LI. LIVELY HOPE AND GRACIOUS FEAR. I was a grovelling creature once, I wanted spirit to renounce The clod that gave me birth. But God has breathed upon a worm, Wings such as clothe an angel's form, 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, My strength is not my own; Then let me tremble at his word, And none shall cast me down. LII. 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 2 His saints and servants shall be fed, The promise is secure ; "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, You shall not be forgot. LIII. 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. 1 Gen. xxi. 19. 2 1 Kings xvii. 14. 8 Isa. xxxii. 16. It was the sight of thy dear cross First wean'd my soul from earthly things; And taught me to esteem as dross The mirth of fools and pomp of kings. I want that grace that springs from thee, Dear fountain of delight unknown! For sure, of all the plants that share LIV. LOVE CONSTRAINING TO OBEDIENCE. No strength of nature can suffice To serve the Lord aright: How long beneath the law I lay Then, to abstain from outward sin Was more than I could do; I feel I hate it too. Then all my servile works were done A righteousness to raise ; I freely choose his ways. "What shall I do," was then the word, To see the law by Christ fulfill'd, LV. THE HEART HEALED AND CHANGED BY MERCY. SIN enslaved me many years, 1 Romans iii. 31. Friends and ministers said much But my blindness still was such, I chose a legal course: Much I fasted, watch'd and strove, Scarce would show my face abroad, Thus afraid to trust his grace, Then my stubborn heart he broke, And subdued me to his sway; By a simple word he spoke, 66 Thy sins are done away.” LVI. HATRED OF SIN. HOLY Lord God! I love thy truth, Nor dare thy least commandment slight; Yet pierced by sin, the serpent's tooth, But though the poison lurks within, |