LI. THE CHRISTIAN. HONOUR and happiness unite To make the Christian's name a praise; How fair the scene, how clear the light, That fills the remnant of his days! A kingly character he bears, No change his priestly office knows; Adorn'd with glory from on high, His steps are dignity and grace. Inferior honours he disdains, Nor stoops to take applause from earth; The noblest creature seen below, My soul is ravish'd at the thought! Methinks from earth I see him rise! Angels congratulate his lot, And shout him welcome to the skies! S. C.-8. H LII. LIVELY HOPE AND GRACIOUS FEAR. I WAS a groveling creature once, And basely cleaved to earth; I wanted spirit to renounce The clod that gave me birth. But God has breathed upon a worm, With these to Pisgah's top I fly, The Lord of all the vast domain The length and breadth of all the plain How glorious is my privilege! Though much exalted in the Lord, And none shall cast me down. LIII. FOR THE POOR. WHEN Hagar found the bottle spent, A message from the Lord was sent Should not Elijah's cake and cruse A gracious God will not refuse 33 His saints and servants shall be fed, "Bread shall be given them," as he said, Repasts far richer they shall prove, To Jesus then your trouble bring, While you are poor and He is king, LIV. MY SOUL THIRSTETH FOR GOD. I THIRST, but not as once I did, The vain delights of earth to share; Thy wounds, Emmanuel, all forbid That I should seek my pleasures there. 32 Gen. xxi. 19. 33 1 Kings, xvii. 14. 34 Isa. xxxiii. 16. It was the sight of thy dear cross The mirth of fools and pomp of kings. I want that grace that springs from thee, LV. LOVE CONSTRAINING TO OBEDIENCE. No strength of nature can suffice How long beneath the law I lay But toil'd without success. Then, to abstain from outward sin Then all my servile works were done A righteousness to raise ; Now, freely chosen in the Son, I freely choose his ways. "What shall I do," was then the word, "That I may worthier grow?" To see the law by Christ fulfill'd, LVI. THE HEART HEALED AND CHANGED BY MERCY. SIN enslaved me many years, 66 Came swarming o'er my mind. 'Where," said I, in deep distress, "Will these sinful pleasures end? How shall I secure my peace, And make the Lord my friend ?" Friends and ministers said much 35 Romans, iii. 31. |