3321.
[The children every one partake]
Chastisement whereof all are partakers.
—xii. 8.
The children every one partake
The chastisement for all design'd,
Their God doth no exception make
Impartially, severely kind,
No favourite uncorrected leaves,
But scourges all whom He receives.
To none of the believing race
This mark their Father's love denies:
But when he sees the light of grace
The babe in Christ that moment cries,
And of the heavenly Spirit born
Begins at once to breathe, and mourn.
In sorrow, as in grace, we grow,
With closer fellowship in pain,
Our Lord more intimately know,
Till coming to a perfect man
His sharpest agonies we share,
And all His marks of passion bear.
Partakers of His bitterest cup,
And burden'd with His heaviest load,
We fill His after-sufferings up,
Conform'd to an expiring God;
And only such our Father owns,
And seats on our appointed thrones.
