, there is no other sacrifice.

It's he, the Lord made mention of his name,
And did a Saviour from the womb proclaim.
A cov'nant to the people he was giv'n;

He is the Lord, that did come down from heav'n.
Hearken to him, if righteousness you choose;
There's none that loves him, he will e'er refuse.
And sing, O barren, you that did not bear,
And cry aloud your Saviour will you hear.
Your Maker and your Husband is the same;
The Lord of Hosts, and Jesus is his name,

Sing, joyful sing, and let your trumpet blow, You that are ransom'd from the grave below. Teil all around you, that you're come, for joy; And bid them, press them, that they to him fly. Choose the good part-like Mary be you fed→ And, from his words, draw rich and heav'nly bread.

Shall threescore years & ten of grief and pain, Make you to murmur, and always complain? Be it not so, if hopes are grounded well, That you with Jesus in the heav'ns shall dwell. The road was crooked; you will sing with joy ; Had you gone straighter, you had passed by. All troubles, aches and pains will then be o'er And enemies will you pursue no more.

Glorious your robes, how fine you'll then appear!

And, Jesus by you, you'll have nought to fear. Jesus will feed you with his richest food; You'll then enjoy your God, and only good. No heart of man such pleasure can conceive; For only Jesus can such pleasure give. Pleasures, like rivers, will your souls o'erflow,

And none but the redeem'd such pleasures

know.

You'll have a city then, not made with hands..
The throne of God within this city stands.
Sorrow and weariness you'll know no more;
And wickedness can never reach this shore.
You'll then regale your souls with heav'nly
show'rs;

You then will walk in sweet and shady bow'rs;
The richest roses will your eye behold,
And finest palaces, o'erlaid with gold.
The richest king would envy your estate!
For Solomon himself was not so great.

While you're in life, if God should from you
fly,"

Pursue him-follow him-and to him cryYou'll find him near. 'Twas you that went

away,

'Twas you that would not with your Jesus stay.
This is a fault-pray do not make excuse-
His smiles again (you see) he'll not refuse.
But should he visit you with stripes--don't fear-
Tis for your good; therefore with patience bear.
I know the task is hard but when 'tis o'er,
You'll say, you're better than you were before.
Temptations come--They will--but yet, be sure
You
pray for strength; you'll find yourself se

[ocr errors][merged small]

For in your strength alone, should you but go,
The enemy may give a fatal blow:

A strong man arm'd he keeps his palace clear;
A stronger comes, he makes this strong to fear.
It's satan does the soul of man possess:
But Jesus, stronger, does the man redress.

To follow Jesus, let it be your care:
By reading, meditating, and by pray'r :-
Observe his words; true wisdom there you'll
find;

The only wisdom which exalts the mind.
Believe his promises; and then you'll know,
What riches your blest Jesus can bestow.
He does not speak at random, then relent;
He cannot love you, and again repent.
He is not man, that he should tell a lie;
Or son of man, to pass his promise by.
Before you knew him, then you went astray;
He found you wand'ring quite another way.
And when you seek him, with a heart sincere,
Soon will you find a faithful Saviour near.

If three-score years and ten's the life of man, There's many changes, yet but short the span. You're rich, then poor; you're well, then sick you lie;

The world no comfort can afford-you cry.
In time, perhaps, you're rais'd again to health;
And then, perhaps, you're rais'd again to wealth;
These, sure, are blessings, if but rightly us'd;
But as great curses, if they be abus'd.

But if you know but Jesus; then you'll say,
Take all the world, rather than him away.
A moment's thought that Jesus was unkind,
No other want so much could pierce your mind.
If you had Jesus, and the world was mine;
You would not envy me, nor yet repine :
For what's the world, compar'd with what
have?

you

You would be happy-I, a sordid slave.
For though true joys on earth can not be found,

« ForrigeFortsett »