And if thou make thy temple shine, XVIII. LOVEST THOU ME? John, xxi. 16. HARK, my soul! it is the Lord; 'Tis thy Saviour, hear his word; Jesus speaks, and speaks to thee, 66 Say, poor sinner, lovest thou me? "I deliver'd thee when bound, And when bleeding, heal'd thy wound; "Can a woman's tender care Cease towards the child she bare? Yet will I remember thee. "Mine is an unchanging love, XIX. CONTENTMENT. Phil. iv. 11. FIERCE passions discompose the mind, In vain by reason and by rule We try to bend the will; For none but in the Saviour's school Can learn the heavenly skill. Since at his feet my soul has sate, "Art thou a sinner, soul?" he said, "If thou of murmuring wouldst be cured, Compare thy griefs with mine; Think what my love for thee endured, And thou wilt not repine. ""Tis I appoint thy daily lot, And I do all things well; Thou soon shalt leave this wretched spot, And rise with me to dwell. "In life my grace shall strength supply, Proportion'd to thy day; At death thou still shalt find me nigh, Thus I, who once my wretched days Taught in my Saviour's school of grace, XX. OLD TESTAMENT GOSPEL. Heb, iv. 2. ISRAEL in ancient days Not only had a view But learn'd the Gospel too; The types and figures were a glass, The paschal sacrifice And blood-besprinkled door, Seen with enlighten'd eyes, And once applied with power, Would teach the need of other blood, The Lamb, the Dove, set forth Whose blood of matchless worth Should be the soul's defence; For he who can for sin atone, Must have no failings of his own. The scape-goat on his head 10 The people's trespass bore, And to the desert led, Was to be seen no more: Exod. xii. 13. 9 Lev. xii. 6. 10 Lev. xvi. 21. In him our Surety seem'd to say, 66 Dipt in his fellow's blood, The living bird went free"; The type, well understood, Express'd the sinner's plea ; Described a guilty soul enlarged, And by a Saviour's death discharged. Jesus, I love to trace, Throughout the sacred page, O grant that I may faithful be To clearer light vouchsafed to me! XXI. SARDIS. Rev. iii. 1-6. "WRITE to Sardis," saith the Lord, "Watch, remember, seek, and strive, Exert thy former pains; Let thy timely care revive, And strengthen what remains; 11 Lev. xiv. 51-53. Cleanse thine heart, thy works amend, Lest And smite thee once for all. "Yet I number now in thee Let XXII. PRAYER FOR A BLESSING. BESTOW, dear Lord, upon our youth, And let the seed of sacred truth Grace is a plant, where'er it grows, Of pure and heavenly root; Ye careless ones, O hear betimes True, you are young, but there's a stone Or half the crimes which you have done Would rob you of your rest. |