The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley

Righteous, O Lord, Thy judgments are!
Ordain'd by Thy decree
In sorrow to conceive and bear,
I bow my soul to Thee:
Daughter of Eve, Thy voice I hear
Appointing my distress,
And prostrate in the dust revere
Thy awful righteousness.

The misery of my fall I feel,
And patiently sustain:
But save me from the' extremest ill,
The more than mortal pain:
The utmost penalty decreed,
The utmost wrath, forbear,
And spare me, O Thou woman's Seed,
Thou Son of Mary, spare.

If once to swell the virgin's womb,
Great God, Thou didst not scorn,
But man Thyself for me become,
Of Thy own creature born,
Partaker of our flesh and blood,
Our sorrows still partake,
And screen me from the curse of God
For Thy own nature's sake.

O Son of man, assuage my woes,
My rising fears control,
And sanctify the mother's throes,
And save the mother's soul:
Thy blessed, sanctifying will
I know concerning me,
By faith assured I ne'er shall feel
That endless misery.

My Saviour from the wrath to come,
From present evil save,
And farther mitigate my doom,
Nor let me see the grave:
Still hold my soul in life, I pray,
A dying worm reprieve,
And let me all my lengthen'd day
Unto Thy glory live.

Now, Lord, I have to Thee made known
My troubled soul's request,
And sink in calm dependence down
Within Thy arms to rest:
Secure in danger's blackest hour
Thy faithfulness to prove,
Protected by almighty power,
And everlasting love.

XLVI.

[Save, Jesus, save! my hour is near]

Save, Jesus, save! my hour is near
Of sorrow and distress,
And lo, I faint, oppress'd with fear
Of my own helplessness:
My littleness of faith I feel,
And sink o'erwhelm'd again,
Awed by the salutary ill,
The pain-preventing pain.

But ah, Thou know'st a heavier care
Hath all my soul o'erspread,
And pain and death are light to bear
Compared with what I dread:
My life I freely would resign,
And lay this moment down,
Rather than see a child of mine
Eternally undone.

But wilt Thou suffer me to bear
A sad reverse of Thee,
A graceless, miserable heir
Of endless misery;

Expose it to the world's black wild,
And sin's malignant power?
And must I, Lord, bring forth a child
For Satan to devour?

Rather resume the blessings lent,
And stop Thy creature's breath,
And by a temporal prevent
An everlasting death:
Before it draws this tainted air,
My harmless infant slay,
Or let the sad Benoni tear
My bleeding life away.

The keys of death and hell are held
In Thine almighty hand,
And all the powers of nature yield
To Thy supreme command:
Destroy the candidate for light,
Or slay me in its stead,
Childless among the living write,
Or free among the dead.

Or let the sleeping babe remain
In its maternal tomb,
And safe from sin, and safe from pain,
For ever swell the womb;
Till waken'd by the trumpet's sound
We both triumphant rise,
And see our Life with glory crown'd,
And grasp Him in the skies.

XLVII.

[But if Thou otherwise ordain]

But if Thou otherwise ordain,
All-gracious as Thou art,
And bring me through the perilous pain
To act a mother's part,
My infant yet unborn receive,
An offering to the sky,
And let it for Thy glory live,
And for Thy glory die.

To Thee, great God, in Jesus' name
Devoted from the womb,
For Thine alone my offspring claim,
And when Thou wilt resume:
My child, like Jephtha's daughter, seize,
A sacrifice Divine:
Or if a son his parents bless,
The Nazarite is Thine.

Or in the morning of his day,
Or call him back at noon,
I will not murmur for his stay,
Or cry, He died too soon!
I freely render Thee Thy right,
And in Thy pleasure rest,
For love and wisdom infinite
Must always choose the best.

My every creature-good remove:
But let Thy handmaid gain
The witness of Thy pardoning love,
And still the grace retain;

Retain, by mercy reconciled,
The sense of sin forgiven,
And meet at last my happy child
With all my friends in heaven.

XLVIII.

[To whom should I for succour fly]

To whom should I for succour fly,
While danger, pain, and death are nigh,
And nature's fears return?
Jesus, my only sure relief,
I tell to Thee my secret grief,
And in Thy bosom mourn.

I fear, lest in my trying hour
The strength of pain should quite o'erpower
My soul's infirmity,
Lest, when my sorrows most prevail,
My patience and my faith should fail,
And leave me void of Thee.

Even now I faint o'erwhelm'd with dread,
I tremble at my greatest need
Lest Thou shouldst hide Thy face,
Afflict me more than I can bear,
And then withhold the aid of prayer,
The power to sue for grace.

Yet though I am sometimes afraid,
On Thee my feeble mind is stay'd,
My trust is in the Lord,
I hold Thee with a trembling hand,
And borne above myself I stand,
Supported by Thy word.

In God my Saviour I confide,
Whose truth and love are on my side;
If now for help I pray,
Thou in the depth of my distress
Wilt send a word of heavenly grace,
And save me through that day.

Thou wilt, I humbly trust, impart
The sense of pardon to my heart,
The witness of Thy love:
Thy love shall all my griefs control,
Thy love shall calm my fluttering soul,
And hide my life above.

Arm'd with Thy love and patient mind,
I come, to Thy bless'd will resign'd,
For all events prepared,
Soon as I know my pardon seal'd,
Assured that Jesus is my shield,
And infinite reward.

XLIX.

[At this solemn turn of fate]

At this solemn turn of fate,
Looking for my painful hour,
Lord, on Thee I meekly wait,
Wait to prove Thy gracious power:
From the eye of man conceal'd,
Lo, to Thee, my God, alone
I my soul and body yield;
Let Thy will on both be done.

Here I give myself to prayer,
Commune with my heart and Thee,
Learn to cast on God my care,
Long Thy saving health to see:

Might I Thy salvation feel,
Might I Abba, Father, cry,
Ready then for all Thy will,
Meet I were to live, or die.

O for love and pity sake,
Look on Thy unconscious child,
Cast my sins behind Thy back,
Tell me Thou art reconciled,
Let me in Thy strength rejoice,
Let me feel my sins forgiven,
Answer to the Shepherd's voice,
Know my name enroll'd in heaven.

Now explain Thy whole design,
From my earliest infancy
Why didst Thou my will incline,
Draw my simple heart to Thee?
Wherefore did I haunt the shade,
Sad, disconsolate, alone,
Ever of Thy frown afraid,
Wretched for a God unknown?

Show me what I wanted then,
Give me what I still require,
Fairer than the sons of men,
Me with Thy pure love inspire;
Thou my long-sought happiness,
Sum of my desires Thou art,
Breathe the Spirit of Thy grace,
Breathe Thyself into my heart.

L. [Full of trembling expectation]

Full of trembling expectation,
Feeling much, and fearing more,
Author, God of my salvation,
I Thy timely aid implore:
Suffering Son of man, be near me,
All my sufferings to sustain,
By Thy sorer griefs to cheer me,
By Thy more than mortal pain.

Call to mind that unknown anguish
In Thy days of flesh below,
When Thy troubled soul did languish
Under a whole world of woe,
When Thou didst our curse inherit,
Groan beneath our guilty load,
Burden'd with a wounded spirit,
Bruised by all the wrath of God.

By Thy most severe temptation
In that dark Satanic hour,
By Thy last mysterious passion
Screen me from the adverse power:
By Thy fainting in the garden,
By Thy bloody sweat I pray,
Write upon my heart the pardon,
Take my sins and fears away.

By the travail of Thy Spirit,
By Thine outcry on the tree,
By Thine agonizing merit,
In my pangs remember me!

By Thy death I Thee conjure,
A weak, dying soul befriend,
Make me patient to endure,
Make me faithful to the end.

LI.

[Help, my loving Lord and Saviour!]

Help, my loving Lord and Saviour!
Saved before, I implore
Thy continued favour.

Still on Thee I cast my care,
Thou art still Pleased to feel
What Thy members bear.

With our weakness and temptation
Touch'd Thou art; Feels Thy heart
Exquisite compassion.

Well Thou know'st the fear and sorrow
Which I know, Sunk in woe,
Trembling for to-morrow;

Trembling, lest without Thy power,
Feeble I Faint and die
In my coming hour:

Tried above what I can bear,
Lest I yield, Lose my shield,
Void of faith and prayer.

Let me now Thy help secure,
Saviour then Strength ordain,
Help me then to' endure.

Me baptized into Thy passion,
Made like Thee, Visit me
With Thy great salvation.

By the travail of Thy Spirit
Me sustain, By Thy pain,
By Thy bleeding merit.

In my bitterest affliction
By Thy cup Hold me up,
By Thy dereliction.

Now I have Thine aid bespoken,
Peace impart To my heart,
Give the loving token.

Love of my expiring Saviour
Be the sign I am Thine,
Thou art mine for ever!

LII.

[Jesus, Thou Son of Mary]

Jesus, Thou Son of Mary,
Thou Son of the Most-High,
Lo, at Thy feet I tarry,
And on Thy truth rely;
In awful expectation
Of my distressing hour,
I look for Thy salvation,
For all Thy mercy's power.

On Thee my Health in sickness
My feeble soul is stay'd,
Thy strength in human weakness
Is perfectly display'd:

Thou never wilt forsake me
Who on Thy love depend,
But to Thy bosom take me
Till pain with life shall end.

LIII.

[Lord, I magnify Thy power]

Lord, I magnify Thy power,
Thy love and faithfulness,
Kept to my appointed hour
In safety and in peace:
Let Thy providential care
Still my sure protection be,
Till a living child I bear,
A sacrifice to Thee.

Who so near the birth hast brought,
(Since I on Thee rely,)
Tell me, Saviour, wilt Thou not
Thy farther help supply?
Whisper to my listening soul,
Wilt Thou not my strength renew,
Nature's fears and pangs control,
And bring Thy handmaid through?

Father, in the name I pray
Of Thine incarnate Love,
Humbly ask, that as my day
My suffering strength may prove:
When my sorrows most increase,
Let Thy strongest joys be given;
Jesus come with my distress,
And agony is heaven.

Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
For good remember me,
Me whom Thou hast caused to trust
For more than life in Thee:
With me in the fire remain,
Till like burnish'd gold I shine,
Meet, through consecrated pain,
To see the face Divine.

LIV.

[Cast on the fidelity]

Cast on the fidelity
Of my redeeming Lord,
I shall His salvation see,
According to His word:
Credence to His word I give:
My Saviour in distresses past
Will not now His handmaid leave,
But bring me through the last.

Better than my boding fears
To me Thou oft hast proved,
Oft observed my silent tears,
And challenged Thy beloved;
Mercy to my rescue flew,
And death ungrasp'd his fainting prey,
Pain before Thy face withdrew,
And sorrow fled away.

Now as yesterday the same,
In all my troubles nigh,
Jesus, on Thy word and name
I steadfastly rely:

Sure as now the grief I feel,
The promised joy I soon shall have,
Saved again to sinners tell
Thy power and will to save.

To Thy blessed will resign'd,
And stay'd on Thee alone,
I Thy perfect strength shall find,
Thy faithful mercies own;
Compass'd round with songs of praise
My all to my Deliverer give,
Spread the miracle of grace,
And for Thy glory live.

LV.

[Father, and Friend of human kind]

Father, and Friend of human kind,
Supporter of this tottering clay,
I rest on Thee my feeble mind,
On Thee my shrinking flesh I stay,
And, call'd Thy chastisement to bear,
Pour out a calmly pensive prayer.

My life I know secured above,
Hid in those gracious hands Divine;
But O, my heavier care remove,
And claim my unborn child for Thine,
The burden of my womb receive,
Thine, only Thine to die, or live.

If fore-ordain'd to see the light,
It bursts into a world of woe,
Seize the young sinner as Thy right,
Before it good or evil know,

And cleanse in the baptismal flood,
And wash my babe through Jesus' blood.

Even from the sacred laver take,
And guard its favour'd infancy,
Nor ever, Lord, Thy charge forsake,
Nor let Thy charge depart from Thee,
But walk in all Thy righteous ways,
Till meet to see Thy glorious face.

FOR A WOMAN IN TRAVAIL.

LVI.

[Jesus, help! no longer tarry]

Jesus, help! no longer tarry,
Hasten to redeem Thine own:
Son of God, and Son of Mary,
Answering to Thy creature's groan,
Now omnipotently near,
Prince of life in death appear.

Save her by Thy righteous merit
From the just reward of sin:
By the travail of Thy Spirit,
Bring the timely succours in;
By Thy passion on the tree
Save a soul that gasps to Thee.

Soften, sanctify the anguish,
Sad memorial of her fall;
Let her on Thy bosom languish,
Till Thou bring her safe through all,
Ransom'd from the' extreme distress,
Bid her live—in perfect peace.

God of her complete salvation,
Heal, and bid her body rise;
Let her soul with exultation
Mount to Thee beyond the skies;
Happy as Thy saints above,
Lost in her Redeemer's love.

LVII.

[Hear, O Thou Friend of human kind]

Hear, O Thou Friend of human kind,
Thou Son of Mary, hear,
And let Thy suffering handmaid find
The answer of our prayer.
Thy Spirit's mix'd with nature's cries
Through Thee to heaven ascend:
O send deliverance from the skies,
A swift deliverance send.

Save her, Thyself of woman born,
Thyself the Son of man,
The curse into a blessing turn,
And sanctify the pain:
Be Thou a present succour found
In time of greatest need,
And while her sorrows most abound,
Her comforts shall exceed.

This keenest sense of deep distress
Which feeble flesh can feel,
O'erpower, and swallow up in peace
And joy unspeakable:
Thy love shall bring her safely through:
Thy love to her be given,
And change the pains of hell into
The ecstasies of heaven.

So shall the ransom'd sinner give
To Thee her added days,
So shall the joyful mother live
A monument of Thy praise;
She and her house shall serve the Lord,
Till all from earth remove
In sounds of glory to record
Thine everlasting love.

LVIII.

[Jesus, we ask Thy promised aid]

Jesus, we ask Thy promised aid;
Thou who for us a curse wast made,
The penalty extreme
Far from Thy chosen one remove,
And now the object of Thy love
From curse and death redeem.

First in the primitive offence
The curse she feels with quicker sense:
But, of a woman born,
Thou didst its utmost burden bear,
To make it fall more light on her,
And to a blessing turn.

With pity then the anguish see,
The fruits of sin endured by Thee,
Thou patient Man of Woe:
Thy sufferings past recall to mind,
Shorten in her Thy pangs behind,
And break the mortal blow.

In mercy mitigate her pain,
Her feeble fainting soul sustain
With comforts from above;

Strengthen, till all her pains are pass'd,
And let her every moment taste
The cordial of Thy love.

Before her weary eyes display
The bed where her Redeemer lay,
A Lamb transfix'd and torn!
The place Thou never canst forget,
Where Thou hast paid our utmost debt,
And all our sorrows borne.

O let Thy grief dry up her tears,
And while Thy mangled form appears,
Thy visage marr'd with blood,
Let trouble, fear, and torture cease,
And all her happy soul confess
Her Saviour and her God.

Victorious, with Thy cross in view,
By Thy own travail bring her through
The agonizing hour,
A living monument of praise,
A witness of redeeming grace,
And love's eternal power.

LIX. THANKSGIVING FOR HER SAFE DELIVERY.

Blessing, and praise, and thanks, and love
Let God, the Saviour-God receive,
Who sent the succours from above,
And bade the dying sinner live!

The bitterness of death is past,
The mortal agony is o'er;
Brought through the fire, she lives at last
To love, and wonder, and adore.

Long in the toils of hell she lay,
(While torture tore her tender frame,)
And meekly sigh'd her life away,
A picture of the bleeding Lamb!
Her eyes with looking upward fail'd,
And sought the rest of endless night;
But Christ her Advocate prevail'd,
And stopp'd the spirit in its flight.

When nature's strength and sense were gone,
And death's cold hand had grasp'd his prey,
God held her soul in life unknown,
And re-inspired the breathless clay:
God heard His wrestling people plead
Strong in the faith Himself had given,
Mighty in prayer which wakes the dead,
In prayer which shuts and opens heaven.

Touch'd by the healing hand Divine,
She lives, she lives to praise her Lord:
Jesus, the work and praise be Thine,
Thy name be bless'd, revered, adored!
Thou hast Thy gracious word fulfill'd,
And saved her in her last distress;
The promise and the prayer is seal'd,
Seal'd on her heart in gospel-peace.

Wherefore with joyful lips and heart,
Thee, Jesus, Lord of life we own,
And sing how great and good Thou art,
How near to help and save Thine own!

To Thee our grateful all we give,
Thine, wholly Thine, resolved to be,
And only for Thy glory live,
And die a sacrifice to Thee.

HYMN FOR A NEW-BORN CHILD.

LX.

[Father, Son, and Spirit come]

Father, Son, and Spirit come,
Enter now Thy human shrine,
Take my offspring from the womb;
Mine he is not, Lord, but Thine:
Thine this moment let him be,
Thine to all eternity!

Seize, O seize his tender heart,
Beating to the vital war;
Everlasting life impart,
Sow the seed of glory there:
Grace be to my infant given,
Grace the principle of heaven.

Soon as reason's glimmering ray
Feebly faint begins to shine,
Let the spark of grace display
Stronger influence Divine,
All the life of sin control,
Spread throughout his new-born soul.

Father, draw him from his birth
With the cords of heavenly love,
From the trivial joys of earth
Raise his mind to joys above,
Gently lead Thy favourite on,
Till Thou giv'st him to Thy Son.

Rise the woman's conquering Seed,
In his ransom'd nature rise,
Bruiser of the serpent's head,
Give him back his paradise,
Nature into grace convert,
Grave Thine image on his heart.

Spirit of life, and love, and power,
The deep things of God reveal,
Seal him from his natal hour,
Him the heir of glory seal,
Strong with sevenfold energy
Stamp, and fit him for the sky.

Father, Son, and Spirit come,
Enter now Thy human shrine,
Take my offspring from the womb;
Mine he is not, Lord, but Thine:
Thine this moment let him be,
Thine to all eternity!

LXI.

[Helpless babe, who from the womb]

Helpless babe, who from the womb
Dost this hour thy course begin,
Hasty traveller to the tomb,
Born in misery and sin,
Born into a vale of tears,
To a world of trouble born,
Subject of our hopes and fears,
Shall thy friends rejoice, or mourn?

Thee a heritage from God,
Thee whom God vouchsafes to give,
Not in wrath but love bestow'd,
Thankfully we should receive;

But when all thy dangers rise,
Passions, pains, and sins, and snares,
Fear rebukes our forward joys,
Turns our praises into prayers.

God, whose eye doth all things see,
Hidden from short-sighted man,
All Thy works are known to Thee,
All our springs of joy and pain:
Knows Thy wise omniscient mind
What the new-born child shall prove;
Whether mine his God will find,
Will ensure Thy hate, or love.

But if now Thy prescience sees
Scenes of misery and vice,
If his future wickedness
Now offends Thy glorious eyes,
Ere the dire decree bring forth,
Ere he turn from Thee his will,
Crush the viper in the birth,
Save him from a world of ill.

Do not suffer him to live
A transgressor from the womb,
Thy good Spirit by sin to grieve,
Rather now prevent his doom;
Hear Thy Spirit's cry within
A poor earthly parent's breast,
Save my helpless child from sin,
Snatch him now to endless rest.

LXII. AT THE BAPTISM OF A CHILD.

God of eternal truth and love,
Vouchsafe the promised grace we claim,
Thine own great ordinance approve,
The child baptized into Thy name
Partaker of Thy nature make,
And give her all Thine image back.

Born in the dregs of sin and time,
These darkest, last, apostate days,
Burden'd with Adam's curse and crime,
Thou in Thy mercy's arms embrace,
And wash out all her guilty load,
And quench the brand in Jesus' blood.

Father, if such Thy sovereign will,
If Jesus did the rite enjoin,
Annex Thy hallowing Spirit's seal,
And let the grace attend the sign;
The seed of endless life impart,
Seize for Thy own our infant's heart.

Answer on her Thy wisdom's end
In present and eternal good;
Whate'er Thou didst for man intend,
Whate'er Thou hast on man bestow'd,
Now to this favour'd babe be given,
Pardon, and holiness, and heaven.

In presence of Thy heavenly host
Thyself we faithfully require;
Come, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
By blood, by water, and by fire,

And fill up all Thy human shrine,
And seal our souls for ever Thine.

HYMNS FOR PARENTS.

LXIII.

[Father of all, by whom we are]

Father of all, by whom we are,
For whom was made whatever is,
Who hast entrusted to our care
A candidate for glorious bliss,
Poor worms of earth, for help we cry,
For grace to guard what grace hath given,
We ask the wisdom from on high
To train our infant up for heaven.

We tremble at the danger near,
And crowds of wretched parents see,
Who blindly fond their children rear
In tempers far as hell from Thee:
Themselves the slaves of sense and praise,
Their babes who pamper and admire,
And make the helpless infants pass
To murderer Moloch through the fire.

But let not us the demon please,
Our offspring to destruction doom,
Strengthen a sin-sick soul's disease,
Or damn him from his mother's womb;
Rather this hour resume his breath,
From selfishness and pride to save,
By death prevent the second death,
And hide him in the silent grave.

Or if Thou grant a longer date,
With resolute wisdom us endue,
To point him out his lost estate,
His dire apostasy to show,
To time our every smile and frown,
To mark the bounds of good and ill,
And beat the pride of nature down,
And bend or break his rising will.

Him let us tend, severely kind,
As guardians of his giddy youth,
As set to form his tender mind
By principles of virtuous truth,
To fit his soul for heavenly grace,
Discharge the Christian parent's part,
And keep him, till Thy love takes place,
And Jesus rises in his heart.

LXIV.

[How fast the chains of nature bind]

How fast the chains of nature bind
Our poor degenerate race!
What darkness clouds the parent's mind
If unrenew'd by grace!
As sworn to take the tempter's part
They fatally employ
Their utmost power and utmost art
Their offspring to destroy.

By Satan's subtilty beguiled,
To Satan's school they send,
And each delights the favourite child
To humour and commend:

The proud with ranker pride they fill,
Heighten their worst disease,
And fondly soothe the stubborn will
To tenfold stubbornness.

With lust of pleasure, wealth, and fame
Their children they inspire,
And every vain desire inflame,
And every passion fire:
They wish them good, but rather great,
Religious, but genteel;
Pious, yet fond of pomp and state;
As heaven would mix with hell.

Adorn'd in pearl and rich array
You see the murderer's prize!
As crown'd with flowers, the victims gay
Are led to sacrifice;
Down a broad easy way they glide
To endless misery,
And curse their doting parents' pride
To all eternity.

Others, a half-discerning few,
The fond excess condemn,
And rush with headlong zeal into
The merciless extreme;
They vent their passion's furious heat
In stern tyrannic sway,
Their children as their beasts they treat,
And force the slaves to' obey.

With notions fraught, the Stoics sour
Pursue their rigid plan,
In weakness look for perfect power,
In babes the strength of man;

The wisdom ripe of hoary hairs
From children they require,
Till time their schemes in pieces tears,
And all in smoke expire.

Harass'd by long domestic war
With scarce a truce between,
Their children's tender minds abhor
The' Egyptian discipline;
They quite throw off the yoke severe,
O'er nature's wilds to rove,
And hate the objects of their fear
Whom they could never love.

LXV.

[God only wise, almighty, good]

God only wise, almighty, good,
Send forth Thy truth and light,
To point us out the narrow road,
And guide our steps aright;
To steer our dangerous course between
The rocks on either hand,
And fix us in the golden mean,
And bring our charge to land.

Made apt by Thy sufficient grace
To teach as taught by Thee,
We come to train in all Thy ways
Our rising progeny;
Their selfish will by times subdue,
And mortify their pride,
And lend their youth a sacred clue
To find The Crucified.

We would in every step look up,
By Thy example taught
To' alarm their fear, excite their hope,
And rectify their thought:
We would persuade their hearts to' obey,
With mildest zeal proceed,
And never take the harsher way,
When love will do the deed.

For this we ask in faith sincere
The wisdom from above
To touch their hearts with filial fear,
And pure ingenuous love,
To watch their will to sense inclined,
Withhold the hurtful food,
And gently bend their tender mind,
And draw their souls to God.

LXVI.

[Father of lights, Thy needful aid]

Father of lights, Thy needful aid
To us who ask impart,
Mistrustful of ourselves, afraid
Of our own treacherous heart;
O'erwhelm'd with justest fear, again
To Thee for help we call,
Where many mightier have been slain,
By Thee unsaved, we fall.

Unless restrain'd by grace we are,
In vain the snare we see,
We see and rush into the snare
Of blind idolatry;

We plunge ourselves in endless woes,
Our hapless infant sell,
Resist the light, and side with those
Who send their babes to hell.

Ah, what avails superior light
Without superior love?
We see the truth, we judge aright,
And wisdom's ways approve;
We mark the idolizing throng,
Their cruel fondness blame;
Their children's souls we know they wrong,
And we shall do the same.

We censure them, ourselves untried,
For passionate excess,
Who train their children up in pride,
And sloth, and stubbornness:
Less savage in our judgment they
Who slew their little ones,
Or left to ravenous beasts a prey,
Or dash'd against the stones.

Yet, spite of our resolves, we fear
Our own infirmity,
And tremble at the trial near,
And cry, O God, to Thee:
We soon shall do what we condemn,
And, down the current borne,
With shame confess our nature's stream
Too strong for us to turn.

Our only help in danger's hour,
Our only strength Thou art,
Above the world and tempter's power,
And greater than our heart.

Us from ourselves Thou canst secure
In nature's slippery ways,
And make our feeble footsteps sure
By Thy sufficient grace.

If on Thy promised grace alone
We faithfully depend,
Thou surely wilt protect Thy own,
And keep us to the end;
Wilt make us tenderly discreet
To guard what Thou hast given,
And bring our child with us to meet
At Thy right hand in heaven.

LXVII.

[O that my son might live]

O that my son might live
A monument of Thy grace,
To Thee his earliest childhood give,
To Thee his riper days!
My heavenly Father, hear
In me Thy Spirit's cry,
And grant the child his God to fear,
Or give him now to die.

Ah, do not let him stay
To grieve Thy glorious eyes,
To wander down the beaten way
Of passion, pride, and vice;
To know the misery
Which I, alas, have known,
Or saved by fire, if saved like me,
Or finally undone.

Rather in tender grace
Resume my infant's breath,
And snatch him from the dangerous maze,
The brink of second death;
To glorious worlds on high
His spotless soul receive,
Where all who in their childhood die
With God for ever live.

LXVIII.

[Let Ishmael live Devoted to God]

Let Ishmael live Devoted to God;
O Father receive Whom Thou hast bestow'd,
Hast purposely given, That we may resign
The blessing of heaven, The present Divine.

Thy servants prepare With wisdom for this
To bring up an heir Of heavenly bliss:
By walking before Thee His steps let us guide,
And lead him to glory Through Jesus's side.

The doting excess Of nature remove,
And graciously bless Our labours of love;
Our sanctified cares With favour allow,
And answer our prayers, And answer them now.

The blessing we claim Now, Father, impart,
Thy nature and name Be on his young heart;
Our infant inspire With life from on high,
And kindle the fire That never shall die.

LXIX. THE MOTHER'S HYMN.

O what shall I do,
What method pursue,
In safety to bring my young innocent through?

What a wonder of grace,
If he 'scapes one whole race,
Unspoil'd by indulgence, unpoison'd by praise!

'Tis mercy alone
Can assist him to run
Through a desert, when thousands are daily undone;
That mercy I claim
In Jesus's name,
And believe Him a Saviour for ever the same.

By mercy set free,
My Redeemer I see
As willing to save my poor infant as me:
If I trust Him, He must
Be true to His trust,
For to all that believe He is gracious and just.

I trust Him alone
For myself and my son,
That He will not forsake whom He takes for His own:
By grace reconciled,
I give Him my child;
And if Jesus preserve, he can never be spoil'd.

LXX. ANOTHER.

[What follies abound]

What follies abound
Where reason is drown'd
By an heathenish nurse in a torrent of sound!
When by Satan beguiled,
With sonnets defiled,
She angers her Maker, to quiet her child!

Who the Saviour and Son
Of Mary have known,
They delight to converse with their Jesus alone;
They at all times proclaim
His wonderful name,
And in tending their infants they sing of the Lamb.

The Lamb from the throne
Of His Father came down;
He was flesh of our flesh, He was bone of our bone:
The omnipotent Lord,
By all heaven adored,
The invisible Godhead appear'd in the Word.

With the children of men
Jehovah was seen,
Through the veil of our dignified nature between;
The Ancient of Days
Discover'd His face,
And admitted His angels with rapture to gaze.

Who gave all things to be,
What a wonder to see
Him born of His creature, and nursed on her knee!
The Infant Divine
(Let all creatures combine
To acknowledge the grace) was as helpless as mine!

LXXI. FOR A SICK CHILD.

Father, God of pitying love,
Let Thy yearning bowels move,
Let Thine ear attend our cry,
Help before our infant die.

Hear her help-imploring groan,
Pain'd with sorrows not her own,
Bruised, alas, for our offence
Save her suffering innocence!

Whom but now Thy mercy gave,
Keep her from the gaping grave;
Whom Thy love persists to give,
Let her for Thy glory live.

But if Thou foreknow'st it best
Not to grant our blind request,
Snatch her from a length of pain,
Take her to Thine arms again.

Now her spotless soul remove
To the innocents above,
To her kindred in the skies,
To an early paradise.

Only while she hence departs,
Let her carry up our hearts,
Rend them, as she rends her clay,
Tear them far from earth away.

Far above the world of pain
Let our souls with hers remain,
Far above its comforts soar,
Stoop to earthly bliss no more.

LXXII. ON HER DEATH.

Lovely-fair, but breathless clay,
Whither is thy tenant gone?
Would the soul no longer stay
Prisoner in a world unknown?

Surfeited with life and pain,
Is she fled to heaven again?

Wherefore did she visit earth,
Earth so suddenly to leave,
Gall'd and burden'd from the birth,
Only born to cry and grieve?
What was all her life below?
One sad month of fruitless woe.

Count we now our mournful gains,
We who call'd the child our own:
Lo, she pays her mother's pains
With her last expiring groan:
Mocking all his fond desires,
Lo, her father's hope expires!

Thus her parents' grief she cheers,
Transient as a short-lived flower,
Scarcely seen she disappears,
Blooms, and withers in an hour;
Thus our former loss supplies,
Thus our promised comfort dies!

But shall sinful man complain,
Stripp'd by the Divine decree?
Dares our impious grief arraign
Heaven's tremendous majesty?
Rather let us meekly own
All is right which God hath done.

God hath answer'd all our prayers,
Mended after His own will,
Number'd with salvation's heirs
Her whose happy change we feel,

Her whose bliss rebukes our sighs,
Bids us follow to the skies.

God, to' enhance her joy above,
Gave her a few painful days,
Object of His richest love,
Vessel of His choicest grace,
Bade her suffer with His Son,
Die to claim an earlier throne.

Best for her so soon to die:
Best for us how can it be?
Let our bleeding hearts reply,
Torn from all, O Lord, but Thee,
To Thy righteous will subdued,
Panting for the sovereign Good.

Let them pant, and never rest
Till Thy peace our sorrows heal;
Troubled be our aching breast
Till the balm of love we feel,
Love which every want supplies,
Love of One that never dies.

Might we, Lord, Thy love attain!
Cure of every evil this,
This would turn our loss to gain,
Turn our misery into bliss,
Love our Eden here would prove,
Love would make our heaven above.

LXXIII. FOR A CHILD IN THE SMALL-POX.

Father, by the tender name
Thou for man vouchsaf'st to bear,
We Thy needful succour claim,
We implore Thy pitying care,
For our stricken child distress'd:
Wilt Thou not our load remove,
Calm the tumult in our breast,
Manifest Thy saving love?

Love inflicts the plague severe,
Love the dire distemper sends:
Let Thy heavenly messenger
Answer all Thy gracious ends:
Give us power to watch and pray
Trembling at the threaten'd loss:
Tear our hearts from earth away,
Nail them to Thy bleeding cross.

Fain we would obedient prove,
Here on rugged Calvary
Render back the son we love,
Yield our only son to Thee:
While he on the altar lies,
We to Thy decree submit,
Offer up our sacrifice,
Weep in silence at Thy feet.

Human tears may freely flow
Authorised by tears Divine,
Till Thine awful will we know,
Comprehend Thy whole design:

Jesus wept! and so may we:
Jesus, suffering all Thy will,
Felt the soft infirmity;
Feels His creature's sorrow still.

Father of our patient Lord,
Strengthen us with Him to grieve,
Prostrate to receive Thy word,
All Thy counsel to receive:
Though we would the cup decline,
Govern'd by Thy will alone,
Ours we struggle to resign:
Thine, and only Thine, be done.

Life and death are in Thine hand:
In Thine hand our child we see
Waiting Thy benign command,
Less beloved by us than Thee:
Need we then his life request?
Jesus understands our fears,
Reads a mother's panting breast,
Knows the meaning of her tears.

Jesus blends them with His own,
Mindful of His suffering days:
Father, hear Thy pleading Son,
Son of Man for us He prays:
What for us He asks, bestow:
Ours He makes His own request:
Send us life or death; we know,
Life, or death from Thee is best.

LXXIV. THANKSGIVING FOR HIS RECOVERY.

Glory to our God most high
With joyful hearts we give,
Call'd like Abraham from the sky
Our Isaac to receive!
Him as from the dead restored
Thankful we again embrace,
Taste the goodness of our Lord,
And sing the Donor's praise.

How shall we the gift improve
A little longer lent?
Father, to receive Thy love
We now our hearts present:
Humbly on Thy mercy cast,
Farther mercy we implore,
Pay Thee back Thy favours past
By still accepting more.

Jesus, (for whose only sake
Thou hast restored our child,)
Thy most precious gift we take,
And own Thee reconciled;
Wait Thy peace and power to feel,
Peace unspeakable, unknown,
Power to do Thy perfect will,
And serve our God alone.

We, if so Thy will require,
Our sacrifice repeat,
Nature's every fond desire
To Thy decree submit;

Back to Thee Thine own we give,
Leave him in Thy sovereign hand;
Let him in Thy presence live,
Or die at Thy command.

Only while we offer up
Our dearest blessings here,
Bless us with our heavenly Hope,
The constant Comforter;
While our faith by works we prove,
While the furnace we abide,
Speak us perfected in love,
For ever justified.

LXXV. ANOTHER.

[Worship, and power, and thanks, and love]

Worship, and power, and thanks, and love
To God, the gracious God and true,
Whose faithfulness again we prove,
And mercies every moment new:
Jesus hath heard His people's prayer,
Our child revived, our son re-given;
Let all His healing name declare,
And spread His praise through earth and heaven.

Saviour, we at Thy hands receive
This pledge of greater good to come,
And to Thy wise disposal leave
Whom Thou hast ransom'd from the tomb:
The child, no longer ours, but Thine,
Even from his earliest infancy
To Thee we cheerfully resign,
A servant of Thy church and Thee.

While here our Samuel we present,
With favour, Lord, accept the loan,
To Thee irrevocably lent,
And bless and seal him for Thine own:
Devoted from his infant days,
O may he in Thy courts be found,
Grow up to minister Thy grace,
And spread through earth the gospel sound.

LXXVI. FOR A CHILD CUTTING HIS TEETH.

Suffering for another's sin,
Why should innocence complain?
Sin by Adam enter'd in,
Sin engendering grief and pain;
Sin entail'd on all our race,
Forces harmless babes to cry,
Born to sorrow and distress,
Born to feel, lament, and die.

Tortured in his tender frame,
Struggling with convulsive throes,
Doth he not aloud proclaim
Guilt the cause of all our woes?
Guilt, whose sad effects appear,
Guilt original we own,
See it in that starting tear,
Hear it in that heaving groan!

Man's intemperate offence
In its punishment we read;
Speechless, by his aching sense
Guilty doth our infant plead;

Instruments of sin and pain,
Signs of guilt and misery
Eve's incontinence explain,
Point us to the tasted tree.

There the bitter root we find,
Fatal source of nature's ill,
Ill which all our fallen kind
With this young apostate feel:
But what we can ne'er remove
Jesus came to sanctify,
Second Adam from above,
Born for us to live and die.

Help, the woman's heavenly Seed,
Thou that didst our sorrows take,
Turn aside the death decreed,
Save him for Thy nature's sake!
Pitying Son of man and God,
Still Thy creature's pains endure;
Quench the fever with Thy blood,
Bless him with a perfect cure.

Thine it is to bless and heal,
Thine to rescue and repair:
On our child the answer seal,
Thou who didst suggest the prayer:
Send salvation to this house;
Then, to double health restored,
I and mine will pay our vows,
I and mine will serve the Lord.

LXXVII. ON SENDING A CHILD TO THE BOARDING-SCHOOL.

Not without Thy direction
From us our child we send,
And to Thy sure protection
Her innocence commend:
Jesus, Thou Friend and Lover
Of helpless infancy,
With wings of mercy cover
A soul beloved by Thee.

Evil communication
O let it not pervert,
Or fill with pride and passion
Her fond unwary heart;
Preserve her uninfected
(In answer to our prayers)
From dangers unsuspected,
From twice ten thousand snares.

Let no affections foolish
Or vain her spirit soil;
Let no instructions polish
Her nature into guile;
No low dissimulation
Place in her bosom find,
No worldly art or fashion
Corrupt her simple mind.

Our little one, believing,
Beneath Thy care we place,
And see Thee, Lord, receiving
Her into Thine embrace:

Thyself her inward Teacher,
Thyself her Guardian be,
And graciously enrich her
With all that is in Thee.

LXXVIII. A MOTHER'S ACT OF RESIGNATION ON THE DEATH OF A CHILD.

Peace, my heart, be calm, be still,
Subject to my Father's will!
God in Jesus reconciled
Calls for His beloved child,
Who on me Himself bestow'd
Claims the purchase of His blood.

Child of prayer, by grace Divine
Him I willingly resign,
Through his last convulsive throes
Born into the true repose,
Born into the world above,
Glorious world of light and love!

Through the purple fountain brought,
To his Saviour's bosom caught,
Him in the pure mantle clad,
In the milk-white robe array'd,
Follower of the Lamb I see;
See the joy prepared for me.

Lord, for this alone I stay;
Fit me for eternal day;

Then Thou wilt receive Thy bride
To the souls beatified,
Then with all Thy saints I meet,
Then my rapture is complete.

LXXIX. THANKSGIVING AFTER RECOVERY FROM THE SMALL-POX.

Peace, panting soul, the storm is o'er,
My mortal foe appears no more,
As brandishing his dart:
But lo, the Prince of Life is nigh,
To chase my terrors with His eye,
And still my fluttering heart.

The awful doubt is solved at last,
The bitterness of death is past,
And bless'd with a reprieve
My panting soul may now respire;
My body, too, hath pass'd the fire,
And doubly saved I live.

'Twas prayer alone that turn'd the scale,
(The prayer which doth with God prevail,)
And brought Him from the sky;
The Friend of Lazarus was here,
And dropp'd again the pitying tear,
And would not let me die.

God of my life and health restored,
I own Thee for my God and Lord,
Thy power and goodness see;

Accept the token from above,
The pledge of Thy forgiving love,
The life of heaven in Thee.

Thy arm omnipotent to save
Hath kindly snatch'd me from the grave,
And made my body whole:
O for Thy own compassion sake,
Cast all my sins behind Thy back,
And now restore my soul.

The confidence Divine impart,
The witness breathe into my heart,
And seal my sins forgiven;
Allow me then my last desire,
And send with death the car of fire
That wraps my soul to heaven.

LXXX. ANOTHER.

[Sing to the Prince of life and peace]

Sing to the Prince of life and peace,
Let every tongue my Saviour bless,
So strong to help in danger's hour,
So present in His healing power,
And from the margin of the grave
So good a dying worm to save.

Can I forget the solemn day
When grappling with my foe I lay?
O'er my weak flesh from foot to head
The loathsome leprosy was spread,
The foulest plague our race can feel,
The deadliest fruit of sin and hell.

The poison boil'd in every vein,
The fire broke out in raging pain,
I sunk oppress'd through all my powers,
With bruises, wounds, and putrid sores,
My body rack'd in every part,
And sick to death my fainting heart.

Jesus beheld my last distress,
And turn'd the current of disease,
He stopp'd my spirit on the wing,
And chased away the grisly king;
His wonder-working arm I own,
And give the praise to God alone.

He in the kind physician came,
(Bow all to Jesus' balmy name!)
Amidst my weeping friends He stood,
And mix'd the cordial with His blood,
Display'd His dead-reviving art,
And pour'd His life into my heart.

Brought from the gates of death, I give
My life to Him by whom I live;
Raised from a restless bed of pain,
I render Him my strength again,
And only wait to prove His grace,
And only breathe to breathe His praise.

LXXXI. OBLATION OF A SICK FRIEND.

God of love, with pity see,
Succour our infirmity;
Father, let Thy will be done;
Thine we say, but mean our own.

Can we of ourselves resign
The most precious loan Divine?
With Thy loveliest creature part?
Lord, Thou seest our bleeding heart.

Whom Thyself hast planted there,
From our bleeding heart to tear,
This most sensibly we feel,
This we own impossible.

Dearest of Thy gifts below,
Nature cannot let her go;
Nature, till by grace subdued,
Will not give her back to God.

But we would receive the power
Every blessing to restore,
Would to Thy decision bow,
Would be meekly willing now.

If Thou wilt Thine own revoke,
Now inflict the sudden stroke,
Take our eyes' and hearts' desire,
Let her in Thine arms expire.

Stripp'd of all, we trust in Thee,
As our day our strength shall be;
Jesus, Lord, we come to prove
All the virtue of Thy love.

When the creature-streams are dry,
Thou Thyself our wants supply;
Thou of life the Fountain art,
Rise eternal in our heart.

LXXXII. ANOTHER.

[Lover, Friend of human kind]

Lover, Friend of human kind,
Call Thy days of flesh to mind,
When Thou didst our sorrows bear,
All our sinless frailties share.

When Thou didst converse below,
Every shape of human woe,
Every supplicant in pain
Could Thy ready help obtain.

Melted by Thy creature's tears,
Troubled with our griefs and fears,
Pity made Thy Spirit groan,
Made our miseries Thine own.

None applied in vain to Thee;
Thy Divine philanthropy
Cheer'd the faint, the hungry fed,
Heal'd the sick, and raised the dead.

Hear us then, Thou Man of grief,
O make haste to our relief,
After Thee for help we cry,
Come, before our sister die.

Jesus, evermore the same,
Manifest Thy saving name,
Good Physician from above,
Heal the object of Thy love.

Humbly prostrate at Thy feet,
We our will to Thine submit;
Yet, before Thy will is shown,
Trembling we present our own.

Till Thy love's design we see,
Earnest, but resign'd to Thee,
Suffer us for life to pray,
Bless us with her longer stay.

Let the balm be now applied,
Touch her, and the fever chide,
Now command it to depart,
Sprinkle now her peaceful heart.

Thou with equal ease and skill
Canst the soul and body heal:
Raise her, Lord, the vessel raise
Of Thine all-sufficient grace.

Let her long a witness live
That Thou canst on earth forgive,
Live, Thine utmost love to see,
Live to serve Thy church and Thee.

Then, when all her work is done,
Thou Thy faithful servant crown,
Take her, Jesus, to Thy breast,
Take us all to endless rest.

FOR ONE VISITED WITH SICKNESS.

LXXXIII.

[O Thou, whose wise paternal love]

O Thou, whose wise paternal love
Hath brought my active vigour down,
Thy choice I thankfully approve,
And prostrate at Thy gracious throne
I offer up my life's remains,
I choose the state my God ordains.

Cast as a broken vessel by,
Thy will I can no longer do,
Yet while a daily death I die,
Thy power I may in weakness show,
My patience may Thy glory raise,
My speechless woe proclaim Thy praise.

But since without Thy Spirit's might
Thou know'st I nothing can endure,
The help I ask in Jesus' right,
The strength He did for me procure,
Father, abundantly impart,
And arm with love my feeble heart.

This single good I humbly crave,
This single good on me bestow,
And when my one desire I have,
Let every other blessing go!
Ah, do not, Lord, my suit deny,
I only want to love—and die.

Or let me live, of love possess'd,
In weakness, weariness, and pain;
The anguish of my labouring breast,
The daily cross I still sustain,
For Him that languish'd on the tree,
But lived, before He died, for me.

LXXXIV.

[Welcome incurable disease]

Welcome incurable disease,
Whate'er my gracious God decrees
My happy choice I make,

100

Death's sentence in myself receive,
Since God a Man of griefs did live,
And suffer for my sake.

The love which brought Him from the skies,
Which made His soul a sacrifice,
Visits me in this pain;
He bids me taste His passion's cup,
And fill His mournful measure up,
That I with Him may reign.

Not that the sufferings I endure
His Father's favour can procure,
Or for my sins atone:
Jesus alone the wine-press trod,
Answer'd the just demands of God,
And paid my debt alone.

Nor can my utmost griefs or pains
Purge out the' original remains,
Or kill the root of sin:
That blood which did my pardon buy,
That only blood must sanctify,
And wash my nature clean.

Yes, O Thou all-redeeming Lamb,
The virtue of Thy balmy name
Restores my inward peace;
Thy death doth all my guilt remove,
Thy life shall fill my heart with love
And perfect holiness.

Faith in Thy powerful love I have,
Thou wilt the helpless sinner save
Who fain to Thee would go:

101

Thou dost from time to time reprieve,
Till I my pardon seal'd receive,
And all Thy fulness know.

I own Thy kind design on me,
The meaning of Thy patience see;
Thou hast my manners borne,
That saved, before I hence depart,
Lowly, and meek, and pure in heart,
I may to God return.

Accomplish then Thy gracious end,
And bid my happy soul ascend
In holiness complete,
The meanest of that heavenly throng
Who sing Thine own eternal song,
And triumph at Thy feet.

FOR THE MORNING.

LXXXV.

[Giver of every good]

Giver of every good,
To praise Thy love I wake,
Thy love the balmy sleep bestow'd
For my Redeemer's sake;
Thy love kept off the pain
That oft invades my breast,
And bids my soul aspire again
To its eternal Rest.

To Thee in Christ my Peace
Again I humbly turn,
My past ingratitude confess,
My life of folly mourn;

102

A life how dark and void!
A long-continued blot!
Talents or hid, or misemploy'd,
And benefits forgot.

My virtues false and vain,
My justest works unjust,
Not one but gives my conscience pain,
And lays me in the dust:
But worse than all I find
The bitter root within,
The beastly heart, the devilish mind,
The hell of inbred sin.

Far from myself to Thee,
Thou sinner's Friend, I fly,
Forced out by my own misery
To seek salvation nigh:
The' infallible relief
Assured at last to prove,
And lose my depths of sin and grief
In Thy abyss of love.

One thing I now desire,
While for Thy love I stay,
One blessing instantly require,
And will not be said nay;
To genuine holiness
Till Thou my soul restore,
Give joy or grief, give pain or ease,
But bid me sin no more.

103

LXXXVI.

[And let this gross corporeal clay]

And let this gross corporeal clay
Clog the pure, ethereal ray,
And weigh my spirit down,
My spirit shall superior rise,
If Jesus shows me from the skies
That everlasting crown.

Sick, and in pain, why should I grieve?
“Troubled heart, in Me believe,
And heaven, He saith, is thine:”
He went before, that all who mourn
Might triumph in His swift return,
And see the Face Divine.

Fulness of joy His presence gives,
Heaven its heavenliness receives,
When Him unveil'd we see:
Of all our bliss the fount and root,
The tree, the blossom, and the fruit
Is immortality.

My immortality Thou art,
Glorious earnest in my heart,
Jesus, to me be given:
Of Thee possess'd, I ask no more,
But happy in Thy love adore
The Joy of earth and heaven.

LXXXVII.

[O Thou, whose kind compassion]

O Thou, whose kind compassion
Hath lengthen'd out my day,
To see Thy great salvation
Still in the flesh I stay:

104

Thyself the cause unfoldest
Of all Thy patient grace,
My soul in life Thou holdest,
That I may see Thy face.

For this, as tottering over
The grave I feebly stand,
Till Thou Thyself discover,
And bring me safe to land;
I live, though daily dying,
And languish for that peace,
And wait that blood's applying
Which signs my soul's release.

My God, Thou wilt not leave me,
When strength and friends depart,
But graciously forgive me,
And seal it on my heart
In joy beyond expressing,
In comforts from above,
In every gospel blessing,
In all the life of love.

Come then my Consolation,
My Life beyond the grave,
And show me Thy salvation,
And by Thy presence save:
In faith's most strict embraces
O might I compass Thee,
And then in heavenly places
Thy face for ever see.

105

LXXXVIII.

[Of a dejected spirit]

Of a dejected spirit
I want the sovereign cure,
The all-atoning merit
Which makes salvation sure:
In secret meditation
On an expiring God,
I wait the application
Of Jesus' balmy blood.

What but my faithful thinking
On Him who stain'd the tree,
Can prop my nature sinking
In its own misery?
What but the sacred Fountain
Which purged a world of sin,
Can move this guilty mountain,
And give me peace within?

When sick of sin I languish,
My plague incurable,
My wounded spirit's anguish
Will men or angels heal?
So desperate my condition,
I only can confide
In that Divine Physician
Who for His patients died.

His death the sinner raises
With His own love reveal'd,
My mouth is fill'd with praises,
My heart with joy is fill'd;

106

A blessed man forgiven,
A saved, regenerate soul,
I go in peace to heaven,
When faith hath made me whole.

LXXXIX.

[No more amused by earthly things]

No more amused by earthly things,
Or worldly vanity,
Father, my troubled spirit brings
Its last distress to Thee:
Spare me, a little longer spare,
In feeble age I cry,
Thou God, who hear'st the faintest prayer,
And all my sins pass by.

For this alone I wish to live,
That I Thy love may feel,
Thy power a sinner to forgive,
And all my sickness heal;
To live, till I my strength regain
Original, Divine,
Thy favour forfeited obtain,
And in Thine image shine.

This only blessing I implore,
The Gift unspeakable,
The Spirit of life and health and power,
The Witness, Pledge, and Seal:
Nought differing from a servant I,
Till Thou Thy Spirit impart,
And hear Him Abba Father cry
In my poor broken heart.

107

Him as a Spirit of binding fear
Thou hast on me bestow'd,
Sure token of redemption near
With Jesus' sprinkled blood:
The blessed hope lifts up my head,
While in Thy Spirit I groan,
And call out of the deep, and plead
The passion of Thy Son.

What Jesus' blood for me did buy
May I not humbly claim?
Thou canst not, Lord, my suit deny
Who ask in Jesus' name:
I ask what He hath made my right,
A pardon full and free:
And if Thou dost in Him delight,
Thou art well-pleased with me.

Me, me for His dear sake alone
Into Thine arms receive,
And let me feel the peace unknown,
And consciously believe;
By holy confidence Divine
Made ready to depart,
I then my spotless soul resign,
And see Thee as Thou art.

XC.

[Let the redeem'd give thanks and praise]

Let the redeem'd give thanks and praise
To a forgiving God:
My feeble voice I cannot raise,
Till wash'd in Jesus' blood;

108

Till at Thy coming from above
My mountain-sins depart,
And fear gives place to filial love,
And peace o'erflows my heart.

The peace which man can ne'er conceive,
The love and joy unknown,
Wilt Thou not to Thy servant give,
And claim me for Thy own;
My God in Jesus pacified
My God Thyself declare,
And draw me to His open side,
And plunge the sinner there?

Prisoner of hope I still attend
The' appearance of my Lord,
These endless doubts and sins to end,
And speak my soul restored,
Restored by reconciling grace,
With present pardon bless'd,
And fitted by true holiness
For my eternal rest.

Yet ah! my troubled spirit knows
Its own infirmities;
Till God on me His Son bestows,
I cannot die in peace:
A stranger to the' atoning God
Who did our world redeem,
Unless He wash me in His blood,
I have no part with Him.

But wilt Thou not the balm apply,
The purchased blessing give?
Thou didst for every sinner die,
That all mankind may live;

109

That I Thy pardoning love may taste,
May live on earth forgiven,
And in Thy mercy's arms embraced
Return with Thee to heaven.

XCI.

[God of my life preserved by grace]

God of my life preserved by grace
Like Moses' bush amidst the fire,
Teach me to count aright my days,
With wisdom pure my heart inspire,
That busied with the one concern,
I may my remnant life employ
Thy meek humility to learn,
And enter Thy celestial joy.

In number as my days decrease,
In value, Lord, I know, they rise,
And every moment makes them less,
And brings me nearer to the skies;
If taught my talents to improve,
My hours I on account receive,
And live to win Thy precious love,
And only for Thy glory live.

Thy Spirit now if Thou infuse,
My latter end I wisely weigh,
No more the' important moments lose,
No more neglect to watch and pray:
Stirr'd up to seek the God unknown,
My soul awakes to righteousness,
And strives, and pants, and wrestles on
For power to live and die in peace.

110

This instant now I cease from sin,
This instant now I turn to Thee,
And trust Thy blood to make me clean
From all, from all impurity:
The current of Thy powerful blood
Shall all my mountain-sins remove,
Wash off, wash out my nature's load,
And waft me to the port above.

XCII.

[Most sensibly declining]

Most sensibly declining,
Born to resign my breath,
Why should I live repining
At the approach of death?
In peevish lamentation
For life I cannot cry,
Appointed to salvation,
And joys that never die.

O were that point secured,
My sorrows all would cease,
O were my soul assured
Of everlasting peace.
Saviour, I want the witness
Of my felicity,
And languish for that meetness
To share a throne with Thee.

Thy Spirit's attestation,
Added, O God, to mine,
Must be the confirmation
That I am truly Thine:

111

With faith and love inspire
Thy Spirit into my heart,
And let the Sanctifier
Dispose me to depart.

Thy manifested favour
Better than life I feel,
When conscious that my Saviour
Doth in His servant dwell:
The rapturous sensation
Restores my paradise,
Prepares for my translation,
And wafts me to the skies.

Come then my hope of glory,
My unprecarious peace,
My joy untransitory,
My perfect righteousness,
The kingdom of Thy Spirit
Establish, Lord, in me,
And take me up to' inherit
My heaven of heavens in Thee.

XCIII.

[Weary of this daily dying]

Weary of this daily dying,
Crush'd with my own misery,
Lord, Thou hear'st Thy creature crying
After real life in Thee:
Friend of helpless sinners, ease me
By Thy last distressful cries,
By Thy mortal pangs release me
From the death that never dies.

112

Guilt my troubled spirit harrows,
Gives to death his dread array,
Points his sting, and wings his arrows,
Arms him with his power to slay:
Only Thy tremendous passion
Can my fears and sins control,
Save from endless condemnation,
Pacify my ransom'd soul.

O might that revealing Spirit
Take of Thine and show to me,
Show Thy all-redeeming merit,
Thy eternal Deity,
While beneath my burden groaning
I my unbelief confess,
Show my heart the blood atoning,
Bid me then depart in peace.

XCIV.

[With sin and grief beginning]

With sin and grief beginning,
Must I with sorrow end
A wretched life, and sinning
Into the grave descend?
Will mercy's arms receive me,
When all my woes are past?
Or God refuse to give me
Pardon and peace at last?

No longer I endeavour
Myself to justify,
Convinced my Maker's favour
I cannot, cannot buy:

113

No deeds or tempers virtuous
Have I wherein to trust:
If Love will lose His purchase,
I am for ever lost.

But is there no salvation
For sinners lost as me?
But is there no compassion
In Him who stain'd the tree?
Jesus, Thou cam'st from heaven,
And pouredst out Thy blood,
That I might die forgiven,
Might share the throne of God.

Soon as Thy passion tells me
Hope in my end there is,
Soon as Thy Spirit seals me
An heir of endless bliss,
The kingdom to inherit,
I would with joy resign
My disembodied spirit
Into the hands Divine.

XCV.

[Bending beneath the burden]

Bending beneath the burden
Of sinful misery,
I wait to feel the pardon
Thy blood procured for me:
Giver of life unceasing,
Thine aged servant own,
And bless me with the blessing,
The heaven on earth begun.

114

Death I no more desire,
By countless woes oppress'd;
Do Thou my soul require,
Whene'er Thou know'st it best:
Sooner, O God, or later
My soul from earth remove,
But first impart Thy nature,
And change me into love.

XCVI.

[Father, Thy gracious warning]

Father, Thy gracious warning
I thankfully receive,
And to Thy arms returning
Prepare with Thee to live:
Thy prisoner to unshackle
Soon as the angels come,
I quit this tabernacle
For my celestial home.

What is that preparation
For fellowship with Thee,
For final full salvation,
But faith and purity,
The dire handwriting blotted,
The peace and life of God,
The holiness unspotted
Which comes with Jesus' blood!

Its virtue sanctifying
O might I throughly know,
And on His death relying
To life eternal go!

115

Father, send forth His Spirit
Into my hallow'd heart,
And meet Thy throne to' inherit,
Meet am I to depart.

My head with Jesus bending,
On His great sacrifice
I rest my soul, ascending
To joy that never dies;
With Jesus' resignation,
With Jesus' perfect love,
I finish my oblation,
And take my seat above.

PRAYERS FOR A SICK CHILD.

XCVII.

[Righteous, O God, are all Thy ways!]

Righteous, O God, are all Thy ways!
A sinful still-afflicted man
The cause I mournfully confess,
And bleeding with another's pain,
And justly punish'd in my son,
I cry—Thy awful will be done!

The cause in its effect I find,
My sin in its chastisement read:
Thy judgments bring my sin to mind,
And guilty of his death I plead,
If justice now demand its prey,
And Thou art come my son to slay.

Less than Thy least of mercies, I
Have mercies numberless abused,
Worthy a thousand deaths to die
Who life, eternal life refused,

116

Provoked by vile idolatry,
And loved Thy creature more than Thee.

Wherefore Thy righteousness I own,
If Thou the forfeiture require,
If now I hear his latest groan,
And while I see my child expire,
The sorrow break my aching heart,
The sight my soul and body part.

Yet spare him—for His only sake
Who never sinn'd against Thy love,
And from the gates of death bring back,
In honour of my Friend above
Who offers up the sinner's prayer,
Whose blood beseeches Thee to spare.

God of unfathomable grace,
Whom now I in the dust adore,
Omnipotent the dead to raise,
Display the wonders of Thy power,
And kindly give me back my son,
To' exalt and glorify Thine own.

XCVIII.

[Thou God who hear'st the prayer]

Thou God who hear'st the prayer
Of supplicants distress'd,
With pity mark the care
In a sad parent's breast:
I cannot, Lord, dissemble;
But all my weakness own:
Thou know'st for whom I tremble,—
My son, my only son!

117

Thou gav'st on this condition,
That I should ready be
To bow with meek submission,
And yield him back to Thee:
To all Thy dispensations
I would, I would submit,
And weep with humble patience,
And tremble at Thy feet.

I must, I do restore,
If Thou revoke Thy loan,
And silently adore,
Or sigh, Thy will be done:
To Thee his great Creator,
I with my Isaac part:
But O, Thou know'st my nature,
Thou read'st a father's heart.

My bowels of compassion
Thou dost vouchsafe to feel,
With vehement deprecation
While nature's wish I tell;
Ah, do not yet receive him
To that celestial choir,
But hasten to relieve him,
Before my son expire.

This sorrowful petition
Obtain'd Thy gracious ear,
When our Divine Physician
Thou didst on earth appear:
And still I sue for favour,
And still invoke Thy name,
Jesus, my present Saviour,
Eternally the same.

118

Bidden in time of trouble
For help to call on Thee,
Lord, I my suit redouble,
Till Thy design I see:
I never will give over
My passionate request,
Till Thou the child recover,
Or take him to Thy breast.

XCIX.

[Father, Thy froward children spare]

Father, Thy froward children spare,
Who tempt Thee by our daily prayer,
And while we say, Thy will be done,
Alas, we only mean our own.

Yet now permit the sad request
Of parents for their son distress'd,
Nature's infirmity forgive,
If still we ask that he may live.

Prostrate before Thy mercy-seat
We ask; but would our will submit,
Whene'er Thy sovereign will remove
The child, whom next to Thee we love.

We would our earthly bliss resign,
Bestow'd, revoked, by grace Divine,
(If call'd with more than life to part,)
And tear him from our bleeding heart.

But O, before the fix'd decree
Bring forth, may we not cry to Thee,
Our weakness and reluctance own,
And for the faith of Abraham groan?

119

We want our wishes to suspend,
On Thy decisive word to' attend,
Our wishes at Thy feet we lay,
And calmly weep, and humbly pray.

Yet shall we, Lord, our hearts disguise,
Or hide from Thy all-seeing eyes?
Our hearts, till we Thy counsel know,
Will deprecate the threaten'd blow.

Joy of our eyes, our heart's desire,
Ah, do not now our child require:
Or taking whom Thy mercy gave,
Indulge us with a common grave.

There let our mingled ashes lie,
Where no forlorn survivors sigh,
Where none their ravish'd joys deplore,
And Rachel weeps her loss no more.

There—but we know not what to say,
Father, aright we cannot pray—
But Jesus reads the troubled breast—
O let His bowels speak the rest!

C. [Saviour, till Thou declare Thy will]

Saviour, till Thou declare Thy will,
Thy providential mind reveal,
And charge us to submit,
May we not humbly persevere
In pleading for a life so dear,
In weeping at Thy feet?

120

Foolish, and blind to what is best,
We urge, yet check our fond request,
With resignation cry,
Save him—the vessel of Thy grace,
Save him—and for Thy glory raise,
While at the point to die.

Thou didst not blame the father's prayer,
Beseeching Thee his son to spare
Just gasping out his breath:
Thy mercy hasten'd to his aid,
Thy love the parting spirit stay'd,
And rescued him from death.

Another in distress and pain,
Did he apply to Thee in vain,
In vain for succour groan?
Thy pity felt Thy creature's grief,
Removed his helpless unbelief,
And gave him back his son.

Thou couldst not, Lord, Thy help deny,
Regardless of a mother's cry
For her own child oppress'd:
With pleasing importunity
She wrestled, and obtain'd of Thee
Her violent request.

Thy mercy evermore the same
For our afflicted child we claim
Whose dying weight we bear,
Unanswer'd still our suit repeat,
And cry for mercy at Thy feet
In agony of prayer.

121

Thou dost not yet relief afford,
Or speak one comfortable word
In our extreme distress,
As seeming to condemn our fears,
And frown in silence at our tears,
And hide Thy angry face.

Answer, Thou suffering Son of man,
May we not patiently complain,
And feel our threaten'd loss,
Under so huge a burden stoop,
Or deprecate the bitter cup,
Or faint beneath the cross?

Thy mild humanity Divine
Shall help us meekly to resign,
If Thou resume Thine own:
We trust in that tremendous hour,
To say, through love's almighty power,
Thy sovereign will be done.

But if our cry hath reach'd Thy heart,
If still the Man of griefs Thou art,
The Friend of misery,
Thou wilt restore our heart's desire,
With strength to give him back entire
A sacrifice to Thee.

CI.

[Love Divine, the' afflicted see]

Love Divine, the' afflicted see,
Moved with our infirmity,
Once Thyself a Man of grief,
Hasten, Lord, to our relief.

122

Mindful of Thy suffering days,
Now as then replete with grace,
Good Physician, bow the skies,
Come before our infant dies.

Present in Thy balmy power,
Thou canst suddenly restore,
By a word the dying save;
Speak, and snatch him from the grave.

Touching this we both agree,
If Thy blessed will it be,
Now the burning fever chide,
Turn the dart of death aside.

If Thou dost our sorrows share,
Children in Thy bosom bear,
Help an innocent oppress'd,
Give to Thy beloved rest.

While we yet invoke Thy name,
Quench the life-devouring flame;
While we a sad vigil keep,
Grant him in Thy arms to sleep.

Thou his feebleness sustain,
Pity, and assuage his pain,
Thou whose tender mercies are
Kinder than a father's care.

Listening to his plaintive moan,
Make his every grief Thine own,
Thou whose yearning bowels move
Softer than a mother's love.

Need we then prescribe to Thee
Clothed with our humanity,
Succour with impatience crave,
Urge Salvation's self to save?

123

No: we have our suit made known;
Now let all Thy will be done:
Do whate'er Thy Spirit requests,
Do whate'er Thy heart suggests.

CII. THANKSGIVING FOR HIS RECOVERY.

Who is so great a God as ours,
So near with His redeeming powers,
So ready at His creature's cry
To send deliverance from the sky,
To turn aside the ills we dread,
And all our largest hopes exceed!

Thou dost, in answer to our prayer,
A death-devoted victim spare:
Thou hast not, Lord, in wrath removed
A child too tenderly beloved,
But still Thine eye with pity sees
His parents' life wrapp'd up in his.

Thy pity heard our softest tears,
And scatter'd all our griefs and fears,
The means Thy mercy sanctified,
The balmy help Thy love supplied,
And gives our joyful hearts to own
Thou dost the work, and Thou alone.

Our Isaac on the altar laid,
Receiving back as from the dead,
We offer up at mercy's shrine
A living sacrifice Divine:

124

And let him live to health restored,
The servant of his quickening Lord.

Saviour, inspire him with Thy grace
From now to run the Christian race,
From now to seek the things above,
And pant for his Redeemer's love,
Till Thou the heavenly bliss impart,
And spread Thy kingdom through his heart.

Long may he live to serve Thy will
With humble persevering zeal,
To recompense our tenderest tears,
The stay of our declining years,
And close his happy parents' eyes,
And trace us then to paradise.

CIII. ANOTHER.

[Jesus our Refuge in distress]

Jesus our Refuge in distress,
Our Helper hitherto,
We now with joyful hearts confess
That Thou art good and true:
Through importunity of prayer
We have the blessing won,
And Thee in songs of praise declare
The Healer of our son.

Thou didst in tender mercy look
On our fond heart's desire:
The fever, check'd by Thy rebuke,
Did at Thy touch retire:

125

The glory, Lord, to Thee alone,
Not to the means, we give:
Thyself the saving work hast done,
And by Thy love we live.

The living, they Thy love shall praise,
The living, they shall sing
The God and Giver of all grace,
Our Saviour, Friend, and King:
Our Isaac too, to health restored,
Shall the thanksgiving join,
And live to magnify the Lord,
His Ransomer Divine.

O that Thou wouldst Thy power exert,
The gracious wonder do,
Put the new song into his heart,
The song for ever new!
Now let Thy brooding Spirit move
On his awakening soul,
Infuse the principle of love,
And make the sinner whole.

Better than life Thy favour is:
Be it on him bestow'd:
We only ask'd his life for this,
That he may live for God,
Wholly devoted to Thy will,
May run his Christian race,
And all his work on earth fulfil,
And then behold Thy face.

126

FOR A SICK CHILD RELAPSED.

CIV.

[To whom should I in grief complain]

To whom should I in grief complain,
To whom for help in trouble fly?
Nature hath took the' alarm again,
Touch'd is the apple of mine eye,
His danger with my fears return,
And stricken in the child, I mourn.

Thou God of unexhausted grace,
Thou Father of compassions, hear,
And while I humbly seek Thy face,
Thyself in my behalf appear,
Forgive the sin Thy pity sees,
Forgive, and bid me go in peace.

Why should my faltering tongue disown
The weakness of my fluttering heart?
Thou read'st it in the stifled groan,
The fond regret, the lingering smart;
My fears and flowing sorrows tell
I loved the child, alas, too well!

Child of my age so late bestow'd,
So lovely in a father's sight,
So kindly promising for God,
My comfort, joy, and whole delight:
For him I seem'd to live in pain,
And track'd my steps to earth again.

My sin reluctant I confess;
But how shall I my sin forsake,

127

Put off a father's tenderness,
Pluck out my eyes, and give him back?
I cannot yield my son to Thee
Till Thou bestow Thine own on me.

CV.

[Wherewithal shall I appear]

Wherewithal shall I appear
Before the righteous Lord,
How appease the Judge severe
Who whets His glittering sword?
For my soul's offence to atone
Shall I my body's offspring give?
Offering up my only son
To die, that I may live?

Mine, alas, can never pay
The debt I owe to God,
Turn the' Almighty's wrath away
Or quench with all his blood:
But in whom Thou art well pleased,
Father, Thy Son Himself hath died;
By His death Thy wrath appeased,
Thy justice satisfied.

Suffering in the sinner's place,
He purchased life for me,
Pardon, plenitude of grace,
And all I ask from Thee;
All the benefits I claim
Through Him Thou promisest to give;
Lord, I ask in Jesus' name,
My dying child may live.

128

This I ask with strong desire,
Expecting to receive:
Do not now the soul require
Thou dost so oft reprieve:
Kindly lengthen out his span,
And bid him rise redeem'd, restored,
Rise a righteous, godlike man,
An image of his Lord.

CVI. FOR SLEEP.

Sleep that soothingly restores
Weary nature's wasted powers,
Gift of an indulgent God,
Be it on our child bestow'd.

Jesus, Lord, we cry to Thee,
Friend of helpless infancy,
Now the sufferer's grief suspend,
Now the balmy blessing send.

In the arms of faith and prayer
Whom to Thee we humbly bear,
Safe in Thy protection keep,
Let him on Thy bosom sleep.

Touch'd Thyself with human pain,
Sympathising Son of man,
Ease the anguish of his breast,
Lull him in Thy arms to rest.

129

Object of Thy dearest love,
Hide his precious life above,
Precious in the sight of God,
Dearly bought with all Thy blood.

Him we to Thy grace commend,
Confident Thou wilt defend,
Till the answer'd prayer is seal'd,
Till the child of faith is heal'd.

ON HIS RECOVERY.

CVII.

[Saviour, Thou hast deliverance sent]

Saviour, Thou hast deliverance sent,
Thou hast a little longer lent
Whom I received from Thee,
I see Thy healing work begun,
My age's prop, my only son,
Restored to life I see.

With thankful heart I ask for more,
Go on to manifest Thy power,
Thy mercy's full design,
Strength to the faint and feeble give,
And let him for Thy glory live,
In soul and body Thine.

Why would my prayer detain him here,
But that he may with lowly fear
Grow up to serve his Lord,
A witness for his Saviour rise,
Proclaim Thy kingdom from the skies,
And minister Thy word?

130

But shall my will prescribe to Thee?
Or is Thine absolute decree
Inclined by human prayer?
Thy works are all to Thee foreknown,
Thy will, Thy sovereign will alone
Elects a minister.

Yet as Thy own command requires,
I tell Thee all my heart's desires,
For him Thy grace implore;
Let Ishmael in Thy presence live,
Isaac's inheritance receive,
And Abraham's God adore.

On Sion's walls the watchman place,
The free dispenser of Thy grace,
The steward wise and good,
(If now Thou hear'st Thy Spirit's cry,)
Thee let him rise to testify
And pardon in Thy blood.

Thou know'st Thy pleading Spirit's will,
In my accomplish'd wish fulfil
Thy own supreme design;
My son into Thy service take,
Fit for his Master's use, and make
An instrument Divine.

When I from all my labours rest,
Be mindful, Lord, of this request,
For my surviving son:
Into Thy mercy's arms I cast,
And trust Thy love to hold him fast,
Till all his work is done.

131

CVIII.

[O might he live before Thee]

O might he live before Thee
My well-beloved son,
With tender fear adore Thee,
His God while yet unknown!
Thine eye of mercy guide him
Into the land of rest,
And let no ill betide him
By his Creator bless'd.

That from his kind Creator
He never may depart,
Keep in the state of nature
His inexperienced heart;
Unconquer'd by temptation,
By Satan unbeguiled,
From each alluring passion
Preserve my giddy child.

The unsuspicious stranger
To our malignant race
From every hidden danger
Deliver by Thy grace,
From popular infection,
From every great offence
Thy love be the protection
Of thoughtless innocence.

Prevent, restrain, attend him
Through a wide world of ill,
Till Thou call forth and send him
To do Thy blessed will,

132

By Thy predestination
The heavenly seed to sow,
And minister salvation,
And serve Thy saints below.

CIX. HYMN FOR A CHILD ON HIS BIRTHDAY.

Great Author of my being,
Thankful I bow before Thee,
Thine own I am
From whom I came,
And all my powers adore Thee;
I triumph in existence,
Enjoy my Maker's favour,
Created I
To glorify
And love my God for ever.

While all that breathe acknowledge
Their merciful Creator,
O God of grace
Accept the praise
Of universal nature:
And let us with our Father
Adore the Son and Spirit,
Through whom we rise
Beyond the skies,
And heavenly joys inherit.

133

CX. A FATHER'S PRAYER FOR HIS SON.

God of my thoughtless infancy,
My giddy youth, and riper age,
Pierced with Thy love, I worship Thee,
My God, my Guide through every stage;
From countless sins, and griefs, and snares
Preserved, Thy guardian hand I own,
And borne and saved to hoary hairs,
Ask the same mercy for my son.

Not yet by the commandment slain,
O may he uncorrupted live,
His simple innocence retain
And dread an unknown God to grieve:
Restrain'd, prevented by Thy love,
Give him the evil to refuse,
And feel Thy drawings from above,
And good, and life, and virtue choose.

When near the slippery paths of vice
With heedless steps he runs secure,
Preserve the favourite of the skies,
And keep his life and conscience pure:
Shorten his time for childish play,
From youthful lusts and passions screen,
Nor leave him in the wilds to stray
Of pleasure, vanity, and sin.

Soon may the all-inspiring Dove
With brooding wings his soul o'erspread;
The hidden principle of love,
The pure, incorruptible seed,

134

Hasten into his heart to sow;
And when the word of power takes place,
Let every blossom knit and grow,
And ripen into perfect grace.

ON GOING TO A NEW HABITATION.

CXI.

[Weary, why should I farther go]

Weary, why should I farther go,
Or seek a resting-place below
With vain anxiety?
Without the presence of my Lord,
This earth can no repose afford,
Or glimpse of joy for me.

Weeping where'er mine eye I turn,
Fresh cause to weep, lament, and mourn
Mine eye with horror sees;
Nothing but sin and pain appears
In all the dreary vale of tears,
The frightful wilderness.

My paradise is lost and gone,
Distress'd, disconsolate, alone,
A banish'd man I rove,
I faint beneath my nature's load,
An alien from the life of God,
A stranger to His love.

What then is change of place to me?
The end of sin and misery,
In every place is nigh;

135

No spot of earth but yields a grave:
Where'er He wills, if Jesus save,
I lay me down and die.

CXII.

[O that I first of love possess'd]

O that I first of love possess'd,
With my Redeemer's presence bless'd,
Might His salvation see!
Before Thou dost my soul require,
Allow me, Lord, my heart's desire,
And show Thyself to me.

Appear my Sanctuary from sin,
Open Thine arms to take me in,
By Thy own presence hide,
Hide in the place where Moses stood,
And show me now the face of God,
My Father pacified.

What but Thy manifested grace
Can guilt, and fear, and sorrow chase,
The cause of grief destroy?
Thy mercy brings salvation sure,
Makes all my heart and nature pure,
And fills with hallow'd joy.

Come quickly, Lord, the veil remove,
Pass as a God of pardoning love
Before my ravish'd eyes:
And when I in Thy person see
Jehovah's glorious majesty,
I find my paradise.

136

Then, then my wandering toil is o'er,
Restless I sigh and pine no more
For local happiness;
Confident in Thy blood applied,
Mine inmost soul is satisfied
With everlasting peace.

Then, then where'er Thy will below
Assign my lot, with Thee I go
A happy man forgiven:
I know my God is reconciled,
Regain my Eden in the wild,
And glide from earth to heaven.

CXIII.

[The Son of man supplies]

The Son of man supplies
My every outward need,
Who had not, when He left the skies,
A place to lay His head:
He will provide my place,
And in due season show
Where I shall pass my few sad days
Of pilgrimage below.

No matter where or how
I in this desert live,
If, when my dying head I bow,
Jesus my soul receive:
Bless'd with Thy precious love,
Saviour, 'tis all my care
To reach the purchased house above,
And find a mansion there.

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A house with hands not made
Hast Thou not bought for me?
The full stupendous price was paid
In blood on yonder tree!
But ere Thou call me hence,
Lord, with Thyself impart
The pledge of mine inheritance,
And fill my loving heart.

An heir of endless bliss
Now in a tent I dwell,
Till Thou my spotless soul dismiss
To joys unspeakable,
Till Thou in that glad day
Make all Thy glories known,
And to the heavenly house convey,
And bid me share Thy throne.

CXIV.

[Jesus, my faithful Guide]

Jesus, my faithful Guide,
For Thy advice I stay,
Who wilt not let me wander wide
Of Thy appointed way:
Till Thou reveal Thy will,
In calm uncertainty
I know not what to do, but still
Mine eyes are fix'd on Thee.

Till Thou direction send,
Delightfully resign'd
I mark the openings, and attend
The tokens of Thy mind;

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What Thou wouldst have me do
By plainest signs to prove
I wait; and step by step pursue
The leadings of Thy love.

Saviour, I would not take
One step in life, alone,
Or dare the smallest motion make
Without Thy counsel known:
Thee I my Lord confess,
In everything I see,
And Thou by Thine unerring grace
Shalt order all for me.

Surely Thou wilt provide
The place Thou know'st I need,
The solitary place to hide
Thy hoary servant's head;
Where a few moments more,
Expecting my release,
I may my father's God adore,
And then depart in peace.

CXV.

[What matters it to me]

What matters it to me,
When a few days are past,
Where I shall end my misery,
Where I shall breathe my last?
The meanest house or cot
The hoary hairs may screen
Of one who would be clean forgot,
And live and die unseen.

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Exposed I long have been
In this bleak vale of tears,
Midst scenes of vanity and sin
Consumed my threescore years:
I turn my face aside,
Sick of beholding more,
And wish the latest storm to' outride,
And reach the happy shore.

As dead already here,
Without desire or hope,
Till from this earth I disappear,
I give the creature up,
In temporal despair
Contentedly abide,
And in my flesh the tokens bear
Of Jesus crucified.

A prisoner of the Lord,
Where He appoints I wait,
In age to be renew'd, restored
To my unsinning state,
My only want I feel
Jesus my peace to know,
In Him to live, in Him to dwell,
And die to all below.

Jesus, my hope, my rest,
This load of sin remove,
Thy name, Thy nature manifest
In purity and love:

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And when in knowing Thee
The heavenly life I live,
Set my imprison'd spirit free,
And to Thyself receive.

CXVI.

[Giver of every useful gift]

Giver of every useful gift,
My thankful heart to Thee I lift,
Who hast a cottage given
To lodge a poor wayfaring man,
Till I my long-sought country gain,
And find my house in heaven.

Indulged with an obscure retreat,
Ah, never leave me to forget
That this is not my home;
A sojourner and stranger still,
I suffer and perform Thy will,
Till my Redeemer come.

I seek not my repose below,
If, long a man of strife and woe,
I to the desert fly:
If Thou a moment's respite give,
Thou know'st I come not here to live,
I only come to die.

Author of godly sorrow, meet,
And suffer me to kiss Thy feet,
And bathe them with my tears,
My sins, though pardon'd, to bewail,
Till Thou release me from the vale,
And life in death appears.

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The broken, contrite spirit give,
And lo, I come to weep and grieve,
And long for my remove;
I gasp to breathe my native air,
When once enabled to declare
Thou know'st that Thee I love.

Ah, take me, Saviour, at my word,
Pronounce me now to peace restored,
To purity of heart,
Snatch from this soothing solitude
My soul in spotless love renew'd,
And bid me now depart.

CXVII. FOR A WOMAN IN THE BEGINNING OF HER TRAVAIL.

Jesus, the woman's conquering Seed,
Who didst our world of sorrows bear,
Stand by me in my greatest need,
And now accept my plaintive prayer:
The painful curse entail'd by Eve
On me, on all the weaker kind,
O may I patiently receive,
And turn'd into a blessing find.

Thou hast redeem'd in troubles past
A soul that did on Thee rely;
And still I hold the promise fast,
And still expect salvation nigh:
I trust that as my pangs increase,
Thou wilt my fainting spirit revive,
And nearest in my last distress
Thy most abundant comforts give.

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O'erwhelm'd at times with chilling fears,
Thou dost not leave me without hope;
Thy secret power and presence cheers
And lifts my sinking nature up:
Again Thy gracious strength I own
Display'd in man's infirmity;
And never did Thy Spirit groan
For help in one so weak as me!

CXVIII. FOR THE SAME IN TRAVAIL.

Jesus, Son of Mary, hear
Our help-imploring cry,
Lord of life and death, appear
With Thy salvation nigh:
God of grace and boundless power,
And never-failing faithfulness,
Bring her through the torturing hour,
And bid her live in peace.

Caught as in the toils of hell,
Thine own with pity see:
Nature's strength and spirits fail
If unrenew'd by Thee:
Ere the grisly king devour,
Our Refuge in extreme distress,
Bring her through the torturing hour,
And bid her live in peace.

By the travail of Thy soul,
Thy more than mortal pain,
All her fears of death control,
Her fainting heart sustain:

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Streams of consolation shower
On one Thy love delights to bless;
Bring her through the torturing hour,
And bid her live in peace.

Bid her live in peace Divine,
In holiness and love,
Witnessing that power of Thine
Which hides her life above:
Speak the direful conflict o'er,
Thou God whose mercies never cease,
Now conclude the torturing hour,
And bid her live in peace.

CXIX. AFTER HER DELIVERY.

Thee faithful and true, O Jesus, we praise,
Omnipotent too, And plenteous in grace:
Of life the kind Giver, Thy goodness we prove,
Which loves to deliver Who hang on Thy love.

Brought through the dread hour And torturing fires,
The proof of Thy power And mercy respires,
The promise declaring Thy truth she receives,
And saved in childbearing Thy confessor lives.

She lives to extol Thy wonderful name,
And invocate all Her Lord to proclaim,
To sing of her Saviour And Lover Divine,
And rest in Thy favour Eternally Thine.

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CXX. ANOTHER.

[Thee our strength and righteousness]

Thee our strength and righteousness,
Jesus, we with joy confess:
Mighty to redeem from death,
Thou hast spread Thine arms beneath,
Kept her, till the hour was past,
Scarcely saved—yet saved at last.

Mighty to redeem from pain,
Turn, and visit her again:
Till Thy breath again revives,
In the shade of death she lives,
In extreme infirmity
Dying still for want of Thee.

Make her, Lord, Thy constant care,
In Thy loving bosom bear:
Moved by our continued cry,
Thy balsamic blood apply,
Nature's sinking powers restore,
Give her life for evermore.

While Thou dost her soul renew,
Quicken her frail body too,
While she hangs in even scale,
Let the prayer of faith prevail,
Present in Thy power to heal,
On her heart the answer seal.

CXXI. ANOTHER.

[Let the redeem'd by grace]

Let the redeem'd by grace
Their kind Redeemer praise:

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Ransom'd from the gaping grave,
Jesus hid my life above,
Ready was my Lord to save
The dear object of His love.

Pluck'd from the jaws of death,
Saviour, Thy praise I breathe,
Pledge of greater mercies still
This deliverance I receive,
Live to' experience all Thy will,
Only for Thy glory live.

Thy healing work begun
Wilt Thou not carry on,
Nature's wasted strength repair,
Clothe my flesh with vigour new,
That I may Thy power declare,
Testify that Thou art true?

But most I long to prove
The sweetness of Thy love:
Filial love for servile fear
Shed it in my heart abroad;
Now as slain for me appear,
Show Thyself the pardoning God.

Incapable of rest
Till of Thy love possess'd,
Comforted I cannot be,
Till Thou dost the grace bestow,
Wrestling in Thy strength with Thee,
Weakness will not let Thee go.

Reserved for this alone
To know as I am known,

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Come with Thy salvation, Lord,
Let my sins no longer part,
Speak the reconciling word,
Speak Thyself into my heart.

CXXII. FOR A SICK CHILD.

So foolish, ignorant, and blind
To that Thy wisdom hath design'd,
What shall I to my Father say,
Or how for a sick infant pray?
With pain he doth his life begin,
Who never copied Adam's sin,
Yet, innocent, in plaintive groans
The' original offence he owns.

May I not suffer his distress,
And ask my God his pain to ease?
Or, if it be Thy gracious will,
My child in season due to heal?
May I not, till Thy will appears,
Indulge these unrebellious tears,
My suit unblamable repeat,
And mourn, submissive, at Thy feet?

Fountain of unexhausted love,
For ever streaming from above,
My nature's soft infirmity
I feel, a drop derived from Thee!
And wilt Thou not accept Thy own,
Mix'd with the sorrows of Thy Son,
Exalted by that sacred flood,
And offer'd up through Jesus' blood!

147

For Jesus' sake my son retrieve,
And bid him for Thy glory live,
Live to proclaim his Saviour's praise,
A herald of redeeming grace;
Of future good I ask a sign,
Now, Father, seal the vessel Thine,
And let him serve his Lord alone,
And live, till all Thy will is done.

CXXIII. FOR A SICK FRIEND.

Jesus, omnipotent to save
Both soul and body from the grave,
Thy saving power exert,
The outcast's Hope, the sinner's Friend,
With all Thy balmy grace descend
Into a broken heart.

Thou must admit the sinner's plea,
And help his desperate misery
Who feels himself undone,
Who fears to lift his guilty eyes,
Or only by his silence cries
For mercy at Thy throne.

Thy bowels melt at his distress,
Thy heart o'erflows with tenderness,
And for his sorrows bleeds,
Thy Spirit of supplicating love
One with his Advocate above
In all the members pleads.

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Mercy we ask in Jesus' name,
Mercy for a mere sinner claim;
Mercy and Thou art one:
Nor canst Thou, Lord, Thyself deny,
While all the church for mercy cry,
And in Thy Spirit groan.

Come then, his life, his strength, his peace,
The prisoner let Thy blood release,
Thy blood the patient heal,
While prostrate at Thy feet we pray,
Thy blood wash all his sins away,
And now his pardon seal.

This moment come, and touch his hand,
This moment, dearest Lord, command
The fever to depart,
This moment let our faithful prayer
Thy answer to his conscience bear,
And reach his happy heart.

CXXIV. THE COLLIER'S HYMN.

Teacher, Friend of foolish sinners,
Take the praise Of Thy grace
From us young beginners.
Struck with loving admiration,
Hear us tell Of Thy zeal
For our soul's salvation.

Foes to God and unforgiven
Once we were, Distant far,
Far as hell from heaven;

149

But we have through Thee found favour,
Brought to God By Thy blood,
O Thou precious Saviour.

Thou hast in the weak and feeble
Power display'd, Call'd and made
Us Thy favourite people:
Us the vulgar and obscure
Thou dost own; Us unknown,
Ignorant and poor.

Simple folk and undiscerning,
Nothing we Know but Thee,
Love is all our learning:
We with loving hearts adore Thee,
This our deep Scholarship,
This is all our glory.

Thou, we know, hast died to save us,
We are Thine, Love Divine,
Thou who bought'st shalt have us:
Taught and led by Thy good Spirit,
We shall soon Share Thy throne,
All Thy joys inherit.

Here is knowledge rare, and hidden
From the wise, Who despise
All our inward Eden;
Thou to us the truth hast given,
We in Thee, (Happy we!)
Know the way to heaven.

150

CXXV. THE YOUNG MAN'S HYMN.

How shall a young unstable man
To evil prone like me,
His actions and his heart maintain
From all pollution free?
Thee, Lord, that I may not forsake,
Or ever turn aside,
Thy precepts for my rule I take,
Thy Spirit for my guide.

Govern'd by the engrafted word,
And principled with grace,
I shall not yield to sin abhorr'd,
Or give to passion place:
From youthful lusts I still shall flee,
From all the paths of vice,
My omnipresent Saviour see,
And walk before Thine eyes.

Saviour, to me Thy Spirit give,
That through His power I may
Thy word effectually believe,
And faithfully obey;
From every great transgression pure,
For all Thy will prepared,
Thy servant to the end endure,
And gain the full reward.

CXXVI. THE MAIDEN'S HYMN.

Holy Child of heavenly birth,
God made man, and born on earth,

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Virgin's Son, impart to me
Thy unsullied purity.

In my pilgrimage below
Only Thee I pant to know,
Every creature I resign,
Thine, both soul and body, Thine.

Fairer than the sons of men,
Over me Thy sway maintain:
Perfect loveliness Thou art,
Take my undivided heart.

All my heart to Thee I give,
All Thy holiness receive,
Live to make my Saviour known,
Live to please my God alone:

Free from low, distracting care,
For the happy day prepare,
For the joys that never die,
For my Bridegroom in the sky.

Here betroth'd to Thee in love,
I shall see my Lord above,
Lean on my Redeemer's breast,
In Thy arms for ever rest.

CXXVII. FOR AN UNCONVERTED HUSBAND.

Searcher of hearts, to Thee I fly,
In doubly deep distress apply
For help to Thee alone:
I want to feel Thy pardoning love,
I want my partner's heart to prove
That mystic peace unknown.

152

Thy goodness form'd, and turn'd his mind,
Thou mad'st him generous, just, and kind;
Yet O, incarnate God,
Through Thee escaped the gulf of vice,
In nature's deadly sleep he lies,
Nor pants to feel Thy blood.

Thou know'st, if not a foe profess'd,
A stranger to Thy cross, at rest
Without Thy grace he lives;
Thoughtless of death and judgment near,
His joy, his good, his portion here
Contented he receives.

Saviour, his slumbering spirit call,
Awake, upraise him from his fall,
And show the fountain nigh:
Ah, give him now himself to see,
To feel his need of faith and Thee,
And then his need supply.

Till he awakes I cannot rest,
Or bless'd myself be singly bless'd,
To him so closely join'd,
Flesh of his flesh, bone of his bone;
Thyself of twain hast made us one
In will, and heart, and mind.

O might we one become in Thee,
The great mysterious unity
Of sacred wedlock prove,
To Sion hand in hand repair,
And fitted for Thy presence, share
The marriage-feast above.

153

CXXVIII. FOR A PERSECUTING HUSBAND.

Saviour, let Thy will be done,
Calling me Thy cross to bear:
Thee my heavenly Lord I own,
Cast on Thee my mournful care;
By my bosom-friend distress'd,
In Thy sovereign will I rest.

Persecution for Thy sake
Strengthen'd by Thy grace to' endure,
No complaint to man I make;
Find in God my refuge sure;
Confident, Thy pity hears,
Counts my supplicating tears.

Still mine eyes for him o'erflow
Whom Thyself hast join'd to me:
Partner of my weal and woe,
Can I his destruction see?
See his soul insensible
Madly rushing down to hell?

Summon'd to Thy judgment-seat,
(Who the dreadful thought can bear!)
Must we in Thy presence meet,
Meet to part for ever there?
Must he then receive his hire,
Cursed into eternal fire?

God of love, his doom prevent,
Lengthening out his gracious day:
Give the rebel to relent,
Force his stubborn heart to pray:

154

Pray Thyself that he may live:
Slay him first; and then forgive.

Let him now unclose his eyes,
Turn'd from Satan's power to Thee,
See the' atoning Sacrifice,
Hear the blood that pleads for me;
Pleads for both, that saved by grace
Both may see Thy glorious face.

CXXIX. FOR AN UNCONVERTED WIFE.

Restorer of the sin-sick race,
Thy balmy power exert,
And turn by unresisted grace
My dear companion's heart:
One flesh whom Thou hast made of two,
(For Thy own nature's sake,
In proof that Thou art good and true,)
In Thee one spirit make.

In every hour of near access
I bear her to the throne,
And wrestle on, till Thou impress
On her Thy name unknown:
An interest if in Thee I have,
And feel Thy Spirit's life,
O let the faithful husband save
The unbelieving wife.

Instruct me, Saviour, when to yield
With mitigated zeal,

155

And when by true affection steeled
To stand invincible:
Arm'd with the meekness of my Lord,
The wisdom from above,
Give me to win without the word,
And conquer her by love.

Thy boundless charity Divine
Into my bosom breathe,
And gladly I my life resign,
To save her soul from death;
Give up my residue of days,
That she may live forgiven,
And run with joy the Christian race.
And follow me to heaven.

CXXX. FOR AN UNDUTIFUL SON.

Father of everlasting grace,
Who hast the prodigal forgiven,
Folded me in Thy kind embrace,
And gladden'd all Thy house in heaven;
Again Thy mercy's depths make known,
And save my poor rebellious son.

Far from Thy family removed,
With eyes of soft compassion see
A soul for Jesus' sake beloved,
And look the wanderer back to Thee,
Incline his stubborn heart to grieve,
And, when he turns his face, forgive.

156

I cannot, Lord, of him despair,
Hoping myself for final bliss,
Trusting in Jesus' blood and prayer,
That powerful Advocate of his,
That only sinless Son of Thine,
Who asks eternal life for mine.

Faith echoes to His prayer above,
And reaches now Thy pitying ear:
The rebel shall Thy mercy prove,
Adorn'd in the best robe appear,
And see his heavenly Father's face,
And feast for ever on Thy grace.

CXXXI. FOR UNCONVERTED RELATIONS.

Jesus, I at Thy throne appear,
For those who have not known Thy grace,
To me, alas, by nature near,
But far from Thee and righteousness!
As dead in trespasses to-day,
As I was yesterday, they rest:
But Tho hast stirr'd me up to pray,
And wilt accept Thine own request.

I ask for them the life of faith,
Who never sinn'd that deadly sin:
O could I snatch from second death,
Divinely wise their souls to win;
To time my every kind advice!
Or, if my words they will not hear,
To set my life before their eyes,
And in Thy character appear!

157

Help me to put Thy bowels on,
From proud contempt and anger free,
By meekest zeal to bear them down,
By faith and fervent charity:
To serve and succour them, and tend,
For evil benefits return,
And bear their manners to the end,
As Thou hast all my manners borne.

I now for their awakening stay,
And hoping against hope abide,
To see them cast their sins away,
And fall before The Crucified:
I trust Thine instrument to prove
For saving souls redeem'd by Thee:
But patience first and humble love
Must have its perfect work in me.

CXXXII. FOR A FAMILY IN WANT.

Father, who know'st the things we need,
Before Thy children cry,
Give us this day our daily bread,
As manna from the sky.

By providential love bestow'd
Thy blessings we receive,
And satisfied with scanty food
Miraculously live.

We live, but not by bread alone,
Without distracting care,
A life invisible, unknown,
A life of faith and prayer:

158

We on Thy only word depend
Who nothing here possess,
Relieved by the unfailing Friend
Of indigent distress.

The Portion of the poor Thou art,
Who Thy commands obey,
And trust Thou never wilt depart,
But keep us to that day;

When borne aloft on angels' wings,
As Lazarus we rest,
Enthroned with Jesus' priests and kings
At heaven's eternal feast.

CXXXIII. BEFORE WORK.

Come, let us anew
Our calling pursue,
Go forth with the sun,
And rejoice as a giant our circuit to run:
Whom Jesus commands
To work with our hands,
Obeying His word,
We a service perform to our heavenly Lord.

While we labour for Him
And each moment redeem,
His service we own
Our freedom indeed, and our heaven begun:
If He give us a smile
We are paid for our toil;
If our work He approve,
'Tis a work of the Lord, and a labour of love.

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Our wages are sure
Who His burden endure;
And we cannot complain
Of our daily delight as a wearisome pain;
The labour is o'er
And fatigues us no more
When a moment is past,
But the blessed effect shall eternally last.

THE MASTER'S HYMN.

CXXXIV.

[Jesus, my Master in the sky]

Jesus, my Master in the sky,
Govern and guide me with Thine eye,
And teach me to fulfil
With strict fidelity and just
The charge committed to my trust,
And answer all Thy will.

Not harsh, imperious, or austere,
But gentle to my servants here
I would Thy word obey,
Render to each his lawful right,
And rule my house, as in Thy sight,
With mild paternal sway.

To persons Thou hast no respect;
And shall I scornfully reject
My meanest servant's plea?
Is he not (by my Maker made,
And in the sacred balance weigh'd,)
As dear to God as me?

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Brethren in our Creator's eyes,
I dare not injure, or despise
The workmanship of God,
Who me their earthly lord confess,
Heirs of my Saviour's righteousness,
And bought with all His blood.

Then let me tenderly entreat,
And give them what is right and meet,
As Thou to me hast given;
But make their souls my chiefest care,
Their souls as in my bosom bear,
And train them up for heaven.

I would in Abraham's footsteps go,
Instruct my house their God to know,
And walk in all Thy ways,
Till each the' allotted work hath done,
And wafted to the land unknown
Appears before Thy face.

CXXXV.

[Master supreme, I look to Thee]

Master supreme, I look to Thee
For grace and wisdom from above!
Vested with Thy authority,
Endue me with Thy patient love;
That taught, according to Thy will,
To rule my family aright,
I may the' appointed charge fulfil
With all my heart and all my might.

161

Inferiors as a sacred trust
I from the sovereign Lord receive,
That what is suitable and just
Impartial I to each may give;
O'erlook them with a guardian's eye,
From vice and wickedness restrain,
Mistakes or lesser faults pass by,
And govern with a looser rein.

The servant faithful and discreet
Gentle to him, and good, and mild,
Him I would tenderly entreat,
And scarce distinguish from a child;
Yet let me not my place forsake,
The' occasion of his stumbling prove,
The servant to my bosom take,
And mar him by familiar love.

Order if some invert, confound,
Their Lord's authority betray,
I hearken to the gospel-sound
And trace the providential way,
As far from abjectness as pride,
With condescending dignity:
Jesus, I make Thy word my guide,
And keep the post assign'd by Thee.

O could I emulate the zeal
Thou dost to Thy poor servants bear!
The troubles, griefs, and burdens feel
Of souls entrusted to my care,

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In daily prayer to God commend
The souls whom God expired to save,
And think—how soon my sway shall end,
And all be equal in the grave!

CXXXVI.

[How shall I walk my God to please]

How shall I walk my God to please,
And spread content and happiness
O'er all beneath my care,
A pattern to my household give,
And as a guardian-angel live,
As Jesus' minister?

The opposite extremes I see
Remissness and severity,
And know not how to shun
The precipice on either hand;
While in a narrow path I stand,
And dread to venture on.

Shall I through indolence supine
Neglect, betray my charge Divine,
My delegated power?
The souls I from my Lord receive,
Of each I an account must give
At that tremendous hour.

A lion in my house, shall I
My tame inferiors terrify
By fierce tyrannic sway,
Despotic as an eastern prince
By regal arguments convince,
Compel them to obey?

163

Of angry man the' impatience proud
Works not the righteousness of God,
Nor true respect begets:
Proud wrath can only wrath create,
And cringing fear and smother'd hate
In slaves and hypocrites.

Lord over all, and God most high,
Jesu, to Thee for help I cry,
For constancy of grace,
That taught by Thy good Spirit and led,
I may with confidence proceed,
And all Thy footsteps trace.

O teach me my first lesson now,
And when to Thy sweet yoke I bow,
Thy easy service prove,
Lowly and meek in heart, I see
The art of governing like Thee
Is governing by love.

CXXXVII.

[I and my house will serve the Lord]

I and my house will serve the Lord,
But first, obedient to His word
I must myself appear,
By actions, words, and tempers show
That I my heavenly Master know,
And serve with heart sincere.

I must the fair example set,
From those who on my pleasure wait
The stumbling-block remove;

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Their duty by my life explain,
And still in all my works maintain
The dignity of love.

Easy to be entreated, mild,
Quickly appeased and reconciled,
A follower of my God,
A saint indeed I long to be,
And lead my faithful family
In the celestial road.

Lord, if Thou didst the wish infuse,
A vessel fitted for Thy use
Into Thy hands receive;
Work in me both to will, and do,
And show them how believers true,
And real Christians live.

With all-sufficient grace supply,
And lo, I come to testify
The wonders of Thy name,
Which saves from sin, the world, and hell,
Whose virtue every heart may feel,
And every tongue proclaim.

A sinner saved myself from sin,
I come my relatives to win,
To preach their sins forgiven;
Children, and wife, and servants seize,
And through the ways of pleasantness
Conduct them all to heaven.

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CXXXVIII. HYMN FOR THE HEAD OF AN UNCONVERTED FAMILY.

Father of earth and heaven,
Permit me to complain
Of those Thy love to me hath given,
Who bear Thy name in vain:
As yet I cannot see
The marks of grace Divine,
Or one of all my family
Adopted into Thine.

Strangers or foes to God,
Dead, dead in sin they live,
And thoughtless, with the worldly crowd,
Their hearts to pleasure give:
The paths of gospel-peace,
Alas, they have not known,
But hate the power of godliness,
And love themselves alone.

My life of faith and prayer
As madness they condemn,
My ways so strict they cannot bear,
So contrary to them:
My counsels they despise,
When kindly I reprove,
And stop their ears, and shut their eyes,
And trample on my love.

Day after day I mourn,
And wait their change to see:
When wilt Thou touch their hearts, and turn
The wanderers back to Thee?

166

Mercy on them be show'd
In honour of Thy Son;
Nor let them perish in their blood
For whom He pour'd His own.

Father, for Jesus' sake,
Thy quickening Spirit breathe,
And let their precious souls awake,
Nor sleep in endless death:
My household-foes convert,
From Satan's power release,
And then permit me to depart
In everlasting peace.

THE SERVANT'S HYMN.

CXXXIX.

[Jesus, the Lord most high]

Jesus, the Lord most high,
Thy poorest servant own,
And give me strength to glorify,
And serve my God alone;
Inspired with humble fear,
And principled with grace,
My earthly master to revere,
As standing in Thy place.

Thine acceptable will
(If Thou the power impart)
In his I cheerfully fulfil,
And with a single heart:
Not with eye-service vain
A flatter'd worm to please,
But God, who knows what is in men,
And all our motives sees.

167

Whate'er for man I do,
I do as to the Lord,
From God the merciful and true
Expecting my reward:
And whether bond or free,
I know Thou wilt approve,
And crown our services to Thee
With Thy eternal love.

CXL.

[O that I always may]

O that I always may
My honour'd master please,
And his paternal care repay
With faithful services!
My study and delight
With warm, unwearied zeal
To do, as in Jehovah's sight,
My honour'd master's will.

If those who know not God
Their kind reprovers spurn,
Or stubborn, petulant, and loud
The answer prompt return;
The chidings of my lord
Let me with awe receive,
And wounded by a hasty word
In modest silence grieve.

Harden'd in sordid sin,
The basest of the throng,
By pilfering and purloining mean
If slaves their masters wrong;

168

My constant care shall be
My faithfulness to' approve,
And guard his sacred property
Whom I revere and love.

Jesus, with loving fear
My simple heart inspire,
So shall I serve Thy servant here
For conscience, not for hire;
In free subjection live,
In everything obey,
And all my recompence receive
At that triumphant day!

CXLI.

[Lord, if Thou hast on me bestow'd]

Lord, if Thou hast on me bestow'd
A master, not humane and good,
But froward and severe,
Assist the servant of Thy will
With grace and wisdom to fulfil
The Christian character.

Trampled as dirt beneath his feet,
O may I quietly submit
To all his stern decrees,
Insults and wrongs in silence bear,
And serve with conscientious care
Whom I can never please.

Under the galling iron yoke
To Thee my only help I look,
To Thee in secret groan:

169

I cannot murmur or complain,
But meekly all my griefs sustain
For Thy dear sake alone.

The promise stands for ever sure,
The griefs I for Thy sake endure
My crown and joy shall be:
But all my strength of patient grace,
And all my glorious happiness
Is a free gift from Thee.

CXLII.

[Why in the neighbourhood of hell]

Why in the neighbourhood of hell,
Saviour, am I constrain'd to dwell
Who would be wholly Thine,
Subjected to a furious lord,
Who heaven provokes at every word,
And dares the wrath Divine!

A witness of his frantic ways,
His drunken, riotous excess,
Am I a partner too?
Jesus, mine eyes are unto Thee:
Show in this sad perplexity
What should Thy servant do?

Must I the' infernal language hear
Tormenting to a sober ear,
And not reprove his sin?
Words from his slaves he cannot brook,
But let him meet my mournful look,
And stand condemn'd within.

170

Him let my blameless life reprove,
My labour of unwearied love,
My active zeal to please,
To serve his will by day and night,
As one who in a world of light
A heavenly Master sees.

By duteous and respectful awe
O might I his attention draw
To principles unseen!
A testimony from Thy foe
Extort, that those who Jesus know
Give all their due to men.

Then let his waken'd soul arise,
Shake off the chains of vulgar vice,
And every sin abhorr'd,
Till pardon makes him truly free,
And turns his heart to serve with me
Our dear redeeming Lord.

CXLIII.

[Servant of Christ, on Him I call]

Servant of Christ, on Him I call,
The help and sure resource of all
His followers in distress;
Saviour, in my defence arise;
My soul as among lions lies,
And no deliverance sees.

Departing from their sinful way,
I make myself the sinner's prey,
Provoke the sons of night

171

(While good for evil I return)
To hunt me down with cruel scorn,
And rancorous despite.

Thy confessor I stand alone,
My heavenly Lord and Master own,
By them alas denied:
The alien host is always near,
Yet cannot I their outrage fear
With Jesus on my side.

I cannot haughtily contemn,
Or once prefer myself to them,
Or bitterly reprove
The slaves of open wickedness;
I differ through Thy only grace,
And freely pardoning love.

Thou know'st their unrelenting hate,
Who daily for my halting wait,
And wish my fall to see;
Strike their insidious malice blind,
Or let them no occasion find,
Except my zeal for Thee.

My zeal be warm, and wise, and meek:
Instruct me, Saviour, when to speak,
And when in silence stay,
That ready to take up my cross,
I never may disgrace Thy cause,
I never may betray.

The gospel-pearl, the truth Divine,
I would not, Lord, expose to swine,
The mysteries of grace

172

To men of life and lips impure,
Or tell them of my pardon sure,
And perfect holiness.

No: rather let my actions tell
That a poor soul redeem'd from hell
Doth his Redeemer own,
Fears a forgiving God to' offend,
Studies to please so dear a Friend,
And lives for Him alone.

My life, a copy fair from Thine,
Must in the eyes of sinners shine,
If Thou Thine arrows dart,
Thine old rebellious foes subdue,
Convert them into creatures new,
And reign in every heart.

Jesus, I will not let Thee go,
Till Thou to these Thy mercy show,
And made the sons of God
Their dear Redeemer they proclaim,
Obtain salvation in Thy name,
And pardon in Thy blood.

CXLIV.

[With a believing master bless'd]

With a believing master bless'd,
His equal in the Saviour's eyes,
His brother in the Lord confess'd,
Shall I neglect him, or despise?
Forget the difference of estate,
And scorn at his commands to bow,
As high and low, as small and great
Were all upon a level now!

173

Rather I would with warmer zeal
My just fidelity approve,
Gladly perform his utmost will,
And love whom God is pleased to love,
Worthy of double honour deem
The heir of joys that never end,
And serve and cordially esteem
Whom Jesus deigns to call His friend.

Giver of all good gifts, on me,
On all who bear the yoke, bestow
The wisdom, and humility,
Our station and ourselves to know,
Our masters to obey and prize;
Lest failing in allegiance here,
We force the world with taunting cries
To ask, Is this your godly fear!

If stubborn, insolent, and proud,
We tempt even heathens to exclaim,
And urge the sacrilegious crowd
To vilify the Christian name:
The faith which such as you profess
Must error or imposture be,
A mere pretence for idleness,
Or cover for hypocrisy.

But if the gospel we obey,
Our will to God and man resign,
All honour to our masters pay,
And worship only not Divine;

174

His uncontested witnesses
We praise the doctrine of our Lord,
Prove to their hearts the truth of grace,
And sinners save without the word.

CXLV. A PARENT'S PRAYER.

O never let my children live
The devil's to become,
Their God by wickedness to grieve,
Their substance to consume;
Far from Thy family to rove,
The tempter's easy prey,
And forfeit Thine eternal love,
And cast their souls away.

Rather permit them to expire
In life's unclouded morn,
And join them to the virgin-choir,
The church of the first-born:
Before Thy statutes they forsake,
Allow my just request,
And through the wounds of Jesus take
The infants to Thy breast.

My fairest prospects I forego,
So Thou with safety bless,
And ere they good or evil know,
The innocents release:
I ask as with my parting breath,
To each allotted be
A holy life, or early death:
But which I leave to Thee.

175

CXLVI. TO BE SUNG AT THE TEA-TABLE.

How happy are we
Who in Jesus agree
To expect His return from above!
We sit under our Vine,
And delightfully join
In the praise of His excellent love.

How pleasant and sweet
(In His name when we meet)
Is His fruit to our spiritual taste!
We are banqueting here
On angelical cheer,
And the joys that eternally last.

Invited by Him,
We drink of the stream
Ever-flowing in bliss from the throne;
Who in Jesus believe
We the Spirit receive
That proceeds from the Father and Son.

The unspeakable grace
He obtain'd for our race,
And the Spirit of faith He imparts;
Then, then we conceive
How in heaven they live
By the kingdom of God in our hearts.

True believers have seen
The Saviour of men,
As His head He on Calvary bow'd;
We shall see Him again,
When with all His bright train
He descends on the luminous cloud.

176

We remember the word
Of our crucified Lord,
When He went to prepare us a place,
“I will come in that day,
And transport you away,
And admit to a sight of My face.”

With earnest desire
After Thee we aspire,
And long Thy appearing to see;
Till our souls Thou receive
In Thy presence to live,
And be perfectly happy in Thee.

Come, Lord, from the skies,
And command us to rise
Ready made for the mansions above;
With our Head to ascend,
And eternity spend
In a rapture of heavenly love.

CXLVII. MORNING HYMN.

My God, Thou art in Jesus mine,
And early will I seek Thy face,
A slave redeem'd by blood Divine,
A sinner saved by pardoning grace.

Preventing the first dawn of day,
I lift my joyful heart and eyes,
And call'd by love my vows to pay,
Present my morning sacrifice.

177

Thanks be to God enthroned above,
Who did to man salvation bring:
Thy riches of redeeming love
Let angels and archangels sing.

Worthy the Lamb extoll'd to live,
Whose life to ransom ours was given:
Jesus, the homage due receive,
The utmost praise of earth and heaven.

God over all for ever bless'd,
Giver of every gift and grace,
Redemption shines above the rest,
And challenges my endless praise.

Fountain and root of all beside,
Redemption in the dust I own,
And suffering with the Crucified
Arise the partner of Thy throne.

Even now I taste the raptures there,
Amidst the church of the first-born,
Redeem'd from earth, my Lord declare,
And shouting to Thine arms return.

I see those outstretch'd arms of love,
Those arms extended on the tree!
I see my place prepared above,
And bow my head, to reign with Thee!

CXLVIII. FOR ONE RETIRED INTO THE COUNTRY.

Merciful God, what hast Thou done
For a poor sojourner,
How strangely drawn and led me on
To seek salvation here?

178

Here in the solitary shade
I seek the things above,
In deep distress implore Thine aid,
And languish for Thy love.

Thou, only Thou canst soothe my grief,
And calm my troubled breast,
Afford the permanent relief,
The true internal rest;
The' irreparable loss repair,
And draw the' envenom'd dart,
And shut the world of sin and care
Out of my peaceful heart.

Sorrow and sin are chased away,
Whene'er Thy love appears,
The gloom it brightens into day,
And dries the mourner's tears:
It makes a wounded spirit whole,
Pours in the balm Divine,
And whispers to mine inmost soul,
“The pardoning God is thine!”

Come then, Thou universal Good,
And bid my heart be still,
And let me meet Thee in the wood,
Or find Thee on the hill:
My soul to nobler prospects raise,
My largest views extend
Beyond the bounds of time and space,
Where pain and death shall end.

Lead to the streams of paradise,
My raptured spirit lead,
And bid the tree of life arise
And flourish o'er my head:

179

Place me by faith on Pisgah's top
The antepast to prove,
And then receive Thy servant up
To see Thy face above.

CXLIX. ANOTHER.

[Hence, lying world, with all thy care]

Hence, lying world, with all thy care,
With all thy shows of good or fair,
Of beautiful or great!
Stand with thy slighted charms aloof,
Nor dare invade my peaceful roof,
Or trouble my retreat.

Far from thy mad fantastic ways,
I here have found a resting-place
Of poor wayfaring men:
Calm as the hermit in his grot,
I here enjoy my happy lot,
And solid pleasures gain.

Along the hill or dewy mead
In sweet forgetfulness I tread,
Or wander through the grove,
As Adam in his native seat,
In all His works my God I meet,
The Object of my love.

I see His beauty in the flower;
To shade my walks, and deck my bower,
His love and wisdom join:
Him in the feather'd choir I hear,
And own, while all my soul is ear,
The music is Divine!

180

In yon unbounded plain I see
A sketch of His immensity
Who spans these ample skies,
Whose presence makes the happy place,
And opens in the wilderness
A blooming paradise.

O would He now Himself impart,
And fix the Eden in my heart
The sense of sin forgiven,
How should I then throw off my load,
And walk delightfully with God,
And follow Christ to heaven!

WRITTEN IN UNCERTAINTY.

CL.

[To what am I reserved! Great God]

To what am I reserved! Great God,
The counsel of Thy will display,
Nor let me underneath the load
Of anxious doubt for ever stay.

Thou seest I cannot journey on,
Till Thou the lingering cloud remove,
And make the destined action known,
And lead me by the fire of love.

My every choice, desire, design
I now implicitly submit,
My will is fix'd to follow Thine,
And lies indifferent at Thy feet.

Parties and sects I now forego,
From all their schemes and systems free:
After the flesh no more I know
Those dearest souls Thou gav'st to me.

181

Loosed and detach'd I cease from man,
Opinions, names are clean forgot,
This all my aim, and all my plan,
To do, and be—I know not what.

But wilt Thou not at last appear,
Make darkness light before my face,
And crooked straight, and doubtful clear,
And show and shine on all my ways?

Who on Thine only truth depend,
Who Thee mine only Master own,
To me Thou wilt Thy Spirit send,
And govern me Thyself alone:

Thy wisdom and Thy power shall join
To' effectuate what Thy love decrees,
My work, and place, and friends assign,
And crown the whole with full success.

CLI.

[My God and Lord, Thy counsel show]

My God and Lord, Thy counsel show,
What wouldst Thou have Thy servant do
Before I hence depart?
How shall I serve Thy church, and where?
The thing, the time, the means declare,
And teach my listening heart.

Thrust out from them I served so long,
I dare not strive against the wrong,
But silently resign
The charge I never could forsake,
And give my dearest children back
Into the hands Divine.

182

Where first I preach'd the word of grace,
If now I have no longer place,
By my own flesh unknown,
Thy secret hand in all I see,
Thy will be done, whate'er it be,
Thy welcome will be done.

Free for whate'er Thy love ordains,
I offer up my life's remains
To be for Thee employ'd:
My little strength can little do,
Yet would I in Thy service true,
Devote it all to God.

Wilt Thou not, Lord, my offer take?
Canst Thou in helpless age forsake
The creature of Thy will?
My strength is spent in the best cause:
Thy zealous messenger I was;
I am Thy servant still.

Master, be Thou my might, my mouth,
And send me forth to north or south,
To farthest east or west;
Be Thou my guide to worlds unknown:
Rest to my flesh I covet none,
But give my spirit rest.

My rest on earth to toil for Thee,
My whole delight and business be
To minister Thy word,
For Thee immortal souls to win,
And make the wretched slaves of sin
The freemen of my Lord.

183

Witness and messenger of peace,
I only languish to decrease
In trumpeting Thy name,
I only live to preach Thy death,
And publish with my latest breath
The glories of the Lamb.

CLII.

[O Thou, with whom unfelt, unseen]

O Thou, with whom unfelt, unseen,
Still in the desert I abide,
Look through the lowering cloud between,
And show Thyself my heavenly Guide.

Out of the fire of chastening love
Send forth one kind instructive ray,
And give the signal to remove,
And kindle darkness into day.

Till Thou Thy secret will declare,
And shine in pure, unerring light,
I groan with all Thy church to bear
The burden of incumbent night.

For Thee, not without hope, we mourn,
For Thee in calm dependence wait,
Assured Thou wilt at last return,
And raise us to our first estate.

The dark apostasy shall end,
The Babel of religions cease,
The church shall with her Head ascend,
And quit this howling wilderness;

Shall yet again Thy tokens see,
Behold Thy glorious presence shine,
And prove, from sin and doubt set free,
The good, the perfect will Divine.

184

That God-revealing Spirit of grace
Thou wilt in all His fulness give,
And never more conceal Thy face,
And never more Thy people leave.

But who the kingdom shall behold,
Who, when the Lord doth this, shall live?
“I will come back” (my heart He told)
“And thee unto Myself receive.”

So be it, O my God, my Lord,
In whom I steadfastly confide,
I trust the sure inspoken word,
And patient by Thy cross abide.

For all who Thine appearing love,
For me Thou hast prepared a place,
And I shall meet Thee from above,
And I shall see Thy open face.

Whether Thy will ordain my stay
To see Thy general kingdom come,
Or snatch me from the evil day,
And take my gasping spirit home:

Happy, if with my Best-beloved
I live to share the gospel-feast,
But happier still, if now removed,
I find my everlasting rest.

Wherefore with meekest awe to Thee
My time, my life, my all I leave;
Eternal Wisdom choose for me,
And when, and as Thou wilt, receive.

185

Or come in perfect light and love,
To me, to all Thy people given,
Or come Thy servant to remove,
And take me to Thyself in heaven.

HYMNS FOR LOVE.

CLIII.

[O might the love of Jesus]

O might the love of Jesus
That heaven-descended Man
Incomparably precious,
My ransom'd heart constrain
From every earthly passion,
From every sin to part,
That God and His salvation
May take up all my heart.

O wouldst Thou, Lord, discover
Thy blessed self to me,
My soul's eternal Lover,
As bleeding on the tree;
For my offences bleeding,
Crush'd with the general load,
Yet kindly interceding
For those that shed His blood!

The realizing power
Of faith Divine I want,
To see Thee in that hour,
And hear Thy last complaint;
By hellish toils o'ertaken
To hear the' Immortal groan
Why hath My God forsaken
His dear, expiring Son!

186

Let Thy own bowels move Thee
The faith of God to' impart:
I cannot, cannot love Thee,
Till Thou constrain my heart,
To flesh the stony turning,
Till Thou Thy wounds display:
And then in blissful mourning
I weep my life away!

CLIV.

[Jesus, the fame Of Thy great name]

Jesus, the fame Of Thy great name
My sin-sick soul allures:
Still in every age the same,
I hear, its virtue cures.

With humble fear I now draw near
In my forlorn condition,
Thy balsamic words to hear,
And prove Thee my Physician.

In complicate Distress I wait
My plague no more concealing:
Pity my forlorn estate,
And show Thy power of healing.

The leprosy That cleaves to me
Thine only touch can cure;
Sin before Thy touch shall flee,
And leave my conscience pure.

Throughout my veins A fever reigns
Of pride and fierce desire:
Let Thy love remove my pains,
And quench this hellish fire.

187

Of creature bliss My nature is
Rapacious above measure:
Heal this dropsical disease,
This thirst of praise and pleasure.

Benumb'd by sin I long have been,
As past all sense of feeling:
Cure the palsy, Lord, within,
Thy hidden life revealing.

An issue foul Hath fill'd my soul
With pain and desperation,
But Thy word shall make me whole
With sensible salvation.

Now then exert Thy gracious art
To finish my distresses,
Drive the legion from my heart
Of devils and diseases.

O that I might Receive my sight
Through Thine almighty power!
Turn my darkness into light,
And now my faith restore.

Helpless and lame In soul I am,
But let Thy grace be given,
I through virtue of Thy name
Shall leap, and fly to heaven.

Speechless am I, Till Thy kind sigh
From this dumb fiend deliver;
Then my Lord, my God I cry,
And sing, and shout for ever!

188

CLV.

[What shall I do to love Thee]

What shall I do to love Thee
Who lov'st my soul so well?
Saviour, will nothing move Thee
Thy goodness to reveal?
Without the revelation
So dearly purchased I
In final condemnation
Must sink, despair, and die.

Wretched, and miserable,
Naked, and poor, and blind,
Thou know'st me quite unable
Thy precious love to find,
Unless, my heavenly Lover,
The bleeding mystery
Thou in my heart discover,
And show Thyself to me.

The cause of my salvation
Must all in Thee be found;
Stir up Thy own compassion,
And let Thy bowels sound:
I faint, for mercy crying
As with my latest groan,
I in my blood am dying
For whom Thou pour'dst Thine own.

O by Thy bloody offering
By all Thy pangs redeem
A sinful soul from suffering
That punishment extreme:

189

Unworthy of Thy favour,
The vilest of the race,
Undone, undone for ever,
If banish'd from Thy face.

From Thee I must be driven
To that infernal grave,
Unless Thy love be given
The sinner here to save:
Thy love alone can part me
From every sin abhorr'd,
Into a saint convert me,
A transcript of my Lord.

Thy love so strong and fervent
To this poor soul is vain,
Unless Thou help Thy servant
To love my God again:
The' inestimable blessing
For Thy own sake bestow,
While peace and joy unceasing
My loving heart o'erflow.

The' affectionate sensation
If Thou hast bought for me,
Of Thy mysterious passion
The end accomplish'd see,
Fulfil my sole desire
Thy hidden love to taste,
And then my soul require,
And let me breathe my last.

190

CLVI.

[O God of love, Come from above]

O God of love, Come from above,
O God that hear'st the prayer,
All this mountain load remove,
All this world of care.

The cause express Of my distress
I own with grief and anguish:
Still for want of pardoning grace,
For want of faith I languish.

Thou God unknown, For whom I groan
In endless lamentation,
Wilt Thou suffer me to moan,
And die without salvation?

O when shall I With rapture cry
Thy servant hath found favour,
Thee my Lord I magnify,
I joy in Thee my Saviour.

For this I pant, Athirst and faint,
And cry in pain unceasing,
Give the only good I want,
Give the gospel-blessing.

Now let me know The grace below
To all believers given,
Bid me feel Thy love, and go
In perfect peace to heaven.

191

CLVII.

[Delight, and softest sympathy]

Delight, and softest sympathy,
My faithful heart divide,
When I behold the shameful tree
Where my Beloved died!
I look on Him whose blood redeems,
And bears me up to God;
I look—and while the fountain streams,
My tears increase the flood.

I want to pour a sea of tears,
With blessed grief to mourn,
In view of Him, whose form appears
By my offences torn:
My sins have done the' atrocious deed,
Have caused the killing smart,
And pierced His soul, and made Him bleed
The balm that breaks my heart.

His precious blood both wounds and heals,
(When faith the balm applies,)
My peace restores, my pardon seals,
My nature sanctifies;
His precious blood the life inspires
Which angels live above,
And fills my infinite desires,
And turns me all to love.

CLVIII.

[Allow'd to kiss my Saviour's feet]

Allow'd to kiss my Saviour's feet,
I here rejoice and grieve:
I never can the sins forget
Which Jesus doth forgive;

192

Sorrow and joy unspeakable
Alternately I prove,
And now my baseness I bewail,
And now admire His love.

O might I thus through life remain,
Delightfully distress'd,
And still indulge the pleasing pain
Which tears my happy breast;
Till He, my heart's Desire, appears
Reveal'd in heavenly light,
And wipes away these blessed tears
By that ecstatic sight!

CLIX.

[O that I could my Lord receive]

O that I could my Lord receive,
Who did the world redeem,
Who gave His life that I might live
A life conceal'd in Him!
O that I could the blessing prove,
My heart's extreme desire,
Live happy in my Saviour's love,
And in His arms expire!

Jesus, Thou all-atoning Lamb,
How shall I plead with Thee?
If graven on Thy hands I am,
For good remember me:
If still Thou dost my tokens bear,
Thy love to me reveal,
And listening to a sinner's prayer,
My present pardon seal.

193

Mercy I ask to seal my peace,
That kept by mercy's power
I may from every evil cease,
And never grieve Thee more:
Now, if Thy gracious will it be,
Even now my sins remove,
And set my heart at liberty
By Thy victorious love.

In answer to ten thousand prayers,
Thou pardoning God descend,
Number me with salvation's heirs,
My sins and troubles end:
Nothing I ask, or want beside,
Of all in earth and heaven,
Let me but feel Thy blood applied,
Let me but die forgiven.

CLX.

[Ask if a mother's heart is kind]

Ask if a mother's heart is kind
To her own sucking child;
Then ask, Is God to love inclined,
Or my Redeemer mild?

A mother may perhaps neglect,
And her own son forget,
But Jesus never will reject
A sinner at His feet.

Ask, if the sun doth once mistake
His true celestial road;
Then ask, if Jesus can forsake
The purchase of His blood?

194

The sun at last shall lose his way,
And into darkness fall;
But Jesus at that endless day
Shall be our All in all.

CLXI.

[With glorious clouds encompass'd round]

With glorious clouds encompass'd round
Whom angels dimly see,
Will the Unsearchable be found,
Or God appear to me?

Will He forsake His throne above,
Himself to worms impart?
Answer Thou Man of grief and love,
And speak into my heart.

In manifested love explain
Thy wonderful design,
What meant the suffering Son of man,
The streaming blood Divine?

Didst Thou not in our flesh appear,
And live and die below,
That I may now perceive Thee near,
And my Redeemer know?

Come then, and to my soul reveal
The heights and depths of grace,
Those wounds which all my sorrows heal,
That dear disfigured face.

Before my eyes of faith confess'd
Stand forth a slaughter'd Lamb,
And wrap me in Thy crimson vest,
And tell me all Thy name.

195

Jehovah in Thy person show,
Jehovah crucified,
And then the pardoning God I know,
And feel the blood applied;

I view the Lamb in His own light
Whom angels dimly see,
And gaze transported at the sight
Through all eternity.

CLXII.

[Fain would I, Lord, obtain the grace]

Fain would I, Lord, obtain the grace,
Before I hence remove,
To see a few unruffled days,
And my Redeemer love.

O might I with Thy people bless'd
Thy great salvation see,
Anticipate the glorious rest
And find it now in Thee.

Give me the hidden bliss to feel,
The heavenly powers to taste
Realities invisible,
And joys that ever last.

Eternal life begun below
I in Thy favour prove,
And all Thy gifts Thou dost bestow
By giving me Thy love.

196

CLXIII. A WEDDING SONG.

Come, Thou everlasting Lord,
By our trembling hearts adored;
Come, Thou heaven-descended Guest,
Bidden to our marriage feast;
Jesus, in the midst appear,
Present with Thy followers here,
Grant us the peculiar grace,
Show us all Thy smiling face.

Now the veil of sin withdraw,
Fill our souls with sacred awe,
Awe that dares not speak or move,
Deepest awe of humble love;
Love that doth its Lord descry,
Ever intimately nigh,
Sees the' Invisible in Thee,
Fulness of the Deity.

Let on us Thy Spirit rest,
Enter each devoted breast,
Still with Thy disciples sit,
Still Thy works of grace repeat:
Now the former wonder show,
Manifest Thy power below,
Earthly souls exalt, refine,
Turn the water into wine.

Stop the hurrying spirit's haste,
Change the soul's ignoble taste,
Nature into grace improve,
Earthly into heavenly love:

197

Raise our hearts to things on high,
To our Bridegroom in the sky,
Heaven our hope, and highest aim,
Mystic marriage of the Lamb.

O might each obtain a share
Of the pure enjoyments there,
Now in rapturous surprise,
Drink the wine of paradise,
Cry, amidst the rich repast,
Thou hast given the best at last,
Wine that cheers the host above,
The best wine of perfect love.

CLXIV. ANOTHER.

[Sing to the Lord of earth and sky]

Sing to the Lord of earth and sky,
Who first ordain'd the nuptial tie,
In Eden yoked the new-made pair,
And bless'd them to each other there.

Extol the great Jehovah's name,
Whose love from age to age the same
Delights His creature's bliss to see,
And joys in our prosperity.

God of the patriarchal race,
He still directs us by His grace,
Who Isaac and Rebecca join'd
He gives us each our mate to find.

He magnified the social state,
And stamp'd our joy divinely great,
When God appear'd His creature's Guest,
And Jesus graced a wedding-feast.

198

That everlasting joy of His
Is shadow'd by the nuptial bliss:
Heaven is the marriage of the Lamb,
And God assumes a bridegroom's name.

Then let us glory in His grace,
And triumph in the Father's praise,
Who made a marriage for His Son,
And sent Him from His bosom down:

Thanks to our heavenly Adam give,
Who form'd His church the second Eve,
Produced her from His wounded side,
And still rejoices o'er His bride:

Praise to the blessed Spirit above,
Who fills our hearts with sacred love,
Our faithful hearts to Jesus plights,
And each to each in God unites.
Praise God from whom, &c.

CLXV. ON THE BIRTHDAY OF A FRIEND.

Come away to the skies,
My beloved arise,
And rejoice on the day thou wast born,
On the festival day
Come exulting away,
To thy heavenly country return.

We have laid up our love
And treasure above,
Though our bodies continue below;

199

The redeem'd of the Lord
We remember His word,
And with singing to Sion we go.

With singing we praise
The original grace
By our heavenly Father bestow'd,
Our being receive
From His bounty, and live
To the honour and glory of God.

For Thy glory we are,
Created to share
Both the nature and kingdom Divine:
Created again,
That our souls may remain
In time and eternity Thine.

With thanks we approve
The design of Thy love
Which hath join'd us, in Jesus's name,
So united in heart,
That we never can part,
Till we meet at the feast of the Lamb.

There, there at His feet
We shall suddenly meet,
And be parted in body no more,
We shall sing to our lyres
With the heavenly choirs,
And our Saviour in glory adore.

Hallelujah we sing
To our Father and King,
And His rapturous praises repeat;

200

To the Lamb that was slain
Hallelujah again
Sing all heaven, and fall at His feet.

In assurance of hope
We to Jesus look up,
Till His banner unfurl'd in the air
From our graves we shall see,
And cry out It is He,
And fly up to acknowledge Him there!

CLXVI. GLORIA PATRI, &c.

I.

Glory to the paternal God,
To Jesus lavish of His blood,
God over all supreme in power and grace,
And God the Holy Ghost with equal ardours praise.
Sing all on earth like those on high,
Let saints and angels magnify
One undivided God in persons three,
And lengthen out the song to all eternity!

II.

Thankful the Father's grace we own;
Jehovah's Fellow and His Son,
With God the Holy Ghost adore,
One glorious God in persons three,
All honour we ascribe to Thee,
As always was, and is, and shall be evermore!

FINIS.

University of Virginia Library

Occasional Hymns.

FOR A WOMAN NEAR THE TIME OF HER TRAVAIL.

XLV.

[Righteous, O Lord, Thy judgments are!]