Long have I marked thy evil way, Yet fear not, by my own most holy name I will shed healing through thy sin-sick frame." Praise to thee, gracious Lord! And make me blest! My soul would lay her heavy burden down, "Stay, thou short-sighted child! Thy heart, so long by sin defiled, I must renew: Thy will must here be taught to bend to mine, Yea, Lord, but thou canst soon Perfect thy work in me, Till, like the pure, calm summer moon, I shine by thee, A moment shine, that all thy power may trace, "Ah! coward soul, confess Thou shrinkest from my cure, Thou tremblest at the sharp distress The foes on every hand, for war arrayed, The discipline of life, Of outward woes and secret tears, Sickness and strife, The idols taken from thee one by one, Till thou canst dare to live with me alone. "Some gentle souls there are Who yield unto my love, Who, ripening fast beneath my care, I soon remove : But thou stiff-neckèd art, and hard to rule, Thou must stay longer in affliction's school." My Maker and my King! Is this thy love to me? O that I had the lightning's wing, From earth to flee! How can I bear the heavy weight of woes, Thine indignation on thy creature throws? "Thou canst not, O my child! So hear my voice again; My arms shall be around thee day by day, "In sickness, I will be Watching beside thy bed; In sorrow, thou shalt lean on me Thy aching head: In every struggle thou shalt conqueror prove, Nor death itself shall sever from my O grace beyond compare! O love most high and pure! love." -- Only vouchsafe thy grace, that I may live MYSTERY OF CHASTISEMENT. "We glory also in tribulations.". Rom. v. 3. WITHIN this leaf, to every eye Wouldst thou its secret strength unbind ? In this dull stone, so poor, and bare But first must skilful hands essay, This leaf? this stone? It is thy heart: Ere it will yield a fragrance sweet, --- S. WILBERFORCE. THE REFINER'S FIRE. "He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."— Mal. iii. 3. HE that from dross would win the ore Thus in God's furnace are his people tried; Who from the crucible come forth so pure, That He, whose eyes of flame look through the whole, May see his image perfect in the soul? Nor with an evanescent glimpse alone, As in that mirror the refiner's face; But, stamped with Heaven's broad signet, there be shown Immanuel's features full of truth and grace; And round that seal of love this motto be, "Not for a moment, but― Eternity!" MONTGOMERY. GOD KNOWETH WHAT IS BEST. "For who knoweth what is good for man in this life?"- Eccl. vi. 12. WHAT, many times I musing asked, is man, Keep far from him? he knows not what he can, He, till the fire hath purged him, doth remain To lack the loving discipline of pain, Were endless loss. |