S. LUKE.
CHAPTER I.
1141.
[How happy that distinguish'd pair]
They were both righteous before God, walking, &c.
—i. 6.
How happy that distinguish'd pair,
Whom God's own oracle
Doth righteous in His sight declare,
And saints unblamable!
Before the Word incarnate made
The Father had reveal'd,
They with a perfect heart obey'd,
And all His law fulfill'd.
And shall not we who Christ embrace,
God in our flesh made known,
Empower'd by His sufficient grace
In all His statutes run;
Walk before God, and perfect be,
And turn no more aside,
From every spot and wrinkle free,
Completely sanctified?
Jesus, the purchase of Thy blood
Thou wilt on us confer,
The Spirit of the Holy God,
The' indwelling Comforter;
Thy good and acceptable will
We then shall throughly prove,
And all Thy just commands fulfil,
Renew'd in blameless love.
1142.
[When people and priest, United in prayer]
The whole multitude of the people were praying, &c.
—i. 10.
When people and priest, United in prayer,
Their faithful request Together prefer,
With Jesus' oblation The heavens assail,
Their joint supplication Is sure to prevail.
His sacrifice pleads, His prevalent blood
Brings down on our heads The blessings of God:
Our Priest is before Him, And join'd to our Lord
In Christ we adore Him By angels adored.
Our incense of prayer Thou offer'st alone;
Thou, Saviour, dost bear Our souls to the throne;
On Thine intercession We gladly depend
For grace and salvation, And life without end.
1143.
[The great Angel of the Lord]
There appeared unto him an angel of the Lord, &c.
—i. 11.
The great Angel of the Lord
Attends invisible,
Ready to apply His word,
His ordinance to seal;
To the majesty of God
Presents His people's sacrifice
Mix'd with the atoning blood,
And fragrant through the skies.
1144.
[A vision true is proved by fear]
When Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, &c.
—i. 12.
A vision true is proved by fear;
We start as at illusion near,
Unworthy of the grace:
Disturb'd by the celestial sight,
Till humble love and calm delight
The dread and trouble chase.
1145.
[While nature yielding to despair]
Thy prayer is heard.
—i. 13.
While nature yielding to despair
Her blasted expectation mourns,
After a length of years the prayer
In the most helpless case returns,
The peaceful word at last comes down,
And lo, the barren bears a son!
Then let us patiently attend,
To Him the time and manner leave,
Till God the long-sought blessing send,
Till Christ His gracious fulness give,
And faith's maturest fruit we prove
In finish'd holiness and love.
1146.
[Great before God is great indeed!]
He shall be great in the sight of the Lord, &c.
—i. 15, 16.
Great before God is great indeed!
Prophet miraculously born,
Jehovah's harbinger decreed
Rebellious multitudes to turn,
Their hearts to soften and prepare,
That God may make His entrance there.
Greater and more than man is he,
Who dead to the desires of men,
Lives to declare the Deity
And shows the Lamb for sinners slain,
Fill'd with the Spirit of his God,
And bold to seal the truth with blood.
Jesus, Thy preaching servants raise
Who real greatness may pursue,
May before Thee themselves abase,
Thine all-atoning passion show,
Thee before kings undaunted own,
And die to make their Saviour known.
1147.
[Could Zachary the just]
Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man.
—i. 18.
Could
Zachary the just,
Who walk'd before the Lord,
The' Omnipotent Himself mistrust,
And stagger at His word?
Where is the faithful man,
Unless the Lord who gave
His faith, continually maintain,
And to the utmost save?
1148.
[Ministers of Jesus' word]
I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; &c.
—i. 19.
Ministers of Jesus' word
Should angels emulate,
Always present with their Lord,
While on His church they wait,
Only in His will delight
Who hath their high commission given,
Labour on, and in His sight
Enjoy a constant heaven.
1149.
[Our holy God the smallest fault]
Behold, thou shalt be dumb, . . . because thou, &c.
—i. 20.
Our holy God the smallest fault
Severely chastens in His own;
So base a misbelieving thought
In those who have His goodness known!
The sin He graciously forgives,
Nor yet remits the total pain,
But marks of His displeasure leaves,
Lest saints should doubt His love again.
Nine months for a mistrustful word,
Nine months of silence must atone,
That starting from the sin abhorr'd,
The sin which all contains in one,
We may our unbelief deny,
The words of truth with joy embrace,
On Christ, the Power of God rely,
And calm expect His promised grace.
1150.
[Jesus, Son of the Most-High]
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son, &c.
—i. 32, 33.
Jesus, Son of the Most-High,
David's and God's authentic Heir,
Lord of all in earth and sky,
Who Thy greatness can declare?
Great in holiness and power,
Great in mercy, truth, and grace,
We Thy majesty adore,
Sing Thine everlasting praise.
Earthly kingdoms soon decline,
Totter, fall, and pass away,
Permanent, O Christ, is Thine,
Cannot moulder or decay;
Every other power o'erthrown
Shall its destined period prove,
Thy dominion stands alone,
Fix'd as Thine eternal love.
King of saints, Thy right assume,
Thy majestic right impart,
Let Thy royal Spirit come,
Spread His power through every heart,
Thrones to all Thy subjects give;
Then we grace and glory gain,
Partners of Thy nature live,
Kings with Thee for ever reign.
1151.
[What cannot the Almighty do]
With God nothing shall be impossible.
—i. 37.
What cannot the Almighty do
For saving sinful man?
Able Thou art and willing too
To form my heart again:
Thou shalt its old diseases cure,
Its bent to sin remove,
And make and keep it always pure
And always fill'd with love.
Hanging by humble faith on Thee,
On Thee my Saviour stay'd,
I find in my infirmity
Thy perfect strength display'd;
The' omnipotence of grace I feel
In utter weakness shown,
And nothing is impossible
To man with Jesus one.
1152.
[God of Israel, see]
Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto, &c.
—i. 38.
God of Israel, see
Thy servant in me,
Who humbly approve
Though I cannot conceive, the design of Thy love;
With obedience sincere
Thy will I revere,
And expect from Thy word
The mystical life of my heavenly Lord.
The birth of Thy Son
To sinners made known,
Manifested in man,
Manifested in me, shall the secret explain.
While made willing by Thee
To Thy work I agree,
And entirely resign
My whole soul to be fill'd with the fulness Divine.
1153.
[Oft a seasonable word]
When Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, &c.
—i. 41.
Oft a seasonable word
From a messenger of Thine
Spoken in Thy Spirit, Lord,
Clothed with secret power Divine,
Gracious life and light imparts,
Fills with God our faithful hearts.
The Babe unseen His power displays,
And works upon a babe unseen,
To show the mystery of grace,
When speaking by the tongue of men,
Jesus is pleased to minister
His life through the believing ear.
Jesus who in His church below
Invisibly vouchsafes to dwell
Doth daily thus His power bestow,
His energy in souls reveal;
The word they still by faith receive
And quicken'd through His Spirit live.
1154.
[The Fruit of Mary's womb]
Blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
—i. 42.
The Fruit of Mary's womb
Is bless'd, and that alone,
Whatever blessings come
From the eternal throne
Through Mary's Offspring we receive,
And happy in His life we live.
That holy Child bestow'd
On poor apostate man,
That everlasting God
Whom heaven cannot contain,
Source of our gracious joys He is,
And constitutes our glorious bliss.
1155.
[Whence is it that my Lord]
Whence is this to me, that the mother of my, &c.
—i. 43.
Whence is it that my Lord
Himself should visit me,
Should stoop to such a wretch abhorr'd,
And claim my misery?
He leaves His throne above
For His own mercy sake,
He comes constrain'd by pitying love,
And doth my nature take.
The mystery of Thy grace
What angel can conceive?
Thou wouldst to all our ransom'd race
Faith and salvation give,
Thou dost the grace reveal,
Thou dost the faith impart,
And thus Thou com'st again to dwell
For ever in my heart.
1156.
[God by His almighty word]
As soon as the voice of thy salvation sounded in, &c.
—i. 44.
God by His almighty word
The world's foundations laid,
Spake the universe restored,
The new creation made:
Christ on earth His wonders wrought,
And by the word He works again;
By the word His saints are brought
Unto a perfect man.
When the evangelic sound
A pardon'd sinner hears,
Paradise again is found,
And God to man appears;
Quicken'd by His heavenly voice,
We spring to life, and meet our Lord,
Triumph, evermore rejoice,
And praise the' Incarnate Word.
1157.
[Thou tell'st me, O most gracious Lord]
Blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a, &c.
—i. 45.
Thou tell'st me, O most gracious Lord,
“I will thy sins forgive,”
The welcome reconciling word
I thankfully receive;
Joyful in hope of happiness
Even now I happy am,
For I shall soon obtain the peace
Of all that love Thy name.
Jesus, I wait till Thou display
In me Thy mercy's power;
Take mine iniquities away,
And think of them no more:
Thou all Thy promises fulfil,
This unbelief remove,
And pardon on my conscience seal
And fill my soul with love.
Thou tell'st me, “I thy King will be,
Will to the utmost save,
Renew, and change, and perfect thee,
And ransom from the grave.”
The blessedness of faith I prove,
For Thy own sake forgiven,
And in this hope of perfect love
Anticipate my heaven.
Within the promise now, I sing,
Exult, and shout for joy;
He comes! He comes! my God and King
Shall all my sins destroy!
Thou, Lord, shalt purify my heart
Through Thine all-cleansing blood,
As sure as Thou my Saviour art,
As sure as Thou art God.
1158.
[An humble saint will never praise]
My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my, &c.
—i. 46, 47.
An humble saint will never praise
Himself, or glory in his grace;
But lives to magnify
His Saviour by all heaven adored,
But dies rejoicing in the Lord
Exalting the Most-High.
1159.
[His servants in their low estate]
For He hath regarded the low estate of, &c.
—i. 48.
His servants in their low estate
Through His regard are truly great,
For who in their own eyes
Little, and poor, and vile appear,
Jesus delights to honour here,
And lifts them to the skies.
The more our Lord exalts, the more
We sink, and self-abased adore
Thy peerless majesty,
All creature-excellence disclaim,
And strive, o'erwhelm'd with holy shame,
To lose ourselves in Thee.
1160.
[Jehovah doth Himself conceal]
His mercy is on them that fear Him.
—i. 50.
Jehovah doth Himself conceal
In brightness inaccessible,
Unsearchable, unknown.
Struck with His holiness we fear,
And quake, and tremble to draw near
The glories of His throne.
But mercy doth the dread remove,
Mercy reveals the God of love
To sinners reconciled:
Mercy and holiness agree,
And God and man made one we see
In that celestial Child.
Mercy doth every soul embrace,
That reverences the God of grace
Incarnated below;
Mercy for all far off, or nigh,
Flows from its Fountain in the sky,
And shall for ever flow.
1161.
[His arm the' almighty Father bared]
He hath showed strength with His arm; &c.
—i. 51.
His arm the' almighty Father bared
When God in Christ Himself declared
Our Saviour from above;
Deliverer of a sinful race,
He show'd the world in Jesus' face
His utmost power of love.
The mystery of Jehovah's birth
Confounds us potsherds of the earth,
Of sin and misery proud;
It scatters every lofty thought,
And man is humbled into nought
Before an emptied God.
The meek humility Divine
Shall heal this pride-sick soul of mine,
This plague incurable:
Now, Jesus, now Thy power exert,
And with Thy lowliness of heart
In mine for ever dwell.
1162.
[Who did the rebel angels quell]
He hath filled the hungry with good things.
—i. 53.
Who did the rebel angels quell,
And hurl'd them down from heaven to hell,
Doth still the proud abase,
Doth cast the mighty from their thrones,
The humble, weak, and little ones
Exalting in their place.
The angels fell through pride o'erthrown,
Through His humility the Son
Bids fallen man arise,
Glad tidings to the poor reveals,
The hungry with His Spirit fills,
And all their wants supplies.
But souls unconscious of their wants,
Self-fill'd, self-saved, self-righteous saints,
Whose good is all their own,
He sends unjustified away,
That emptied of themselves they may
Be saved by grace alone.
1163.
[Bless'd be the Lord, for ever bless'd]
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for, &c.
—i. 68.
Bless'd be the Lord, for ever bless'd
The God of Israel's favour'd race,
His name be known, His power confess'd,
His riches of redeeming grace
Who left for sinful worms His throne,
And came to bless us in His Son.
God was in Christ on earth reveal'd,
He enter'd a mean house of clay,
With whom the heaven of heavens is fill'd
He stoop'd to bear our sins away,
Victim Divine on all bestow'd
He bought the nations with His blood.
Let all their great Redeemer praise,
Redeem'd from sin the world and hell!
The strength of Thy victorious grace
Jesus, throughout our souls we feel,
And wait Thine utmost power to save
Our bodies ransom'd from the grave.
1164.
[The mercy to our fathers show'd]
To perform the mercy promised, &c.
—i. 72–76.
The mercy to our fathers show'd
To us in every age extends,
That covenant seal'd by Jesus' blood
Its blissful virtue never ends,
A covenant of redeeming grace
Confirm'd in Christ to all our race.
Jehovah by Himself hath sworn
To Abraham and his faithful seed,
(Empty the word shall not return,)
That we from all our tyrants freed,
From all our sins, through Jesus bless'd,
Shall dwell in everlasting rest.
We now the great salvation claim,
The filial love that casts out fear,
The righteousness in Jesus' name,
The gospel-holiness sincere,
The image of our God restored,
The tempers of our spotless Lord.
Father, Thy word, Thy oath we plead,
In our behalf to Abraham given,
And wait to do, when free indeed,
Thy will as angels do in heaven,
Blameless to walk before Thy face,
And serve Thee all our sinless days.
1165.
[Prophet of Christ the Lord Most-High]
And thou, child, shalt be called, &c.
—i. 76.
Prophet of Christ the Lord Most-High,
His great immediate harbinger,
The Baptist came to testify,
Jesus the Saviour to declare,
And make that heavenly Victim known,
Who should for all mankind atone.
With his our office is the same
Who preach the reconciling word,
Publish the all-redeeming Lamb,
As sure forerunners of our Lord
Commission'd to prepare His ways,
And sent before Messiah's face.
His heralds in His name we cry,
Sinners the gospel-grace receive,
And God who sent His Son to die
Doth by our word the Spirit give,
Who testifies salvation known
And pardon felt through Christ alone.
1166.
[Stupendous height of heavenly love]
Through the tender mercy of our God.
—i. 78.
Stupendous height of heavenly love,
Of pitying tenderness Divine;
It brought the Saviour from above,
It caused the springing day to shine;
The Sun of Righteousness to' appear,
And gild our gloomy hemisphere.
God did in Christ Himself reveal,
To chase our darkness by His light,
Our sin and ignorance dispel,
Direct our wandering feet aright;
And bring our souls, with pardon bless'd,
To realms of everlasting rest.
Come, then, O Lord, Thy light impart,
The faith that bids our terrors cease;
Into Thy love direct my heart,
Into Thy way of perfect peace;
And cheer my soul, of death afraid,
And guide me through the dreadful shade.
Answer Thy mercy's whole design,
My God incarnated for me;
My spirit make Thy radiant shrine,
My Light and full Salvation be;
And through the dreary vale unknown
Conduct me to Thy dazzling throne.
CHAPTER II.
1167.
[Cæsar his own dignity]
There went out a decree from Cæsar.
—ii. 1.
Cæsar his own dignity
His own renown intends,
God o'errules the proud decree
To serve sublimer ends:
Lo, He comes, the King foretold,
He comes o'er all mankind to reign,
God's eternal Son enroll'd
A new-born child of man!
1168.
[See ye blushing sons of pride]
She . . . laid Him in a manger; because, &c.
—ii. 7.
See ye blushing sons of pride,
See your God a child become!
When He would on earth reside,
Earth can scarce afford Him room:
Wrapp'd Himself in swaddling bands
Who with darkness swathes the sea,
Who the universe commands,
Comprehends immensity!
Triumph we the sons of grace,
That our God is born so poor,
Doth His majesty abase
Our salvation to secure:
Glorying in our Infant-King,
Him we in the manger own,
Him whom brightest seraphs sing
High on His eternal throne.
1169.
[To simple souls alone]
There were . . . shepherds abiding, &c.
—ii. 8.
To simple souls alone
The Saviour is made known,
Shepherds who their station keep
See the glory from on high;
Those that negligently sleep
Still in sin and darkness lie.
The poor rejoice to hear
The heavenly messenger;
From the rich and wise conceal'd,
Jesus doth His light impart,
Shows the mystery reveal'd,
Shines in every humble heart.
1170.
[An herald from the King of kings]
Good tidings . . . which shall be to all people.
—ii. 10.
An herald from the King of kings
He comes our guilty fears to chase,
Good tidings of great joy He brings,
Great joy to Adam's favour'd race;
Not one of all our ransom'd kind
But may the gospel-grace receive,
Born in himself his Saviour find,
And one with his Creator live.
1171.
[To us a Child of royal birth]
Unto you is born this day, in the city of David, &c.
—ii. 11.
To us a Child of royal birth,
Heir of the promises, is given;
The' Invisible appears on earth,
The Son of Man, the God of heaven.
A Saviour born, in love supreme
He comes our fallen souls to raise;
He comes His people to redeem
With all His plenitude of grace.
The Christ, by raptured seers foretold,
Fill'd with the' eternal Spirit's power;
Prophet, and Priest, and King behold,
And Lord of all the worlds adore.
The Lord of hosts, the God most-high,
Who quits His throne on earth to live,
With joy we welcome from the sky,
With faith into our hearts receive.
1172.
[Sing all in heaven at Jesu's birth]
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, &c.
—ii. 14.
Sing all in heaven at Jesu's birth
“Glory to God, and peace on earth,
The heart of God through Christ is seen
In mercy and good-will to men!”
Praise Him, extoll'd above all height,
Who doth in worthless worms delight;
God reconciled in Christ confess,
Your present and eternal peace.
From Jesus, manifest below,
Rivers of pure salvation flow;
And pour, on man's distinguish'd race,
Their everlasting streams of grace.
Sing, every soul of Adam's line,
The favourite attribute Divine;
Ascribing, with the hosts above,
All glory to the God of Love.
1173.
[Come, let us with speed To Bethlehem go]
Let us now go even unto Bethlehem.
—ii. 15.
Come, let us with speed To Bethlehem go,
The house of that Bread Which God doth bestow:
To all He hath given And sent from above
The Banquet of Heaven, The Son of His love.
By faith we shall see Him promised of old,
And know it is He Of whom we were told;
That heavenly Stranger Fall prostrate before,
And God in a manger With angels adore.
1174.
[Happy who the angels' word]
When they had seen it, they made known.
—ii. 17.
Happy who the angels' word
Hesitate not to believe,
Who their mean almighty Lord,
God in swaddling-clothes receive!
O Thou heavenly Man Divine,
Grant me their simplicity,
Then before Thy humble shrine
All my soul shall worship Thee.
1175.
[O may I always bear in mind]
Mary kept all these things, and pondered them.
—ii. 19.
O may I always bear in mind
The Saviour's pity for mankind,
Which brought Him from His throne,
Emptied of all His majesty,
A Man of griefs to comfort me,
And make my heart His own.
O may I in His love delight,
Muse on His love both day and night,
And think of nothing more,
To Him with pure affection cleave,
And only in His presence live
To wonder and adore.
1176.
[The first effect of faith is praise]
The shepherds returned, glorifying and, &c.
—ii. 20.
The first effect of faith is praise,
A tribute to the God of grace
Which ransom'd worms are bound to give:
Thankful, O God, Thy love we own,
The gift of Thine incarnate Son
With joy unspeakable receive:
Thee let our actions glorify,
Our lives confess the Lord Most-High
For this alone to sinners given,
That we of Jesus' Spirit born
With songs of triumph may return,
And claim our purchased thrones in heaven.
1177.
[Saviour, let the grace supplied]
When eight days were accomplished, &c.
—ii. 21.
Saviour, let the grace supplied
And merited by Thee
Circumcise my nature's pride,
And heart impurity;
By Thy Spirit's law within
Redeem me from my inbred stains,
Quite destroy the man of sin
And purge his last remains.
To Thy holy saving name
I for deliverance run;
Save from fear, and grief, and shame,
A soul by sin undone;
Lord, on me, even me exert
Thy right and power, and sovereignty,
Speak Thy name into my heart,
And Jesus prove to me.
1178.
[Lord of all, with pure intent]
They brought Him to Jerusalem, to present Him, &c.
—ii. 22.
Lord of all, with pure intent
From his tenderest infancy
In Thy temple I present
Whom I first received from Thee:
Through Thy well-beloved Son,
Mine acknowledge for Thine own.
Seal'd with the baptismal seal,
Purchased with the' atoning blood,
Jesus in my infant dwell,
Make his heart the house of God,
Fill Thy consecrated shrine,
Father, Son, and Spirit Divine.
1179.
[Who God devoutly dreads]
He should not see death, before he had, &c.
—ii. 26.
Who God devoutly dreads,
And here expects His Son,
And in the Saviour's footsteps treads,
Led by the Spirit on
The sure accomplish'd word
He must on earth receive,
And when his eyes have seen the Lord
In endless raptures live.
Spirit of Jesus, tell
The joyful truth to me,
And in my longing soul reveal
That I my Lord shall see,
Shall see Him full of grace
Whom all the saints admire,
And fold Him in my faith's embrace
And in His arms expire.
1180.
[When in his arms he held]
Then took he Him up in his arms, &c.
—ii. 28.
When in his arms he held,
And to his bosom press'd,
He found Him to his heart reveal'd,
And God for Jesus bless'd;
The power and life of God
He felt with Jesus given;
And when his hoary head he bow'd,
He carried Christ to heaven.
1181.
[Jehovah's Fellow, and His Son]
This Child is set for the fall and rising, &c.
—ii. 34.
Jehovah's Fellow, and His Son,
What numbers fall by Thee and rise!
Precious, elect, and Corner Stone,
Built on Thy strength we reach the skies,
Or by Thy cross ourselves o'erthrow
And sink into eternal woe.
Thine anger casts the sinner down,
That lifted up by pardoning grace
He may his Prince and Saviour own,
Thy justice and Thy mercy praise,
Raised from the dust to stand restored
In all the image of his Lord.
Jesus, Thy killing quickening power
On a proud abject worm exert,
Confound, abase me from this hour,
Humble, and break this stubborn heart,
And then my Resurrection be,
And live, my heavenly Life, in me.
1182.
[A sign admired by Thy redeem'd]
And for a sign which shall be spoken against.
—ii. 34.
A sign admired by Thy redeem'd
Precious to every faithful heart,
But contradicted and blasphemed
By worldly infidels Thou art,
Who dare Thy Deity deny
And all Thy heavenly truths decry.
The manger mean, and bleeding cross,
Thy birth and passion they gainsay,
Thy maxims pure, and gracious laws,
And will not own Thy righteous sway,
But plead for that old hellish liar,
And harden'd in their sins expire.
Yet every tongue at last shall own,
And God the awful Judge declare,
When seated on Thy righteous throne
Thou doom'st the wicked at Thy bar
Justly consign'd to their own place,
For ever banish'd from Thy face.
1183.
[Jesus, the stumbling-block and sign]
That the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
—ii. 35.
Jesus, the stumbling-block and sign,
By Thy mysterious death Divine
Thou dost our thoughts explain,
Thine honour'd, or rejected cross,
The veil from every heart withdraws
And shows what is in man.
The man that to himself adheres,
His life he to his God prefers;
But who themselves deny
They only their devotion prove
While daily, to evince their love,
Upon Thy cross they die.
1184.
[Ye aged saints whose one concern]
She . . . spake of Him to all them that, &c.
—ii. 38.
Ye aged saints whose one concern
Is well to terminate your race,
Of Simeon and of Anna learn
To' exalt your dear Redeemer's praise;
A precious Christ to all commend,
Who seek redemption in His blood,
And your last, happiest moments spend
In publishing the dying God.
1185.
[Who Thy Deity confess]
All that heard Him were astonished, &c.
—ii. 47.
Who Thy Deity confess
We must Thy love adore,
Love that did so long suppress
Thy wisdom and Thy power:
Wondering at our God conceal'd,
We rest in Thy obscurity,
Till by sovereign grace compell'd
To' appear, and speak for Thee.
1186.
[Jesus' faithful minister]
I must be about My Father's business.
—ii. 49.
Jesus' faithful minister,
Who works the works of God,
Will not reason, or confer
With feeble flesh and blood;
Loosed from all on earth he sees,
He still presents his sacrifice,
Only lives to serve and please
A Father in the skies.
1187.
[Subject to Thy parents Thee]
He . . . was subject unto them.
—ii. 51.
Subject to Thy parents Thee
The God supreme we praise:
O might all our children be
Partakers of Thy grace!
From their birth to sin inclined,
Convert and make them as Thou art,
Bless'd with Thy obedient mind,
Thy meek and lowly heart.
1188.
[What my gracious Saviour spoke]
His mother kept all these sayings, &c.
—ii. 51.
What my gracious Saviour spoke
Is for my soul design'd;
All recorded in His book
I still would bear in mind,
Every sacred word retain
Which yet I cannot rightly know
Till my Lord Himself explain,
And all His counsel show.
1189.
[Wisdom with all its fulness dwells]
Jesus increased in wisdom, &c.
—ii. 52.
Wisdom with all its fulness dwells
In Jesus for His church below;
Himself He more and more reveals,
While more and more like Him we grow,
Daily from faith to faith proceed,
Grace upon grace from Him receive,
Till Christ with all His riches spread
Doth fully in His members live.
CHAPTER III.
1190.
[Repentance must prepare the way]
Preaching the baptism of repentance.
—iii. 3.
Repentance must prepare the way,
Repentance must be preach'd to all,
We thus the gospel call obey,
And throughly conscious of our fall,
Our deep apostasy confess,
And mourn our want of pardoning grace.
The first of duties is the last,
But cannot for our sins atone,
Pardon for our transgressions pass'd
We seek through Jesu's death alone,
And when our contrite hearts believe
Forgiveness we with Christ receive.
1191.
[A ready way repentance makes]
Prepare ye the way of the Lord.
—iii. 4.
A ready way repentance makes
For God to man, and man to God,
The sinner who his sin forsakes
Shall feel applied the' atoning blood,
The broken heart shall take Him in
Who comes to save the lost from sin.
1192.
[To rectify my crooked will]
Every valley shall be filled, &c.
—iii. 5.
To rectify my crooked will,
To smoothe my nature's ruggedness,
Reform'd from every outward ill
O bid me now from sinning cease,
Thy way into my heart prepare,
And then display Thy glory there.
1193.
[Father, we trust Thy Spirit of grace]
All flesh shall see the salvation of God.
—iii. 6.
Father, we trust Thy Spirit of grace
Which works in man to will and do:
The time must come when all our race
At once shall Thy salvation view,
Behold Thee in Thy Son reveal'd,
And live with all the Godhead fill'd.
That every soul may make Thee room
Do Thou the obstacles remove,
And let Thy heavenly kingdom come
In perfect, pure, millennial love,
We all shall then contemplate Thee,
And Jesu's face for ever see.
1194.
[Preachers should with all maintain]
O generation of vipers, who hath, &c.
—iii. 7.
Preachers should with all maintain
Their fearless character,
Tell the' apostate sons of men
What in themselves they are,
Sinners born, a viperous brood,
Of wrath Divine insensible,
Burden'd with the curse of God,
And hasting down to hell.
O what wondrous grace that I
Should here my danger see,
From the' impending judgment fly
My God, my God, to Thee!
Thou hast warn'd, and not in vain,
My soul to seek its real rest;
Rescue then from endless pain
And hide me in Thy breast.
1195.
[Lord, if Thou my soul convert]
Bring forth therefore fruits worthy.
—iii. 8.
Lord, if Thou my soul convert
My life the change will show;
Actions evidence the heart,
The root from which they grow:
O might all my works express
A heart by true contrition rent,
O might all my words confess
The pardon'd penitent.
1196.
[Sinner who dost not bear]
The axe is laid unto the root of the tree.
—iii. 9.
Sinner who dost not bear
The penitential fruit,
The righteous Judge will not defer,
The axe is at the root:
His justice hath decreed
To cast thee into hell,
And every barren tree shall feed
The fire unquenchable.
1197.
[How can we escape the fire]
What shall we do then?
—iii. 10.
How can we escape the fire,
We who Jesus never knew?
Let us of Himself inquire
Lord, what wouldst Thou have us do?
Since we out of hell appear,
Still indulged with a reprieve,
Give the godly grief and fear,
Give us power to turn and live.
1198.
[The preacher doth not all condemn]
He said to the soldiers, Do violence to no man.
—iii. 14.
The preacher doth not all condemn
Who justly wage defensive wars,
But shows salvation is for them
If, compass'd with ten thousand snares,
They dare their calling's sins eschew,
From avarice and ambition fly,
To God, their king, and country true,
And bold for Christ to live and die.
1199.
[If the chief of saints confess]
The latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy, &c.
—iii. 16.
If the chief of saints confess
In the presence of their Lord
All their own unworthiness,
Self-abased and self-abhorr'd,
Fear His smiling eye to meet,
Blush and tremble at His feet;
How shall I, a sinner, dare
To my God for mercy cry,
How present my soul in prayer
If He did not draw me nigh,
Did not feel my misery,
Did not pray Himself in me?
1200.
[Holy, hallowing Spirit, come]
He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
—iii. 16.
Holy, hallowing Spirit, come,
Cleanse my life's impurity,
All my nature's filth consume,
Make an end of sin in me,
Spread the pure baptismal flame,
Plunge me deep in Jesus' name.
Jesus, Thou that Spirit art,
Thou the sinner dost baptize,
Purify by faith my heart,
Bid the fire of love arise,
Consecrate the human shrine,
Fill the earthly house Divine.
1201.
[The heavenly Man The God we adore]
Whose fan is in His hand, and He will, &c.
—iii. 17.
The heavenly Man The God we adore
Is come with His fan To winnow His floor;
The first separation He makes by His word;
The heirs of salvation Acknowledge their Lord.
His church is the floor, His saints are the wheat;
Till sinless and pure For paradise meet,
He purges and sifts them, He chastens and tries,
And finally lifts them To thrones in the skies.
Then, then His full ire On sinners is come,
Unquenchable fire The chaff shall consume,
Jehovah shall sever, And send them to dwell
For ever and ever Tormented in hell.
1202.
[A sin there is which far exceeds]
Herod . . . added yet this above all, &c.
—iii. 19, 20.
A sin there is which far exceeds
The tyrant's most atrocious deeds;
Ambition, pride, and lust
They cannot with his guilt compare
Who hates the Saviour's messenger,
And persecutes the just.
Shedding at length a martyr's blood,
He quenches the last spark of good,
And can no longer feel,
He makes his sin and misery full,
Murders his own immortal soul,
And shuts it up—in hell.
1203.
[Third of the glorious One-in-Three]
The Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape, &c.
—iii. 22.
Third of the glorious One-in-Three,
A Substance personal we see;
The Holy Ghost from heaven comes down
And rests on the Eternal Son,
To magnify His sacred sign,
And prove the Trinity Divine.
Baptized into His name we own
The One in Three, and Three in One,
One God in persons Three adore,
Till time and death shall be no more,
Triumphant then with all His host
In Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
1204.
[The Father's delight Shall surely be ours]
Thou art My beloved Son: in Thee I, &c.
—iii. 22.
The Father's delight Shall surely be ours
Who taste in His right The heavenly powers,
Who saved by the merit Of Jesus's blood
Lay claim to the Spirit And fulness of God.
The grace of our Head His members receive,
The Spirit is shed On all that believe,
With Jesus the favour Of God we regain,
And join'd to our Saviour Eternally reign.
1205.
[Who came to make His Father known]
Jesus . . . began to be about thirty years of age.
—iii. 23.
Who came to make His Father known
For thirty years Himself conceal'd,
Nor then His ministry begun
When first to public view reveal'd;
He teaches by His long retreat,
His silence bids our hearts be still,
His toil instructs us to submit,
And serve in man's His Father's will.
Jesus, my long-sequester'd God,
The lesson of Thy life I hear;
It bids me shun the noisy crowd,
And Thee in solitude revere;
Important far above our thought
Was Thy conceal'd humility;
Silence for thirty years it taught,
Thy other truths were taught in three.
1206.
[Hail, Filial Deity]
Which was the son of Adam, which was, &c.
—iii. 38.
Hail, Filial Deity,
Our hearts bow down to Thee,
Number'd with the sinful race,
Partner of our flesh and blood,
Thee we magnify and praise,
Son of Adam, and of God.
Offspring of God and man,
Thou dost our cause maintain,
Power omnipotent, Divine,
Mix'd with soft infirmity,
Greatness and compassion join,
God and man, to ransom me!
CHAPTER IV.
1207.
['Tis now the woman's heavenly Seed]
Led by the Spirit into the wilderness.
—iv. 1.
'Tis now the woman's heavenly Seed
Begins to bruise the serpent's head,
To' avenge us of our foe;
But Jesus bleeding on the tree
Completes His glorious victory,
And gives the mortal blow.
Full of the Holy Ghost He comes,
Provokes the fiend, nor yet presumes
Who in Himself confides,
By the almighty Spirit led:
Who all that in His footsteps tread
To certain conquest guides.
1208.
[O thou whom God vouchsafes to' inspire]
O thou whom God vouchsafes to' inspire,
Born from above, baptized with fire,
Fill'd with the joy of grace,
Stand to thy arms, nor rest secure:
The Spirit shall thy soul allure
Into the wilderness.
Prepare to meet thy hellish foe,
But trusting in thy Captain, go
To final victory.
Thy Captain first the fight maintain'd,
And by His own temptation gain'd
The conquering power for thee.
1209.
[Severely tried by inward want]
He afterward hungered.
—iv. 2.
Severely tried by inward want,
Let not thy hungry spirit faint,
Nor to the creature fly:
Man doth not live by bread alone;
If God pronounce the word, a stone
Shall all thy needs supply.
His love can find a thousand ways
Thy soul in its extreme distress
To succour and relieve:
Wait on thy God, be hungry still,
And let Him when and as He will
The lasting comfort give.
1210.
[Conqueror in one temptation, see]
The devil, taking Him up into an high mountain.
—iv. 5.
Conqueror in one temptation, see,
To rob thee of thy victory
The rallying fiend is nigh;
Again he spreads his fatal snares,
By wiles and onsets new prepares
Triumphing saints to try.
Who all thy springs of action knows,
The kingdoms of the earth he shows,
To charm thy dazzled sight.
The glory of the world displays,
And by a momentary blaze
Would hide the' eternal Light.
1211.
[Insolent lie against the Lord!]
All this . . . will I give Thee.
—iv. 6.
Insolent lie against the Lord!
Go thou blaspheming fiend abhorr'd
With fellow fiends to dwell!
All power is given to Him alone,
Who cast thee flaming from a throne
To the profoundest hell.
Jesus, the power and kingdom's Thine:
Thy sovereign providence Divine
We thankfully declare:
Thou castest down and liftest up;
And through Thy only grace we hope
Thy heavenly throne to share.
1212.
[The great, the' ambitious, and the proud]
Him only shalt thou serve.
—iv. 8.
The great, the' ambitious, and the proud
Still, like the world's usurping god,
Our adoration claim;
But who our heavenly King obey,
Worship Divine to Christ we pay,
And bow to Jesus' name.
Yet ah! how few His kingdom own,
Worship and serve the Lord alone
As angels do above!
That all may only Thee adore,
Jesus, on all bestow the power
Thee, only Thee to love.
1213.
[While in their hands the angels bear]
Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
—iv. 12.
While in their hands the angels bear,
Our Father's providential care
We thankfully commend,
Safe in His guardian love confide,
But dare not by presumptuous pride
His glorious eyes offend.
Dangers we will not rashly brave,
Because Thou ready art to save,
And hid'st our life above:
A thousand proofs we daily find,
That Thou art tender of mankind,
Art Power, and Truth, and Love.
1214.
[Us, when our Lord the victory gives]
When the devil had ended all the temptation, &c.
—iv. 13.
Us, when our Lord the victory gives,
The tempter for a season leaves,
Our fears asleep to lay:
But let us, if his wiles we know,
Prepare for the returning foe,
And always watch and pray.
After we have affliction seen,
Sore buffeted by fiends and men,
And countless trials pass'd,
Objects of God's peculiar love
Our agonizing souls may prove
The fiercest fight at last.
Vouchsafe us, Lord, that humble fear
Of danger every moment near,
Even when the fiend withdraws,
And let us always bear in mind
The bloody sweat is still behind,
The garden, and the cross.
1215.
[Jesus more than conqueror]
Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit.
—iv. 14.
Jesus more than conqueror
Of His thrice battled foe,
Fill'd with His own Spirit's power
Doth power on us bestow;
By His conquering Spirit led
We daily put the fiend to flight,
Foil through our victorious Head,
And triumph in His might.
1216.
[Tremble ye that preach the word]
There went out a fame of Him, &c.
—iv. 14, 15.
Tremble ye that preach the word,
Whose fame abroad is spread,
To the bosom of your Lord
Retire, and hide your head:
There your sin and weakness own,
Decrease and into nothing fall,
Glad that Christ is praised alone,
Is glorified by all.
1217.
[Prophet, Priest, and King, on me]
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, &c.
—iv. 18, 19.
Prophet, Priest, and King, on me
Thy threefold office show;
By Thine unction set me free,
And let the captive go:
Me a captive poor and blind
Whom Satan from my Lord detains,
In a dungeon dark confined,
And bruised with iron chains.
Preach forgiveness to the poor,
And sin shall all depart,
By Thy balm my sickness cure,
Bind up my broken heart;
By Thy salve of gospel grace
Mine eyes anoint, my sight restore,
Hold me fast in Thine embrace,
And I shall sin no more.
Preach the acceptable year
Of liberty from sin,
Breathe the promised Comforter,
The Pledge of heaven within:
When Thou dost Thy Spirit give,
My year of jubilee is come,
Then my birthright I retrieve,
And pass triumphant home.
1218.
[Speak, Divine Interpreter]
The eyes of all . . . were fastened on Him.
—iv. 20.
Speak, Divine Interpreter,
Thine own prophetic word,
All my listening soul is ear
And hangs upon its Lord,
Fix'd mine eye of faith on Thee,
From whom it never shall remove,
Till Thine open face I see,
And hear Thy voice above.
1219.
[Be it Lord in me fulfill'd]
This day is this scripture fulfilled in, &c.
—iv. 21.
Be it Lord in me fulfill'd
On this thrice happy day,
Speak my blood-bought pardon seal'd,
And take my sins away;
In the paths of righteousness
Teach by the' anointing from above,
Save me, Jesus, by Thy grace,
And rule me by Thy love.
1220.
[Lord Thy wisdom we adore]
All bare Him witness, and wondered, &c.
—iv. 22.
Lord Thy wisdom we adore
And goodness without end,
Wondering testify the power
That doth Thy words attend:
Spoke into the faithful soul
Their own Divinity they prove,
All Thy gracious words are full
Of wisdom, life, and love.
1221.
[The world His abject poverty]
Is not this Joseph's son?
—iv. 22.
The world His abject poverty
His low estate disdain,
And nothing great in Jesus see
The humbled Son of Man:
But we who Christ aright have known,
And seen with inward eyes,
Adore the poor mechanic's Son
Who made both earth and skies.
1222.
[Learn from hence, who now with power]
They were astonished at His doctrine, &c.
—iv. 32.
Learn from hence, who now with power
Minister the word of grace,
Men admire it for an hour,
Struck with truth the preacher praise;
Numbers for a time believe,
Zealously the truth defend,
Few into their hearts receive,
Few are faithful to the end.
1223.
[From the impious and profane]
Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace.
—iv. 35.
From the impious and profane
Praise our Lord will not receive,
While they in their sins remain,
To the world and Satan live:
Devils in the shape of men,
Can ye God by words adore?
Hold your peace, ye fiends unclean!
Gnostics, talk of Christ no more!
1224.
[Jesus prove Thy word on me]
What a word is this! for with, &c.
—iv. 36.
Jesus prove Thy word on me:
Sin in me doth still reside,
Anger and impurity,
Self, and unbelief, and pride:
Thy Divine perfections show,
Thy authority exert,
Cast him out this inbred foe,
Come Thyself and fill my heart.
1225.
[Satan once the body tore]
The fame of Him went out into every place.
—iv. 37.
Satan once the body tore;
Still he rules the faithless soul,
But the Spirit's stronger power
Doth the murderer's rage control:
Spread Thy fame through every place,
Jesus now the' usurper bind,
Vindicate the ransom'd race,
Cast him out of all mankind.
1226.
[Our Saviour and Lord]
All they that had any sick with divers, &c.
—iv. 40.
Our Saviour and Lord
Applies through His word
His medicinal grace,
His omnipotent hands on our spirits He lays:
He is always the same,
When His wonderful name
He in sinners reveals,
And whate'er our disease, if He touches, He heals.
1227.
[The devils that reign]
Devils also came out of many, crying out.
—iv. 41.
The devils that reign
In the children of men,
From an infidel's heart,
Till a stronger arrive, they will never depart.
But when Jesus draws near,
In their palace they fear,
And horribly cry,
And expell'd by His word from their Conqueror fly.
1228.
[O Saviour, repeat]
He rebuking them suffered them not to speak, &c.
—iv. 41.
O Saviour, repeat
Thy prohibiting threat,
Nor suffer Thy foe
By his instruments base to confess Thee below:
No longer endure
His apostles impure
To publish abroad
With their unhallow'd lips the Anointed of God.
By preaching Thy word
They make it abhorr'd,
Who by deeds they deny,
The truth in unsanctified lips is a lie;
While with infamous praise
The abusers of grace
Thy gospel commend,
But the kingdom advance of their soul-killing friend.
O end the dark hour
By the word of Thy power,
The ranters suppress,
The witnesses false of Thy mercy and peace:
Let the faithful alone
Thy Divinity own,
Thine unction receive,
And demonstrate the truth of the gospel they live.
1229.
[He that doth his Pattern eye]
He departed and went into a desert place.
—iv. 42.
He that doth his Pattern eye,
When his public work is done,
Let him from the people fly,
Seek the face of God alone,
To the wilderness repair,
Pour out all his soul in prayer.
Listening at the Master's feet,
Fresh instructions he receives,
Till required the flock to meet,
Loath the secret place he leaves,
Torn as with reluctant pain,
Forced into the world again.
1230.
[Let me with like eagerness]
The people sought Him, and came unto, &c.
—iv. 42.
Let me with like eagerness
Cast the worldly crowd behind,
After Him impatient press,
Seek till I the Saviour find,
Follow on till Christ I know,
Hold, and never let Him go.
1231.
[Not to a single age or place]
I must preach the kingdom of God to other, &c.
—iv. 43.
Not to a single age or place
Thy doctrine is confined,
Thou preachest still the word of grace
The gospel to mankind:
Sent from Thy Father's throne Thou art,
With news of sins forgiven,
Of peace for every contrite heart,
Of joy and present heaven.
Thy love constrains Thee to proclaim
The kingdom come to all,
And all receive it through Thy name
Who hear Thy Spirit's call:
Thy Spirit in Thy servant's word
The power Divine imparts,
And then the kingdom is restored
In pure believing hearts.
1232.
[Come Saviour, by Thy promise bound]
He preached in the synagogues of Galilee.
—iv. 44.
Come Saviour, by Thy promise bound,
In every messenger,
And let our synagogues resound
With news of glory near;
Glory in grace on earth begun,
Which every soul may gain,
And humbled, at Thy side sit down,
And in Thy patience reign.
Thy peace into my troubled soul,
Thy mighty joy bring in,
Thy righteous nature, to control
And finish all my sin;
The power of Thy triumphant love
To me my Lord extend,
And bring the kingdom from above
Which never more shall end.
CHAPTER V.
1233.
[That apostolic ship]
He entered into one of the ships, &c.
—v. 3.
That apostolic ship,
That church where Christ abides,
Loosed from the earth, while in the deep,
Above the deep it rides.
Of unity the school,
Of truth the sacred chair!
Jesus delights to sit and rule,
And teach His people there.
1234.
[When our incarnate God]
Now when He had left speaking, He said, &c.
—v. 4.
When our incarnate God
No longer spake to men,
His church expanded all abroad
Through the wide world was seen;
Their net the' apostles spread,
Where'er their Lord they brought
And strangely took with rapid speed
Whole nations at a draught.
1235.
[Their successors in vain]
We have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing.
—v. 5.
Their successors in vain
We labour'd all the night,
Nor could a single sinner gain,
Or cast our net aright:
The mist was not dispell'd,
The thick infernal gloom
While blind we all the errors held
Of dark apostate Rome.
But our redeeming Lord
Hath chased the clouds away,
And manifested by His word
The full immortal day:
By His own Spirit's light
We now the net let down,
And toil successful in the sight
Of yon eternal Sun.
1236.
[If Thou the fishers guide]
When they had this done, they inclosed a great, &c.
—v. 6.
If Thou the fishers guide,
Immortal souls we win,
Casting the net on the right side
We gather thousands in.
1237.
[I who so oft have seen]
When . . . Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees.
—v. 8.
I who so oft have seen
The tokens of Thy power,
Vilest and sinfulest of men,
O how shall I adore!
Struck by Thy piercing eyes,
Unclean in lips and heart,
I fall; and all my nature cries
“From me, O Lord depart!”
Before Thy holiness
Shall I presume to' appear,
When purest angels hide their face,
And tremble to draw near?
What fellowship with light
Can darkness e'er maintain,
Or how shall sinners in Thy sight,
Or at Thy feet remain?
When Thou appear'st below
Thou show'st me what I am,
My darkness by Thy light I know,
And suffer all my shame;
Abash'd I see and feel
The vast disparity,
The distance inconceivable
Betwixt my God and me!
Yet Thou my Saviour art,
Whose love transcends the sky,
And canst not find it in Thy heart
To leave and let me die;
Whilst after Thee I mourn,
Thou wilt not let me faint,
But stay a sinful man to turn
Into a sinless saint.
1238.
[A prosperous minister]
He was astonished . . . at the draught, &c.
—v. 9.
A prosperous minister
Doth with amazement see,
And Christ the only cause declare
Of his prosperity:
Yes, Lord, I gladly own
The miracle of grace,
If sinners I for God have won,
To Thee be all the praise.
1239.
[Fisher of men ordain'd]
Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt, &c.
—v. 10.
Fisher of men ordain'd,
I with my partners go,
The gospel net at Christ's command
Into the world I throw;
And He forbids my fear
Whom earth and heaven adore,
And He attends His minister
Till time shall be no more.
1240.
[A leprous soul that feels]
A man full of leprosy . . . seeing Jesus.
—v. 12.
A leprous soul that feels
The loathsomeness of sin,
To Christ his case reveals,
And longs to be made clean,
His humble faith to Christ applies,
And little speaks, but much it sighs.
O'erwhelm'd beneath the load
Of his impurity,
A long-offended God
Ashamed he is to see,
Low in the dust he hides his face,
And conscious of his vileness, prays.
My universal sin,
Lord, I to Thee confess,
Corrupt without, within,
Full of a sore disease,
Of bruises, wounds, and putrid sores,
My spirit at Thy feet adores.
Of grace I never will,
But of myself despair;
Able Thou art to heal,
Thou hear'st a sinner's prayer;
My faith is strong, my hope is sure
A touch of Thine can make me pure.
1241.
[Thy Spirit's hand apply]
He put forth His hand, and touched him.
—v. 13.
Thy Spirit's hand apply
My pardon'd sin to seal,
My soul to purify,
Assure me now “I will,”
And all my guilt shall now depart,
And sin shall leave me pure in heart.
1242.
[Our Saviour and God]
Went there a fame abroad of Him, &c.
—v. 15.
Our Saviour and God
Thou art publish'd abroad,
We have heard of Thy fame,
And allured by the sound of Thy wonderful name
With the crowd we draw near,
Thy wisdom to hear,
And in pardon reveal'd
To perceive all our sins and infirmities heal'd.
The gospel of grace
Thy Spirit conveys,
To the rapturous sound
We attend, and it heals our incurable wound;
The languishing soul
By a word is made whole,
And inspired from above
Through the hearing of faith we recover Thy love.
1243.
[A happy instrument of grace]
He withdrew Himself into the wilderness, &c.
—v. 16.
A happy instrument of grace
Withdraws into the wilderness,
With still-continued care;
The good of precious souls he seeks,
In their behalf to God he speaks,
And pleads for them in prayer.
He muses frequently retired,
That more abundantly inspired
He may his mission prove,
The people serve with holier zeal,
And all his ministry fulfil
In praise of Jesus' love.
1244.
[I rise obedient to Thy word]
Immediately he rose up before them.
—v. 25.
I rise obedient to Thy word,
Take up the bed on which I lay,
The tokens of my sin abhorr'd,
The relics I remove away,
Retreat, the worldly throng exclude,
And seek my God in solitude.
Saviour for this alone I live,
To magnify Thy healing love,
And while to Thee I glory give,
I hasten to my house above,
A house not made with human hands,
Which in the heavenly country stands.
1245.
[Let all the God of mercy praise]
They were all amazed, and they glorified God.
—v. 26.
Let all the God of mercy praise,
Whose mercy doth to all extend;
His work reviving in our days,
His grace to sinners we commend,
While in ourselves and them we prove
The wonders wrought by Jesus' love.
Daily we see the arm reveal'd,
The love of our almighty Lord,
And crowds of palsied souls are heal'd,
Heal'd by a kind forgiving word,
They rise, they walk in truth and grace,
They follow after holiness.
Thee, Jesus, Thee we glorify,
With wonder at Thy feet adore;
With fear extol the Lord most high,
Wisdom, and Truth, and Love, and Power,
By every ransom'd soul confess'd
God over all for ever bless'd.
1246.
[Hadst Thou not cast a gracious look]
He left all, rose up, and followed Him.
—v. 28.
Hadst Thou not cast a gracious look
On human misery,
The world I never had forsook,
Or rose to follow Thee;
But now convicted by Thine eye,
Mine evil I eschew,
My sin and its occasions fly,
And all Thy steps pursue.
My business, Lord, my only care
Poor souls for Thee to win;
For Thee the banquet I prepare,
And call my brethren in;
My guilty comrades I invite,
With Thee to feast and live,
And well I know, Thy whole delight
Is, sinners to receive.
1247.
[He eats with men of every sort]
Levi made Him a great feast in his own house.
—v. 29.
He eats with men of every sort,
Matthew's and Simon's guest,
But never banquets at a court,
Or with a wicked priest.
1248.
[Conscious of this plague within]
They that are whole need not a physician.
—v. 31.
Conscious of this plague within
I a Physician want;
My whole head is sick of sin,
And my whole heart is faint;
Only wickedness I feel,
No goodness doth in me reside,
All my nature is self-will,
And all my soul is pride.
While myself I faint to bear,
And life for lost give up,
Strangely rising from despair
I find a sudden hope;
Hope I of salvation have,
That if myself I cannot heal,
If myself I cannot save,
The great Physician will.
Humbly now, O Lord, I own
My sin and misery,
Make my sad condition known,
Expose my case to Thee;
Glory in my desperate case,
Without Thy help I cannot live;
Therefore help me by Thy grace,
And perfect soundness give.
1249.
[Me! did Jesus come for me?]
I came not to call the righteous, but sinners, &c.
—v. 32.
Me! did Jesus come for me?
The God who reigns above,
Could He stoop to misery,
A Man of grief and love!
If Thou didst forsake the sky,
Sinners to save from endless woe,
Here, the sinners' chief am I,
Thy chief concern below.
Call (and give me ears to hear)
My soul out of its fall,
Call to godly grief and fear,
To true repentance call,
Call me Thine embrace to meet,
To know and feel my sins forgiven,
Call me then to love complete,
And call me up to heaven.
1250.
[We long to worldly pleasures cleave]
No man also having drunk old wine, &c.
—v. 39.
We long to worldly pleasures cleave,
Nor will our evil habits leave,
Most gracious Lord for Thee,
Preferring the delights of sin,
The' intoxicating joys unclean,
To joys of purity.
But when Thou dost our souls convert,
Tasting how excellent Thou art
How full of pardoning grace,
We let the world and creature go,
The sweetness of religion know,
And all its pleasant ways.
We every earthly love forsake,
When of Thy Spirit we partake,
And drink Thy purity;
We own reclining on Thy breast,
The old, celestial wine is best,
The love that flows from Thee.
CHAPTER VI.
1251.
[In outward things alone]
Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the, &c.
—vi. 2.
In outward things alone
Who their religion prove,
And hate the good they have not known,
The law fulfill'd in love;
They only cloke their pride,
With humble words conceal
And by a plea of conscience hide
The envious rage of hell.
1252.
[Jesus sojourning below]
He went out into a mountain to pray, and, &c.
—vi. 12.
Jesus sojourning below,
Thy example I receive,
Only Thee I live to know,
Thee to imitate I live;
Thus for every work prepare,
Watchful and retired in prayer.
But that I may pray like Thee,
Thou the hindrances remove,
Help my soul's infirmity,
Breathe the Spirit of Thy love
Into this weak heart of mine,
Then my prayer is all Divine.
1253.
[Jesus full of holiness]
There went virtue out of Him, and healed them all.
—vi. 19.
Jesus full of holiness,
Holiness proceeds from Thee,
Virtue pure and gospel-grace
Cures our souls' infirmity:
Thee who touch by faith and prayer
Shall the balmy effluence feel,
Throughly heal'd to all declare
Love is inexhaustible.
Now I seek to touch my Lord,
Now as yesterday the same,
Hear the evangelic word,
Trust the virtue of Thy name:
Lord, in me Thy grace reveal,
(Grace which every soul may prove,)
All my sicknesses to heal
Now infuse Thy sovereign love.
1254.
[Happy poor who know your bliss]
Blessed be ye poor, &c.
—vi. 20–23.
Happy poor who know your bliss,
Poor in goods, and spirit too!
Yours the gracious kingdom is,
Glory is prepared for you;
All by sacred want ye gain,
Kings in earth and heaven ye reign.
Happy you content to pine,
Wanting now your daily bread,
Hungering after food Divine,
God your empty souls shall feed,
All His heavenly love reveal,
With Himself for ever fill.
Happy you to sorrow born,
Deeper grieved for want of grace:
God shall comfort all that mourn:
Calm your mournful lot embrace,
Sow in tears, a moment weep,
Sure eternal joy to reap.
Happy you by men abhorr'd,
From their fellowship expell'd,
Scorn'd, rejected as your Lord,
Mock'd, and in derision held,
Jesus' portion who partake,
Sufferers for your Saviour's sake.
Sing, rejoice, and leap for joy,
Triumph in that happiest day,
When the world your lives destroy,
Like the ancient prophets slay,
Live, out of your bodies driven!
Find your vast reward in heaven.
1255.
[Woe to you who riches prize]
But woe unto you that are rich! &c.
—vi. 24–26.
Woe to you who riches prize,
Ye who now in wealth abound;
Ye have found your paradise,
All your paradise have found:
Cursed on earth with what ye love,
Look for no reward above.
Woe to you who always full,
Fare like Dives every day:
Famish'd is the glutton's soul,
Satan's long-expected prey;
Pamper'd beasts with devils dwell,
Keep an endless fast in hell.
Woe to you who laugh and play,
Who in mirth and pleasures live,
Cast your jocund souls away!
Ye shall soon lament and grieve,
Weep and wail with fiends below
Doom'd to everlasting woe.
Woe to you whom all commend:
Prudent to preserve your fame,
Favourites of the world your friend,
Foes to Jesus and His shame,
Souls for air, and fire ye sell,
Air on earth, and fire in hell.
So the lying prophets lived,
Honour'd in the days of old;
They their praise from men received,
They their souls for nothing sold;
You with them your doom shall mourn,
Raised to everlasting scorn.
Woe to you, eternal woe!
Idolised by flattering men!
Go, with the false prophets go
To the dark, infernal den,
Howl in blasphemous despair,
Hiss'd by all the serpents there!
1256.
[Master, if Thee I rightly hear]
I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, &c.
—vi. 27, 28.
Master, if Thee I rightly hear,
My faith I by obedience show,
Aim at the perfect character,
And strive to love my deadly foe;
In word and deed, and heart, I love
When strengthen'd with Thy Spirit's might,
And thus the true perfection prove
The length, and breadth, and depth, and height.
Fill'd with the power procured for me
To love whom Thou hast bought with blood,
I long his happiness to see,
To speak, and labour for his good;
This vengeance on my foe I take,
Heap coals of fire upon his head,
Embrace him, Saviour, for Thy sake,
And die a victim in his stead.
His person, not his sin, I love,
His true, not fancied good I seek,
I wish him turn'd to things above,
And to him mild, not meanly speak:
I pray Thee, Lord, his soul to bless;
For his as for my own I pray,
Prepare us both to see Thy face,
And crown with glory in that day.
1257.
[Self-love which strikes us blind]
As ye would that men should do to you, &c.
—vi. 31.
Self-love which strikes us blind,
And makes us others wrong,
Enlightens and informs our mind
What doth to each belong,
In every case supplies
A rule of equity;
And all mankind with kindly eyes
And cordial love we see.
1258.
[The Christian law alone]
If ye love them which love you, &c.
—vi. 32.
The Christian law alone
Is holy, good, and pure,
It makes our heart-corruptions known,
And ministers a cure,
Exalts the fallen man;
And raised ourselves above,
We then resemble God again
By universal love.
1259.
[Tremble whoe'er thou art]
If ye do good to them which do good to you, &c.
—vi. 33.
Tremble whoe'er thou art,
Though generous, just, and kind,
Who findest nothing in thy heart
But what a Turk may find!
Who do your patrons good,
Your partisans approve,
Your flattering friends with favours load;
Yourselves, not them, ye love.
1260.
[Father Thy boundless love we find]
Love ye your enemies . . . and your reward shall, &c.
—vi. 35.
Father Thy boundless love we find,
Embracing our whole ransom'd kind,
Thy love to all Thy works extends,
Thy tender mercy never ends;
Thy kindness no distinction knows
Of bad or good, of friends or foes,
Thy love unmix'd Thy grace is free
To evil and unthankful me.
O could I Thee my pattern make,
Thy nature, mind, and Spirit partake,
And all the ransom'd souls that live
Alike into my heart receive,
By indiscriminating love
My second birth and sonship prove,
And thus ensure the' immortal prize,
And thus regain my paradise.
1261.
[A vessel of mere mercy I]
Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father, &c.
—vi. 36.
A vessel of mere mercy I
By mercy live, though doom'd to die,
I live Thine image to regain
Thy bowels toward the sons of men;
To prove that I my Father know,
Thy brightest character to show,
While all my blood-bought brethren see
Our God is love, and dwells in me.
1262.
[Forgive my foes? it cannot be]
Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.
—vi. 37.
Forgive my foes? it cannot be:
My foes with cordial love embrace?
Fast bound in sin and misery,
Unsaved, unchanged by hallowing grace,
Throughout my fallen soul I feel
With man this is impossible.
Great Searcher of the mazy heart,
A thought from Thee I would not hide,
I cannot draw the' envenom'd dart,
Or quench this hell of wrath and pride,
Jesus, till I Thy Spirit receive,
Thou know'st, I never can forgive.
Come, Lord, and tame the tiger's force,
Arrest the whirlwind in my will,
Turn back the torrent's rapid course,
And bid the headlong sun stand still,
The rock dissolve, the mountain move,
And melt my hatred into love.
Root out the wrath Thou dost restrain;
And when I have my Saviour's mind,
I cannot render pain for pain,
I cannot speak a word unkind,
An angry thought I cannot know,
Or count mine injurer my foe.
1263.
[If Jesus' saying we receive]
Give, and it shall be given unto you.
—vi. 38.
If Jesus' saying we receive,
Our charity to all runs o'er;
Love cannot hesitate to give
What truth is ready to restore.
1264.
[What is the proof of perfect love?]
Every tree is known by his own fruit.
—vi. 44.
What is the proof of perfect love?
Assertions bold that “I am he
Whom God assures I cannot move,
And sin is all destroy'd in me”?
No pompous words the tokens are:
Words are but leaves, and not the fruit:
The leaves may spread, and flourish fair,
While nature's pride is at the root.
Great words an evil tree may bear:
Partners of real holiness
By purity of life declare,
By deeds their perfect love confess:
True goodness grows on a good tree,
Meekness which no affront can move;
Patience, conceal'd humility,
And all the fruits of silent love.
1265.
[Howe'er the softening art of man]
Howe'er the softening art of man
May subtle, learn'd distinctions make,
And sin in perfect saints explain
As nature's innocent mistake;
Howe'er we may the rule bring down,
And make it our experience suit,
That tree is good, and that alone,
Which cannot bring forth evil fruit.
Shall those who evil act or speak,
Our vouchers for perfection be,
Allow'd by man Thy law to break,
And call it an infirmity?
Ah, no: the trees of righteousness,
Thy planting, O almighty Lord,
They never can Thy law transgress,
Or sin, in deed, or thought, or word.
Away then with your boastings vain,
Proofs more substantial we demand,
Ye cannot sin, if born again,
Ye can the fiery trial stand;
The proof in facts and tempers give,
Sorrow, disgrace, and pain endure,
Live without sin, like Jesus live,
And tell us thus your hearts are pure.
1266.
[Love is the source of every good]
A good man out of the good treasure, &c.
—vi. 45.
Love is the source of every good,
Concupiscence of every sin,
The fountain by the stream is show'd,
By works the principle within:
Good actions a good heart bewray,
Which humble souls in vain would hide,
And passions vile themselves betray,
And outward speaks the inward pride.
The heart corrupt with all his care
An hypocrite cannot conceal,
The lip at last will make it bare,
Its secret rottenness reveal;
His wicked skill to lurk unknown
Cannot the voice of works suppress,
But forced he is by deeds to own
“Mine inward parts are wickedness.”
1267.
[What crowds acknowledge Thee their Lord]
Why call ye Me Lord, Lord, and do not, &c.
—vi. 46.
What crowds acknowledge Thee their Lord,
Yet take Thy name in vain,
Neglecting to observe Thy word
They let their passions reign;
Thy daily cross they will not bear
Or their own lusts deny,
But ruled by other lords they are,
And joyfully comply.
One of the formal worldly throng
I heretofore have been,
And mock'd Thee with my lips too long.
And gave my heart to sin.
But, master'd now by sovereign grace
Thy sway I truly own,
And walk in all Thy righteous ways,
And serve my God alone.
My heart, my life henceforth is Thine;
I glory to fulfil
The kind commands of Love Divine,
And do Thy utmost will;
The only work on earth I have
Is Thee my Lord to please,
My own and neighbour's soul to save,
And then depart in peace.
1268.
[Practice is the truth of grace]
Whosoever cometh to Me, and heareth, &c.
—vi. 47, 48.
Practice is the truth of grace,
Of faith the' authentic sign,
Built he is who Christ obeys
Upon the Rock Divine;
When the sandy buildings fail,
And earth is from its base removed,
Stands the man immovable
Who served the Lord he loved.
Lord I come by faith to Thee,
With joy Thy sayings hear;
Give me solid piety
And strength to persevere;
Lest the flood my house o'erthrow,
The knowledge of myself impart,
Lay the sure foundation low,
In a poor sinner's heart.
Founded on the rock of peace,
Who on Thyself relies,
Daily finds his faith increase,
And sees the building rise:
Thus my confidence I ground,
To all Thy words obedient prove,
Grow in grace, and more abound
In faith that works by love.
Trouble's flood assaults in vain,
Temptation's vehement stream,
Still unshaken I remain,
The rapid torrent stem:
Steadfast now in faith and hope,
My soul both stream and flood defies,
Till Thou take the building up,
And fix me in the skies.
1269.
[Thou who forward art to hear]
He that heareth, and doeth not, is like, &c.
—vi. 49.
Thou who forward art to hear,
But negligent to do,
Tremble, for the day draws near
Which shall thy folly show;
Fair thou may'st a moment stand,
But when the storms of wrath assail,
Falls thy house upon the sand,
And tumbles into hell.
CHAPTER VII.
1270.
[A pastor fraught with Jesu's grace]
Now when He had ended all His sayings, &c.
—vii. 1.
A pastor fraught with Jesu's grace
In Jesu's steps proceeds,
Teaches the way of righteousness,
And then performs the deeds;
From practising to teaching good
Betakes himself again,
By both instructs the multitude
Eternal life to' obtain.
My heavenly Lord, I would from Thee
The double grace receive,
With true Divine simplicity
The gospel preach, and live;
Inform the souls whose good I seek,
And do the Christian part;
Words to the understanding speak,
But actions to the heart.
1271.
[The man who Christ hath truly known]
A certain centurion's servant, who was, &c.
—vii. 2.
The man who Christ hath truly known,
His faith by works of mercy proves,
Respects his servant as a son,
In him his heavenly Master loves;
Conscious that God will equal make,
Or crown the slave with brighter stars,
He humbly now for Jesus' sake
His servant to himself prefers.
1272.
[A token he for good receives]
When he heard of Jesus, he sent unto Him, &c.
—vii. 3.
A token he for good receives
Who nothing hopes for his own sake,
Yet humbly confident believes
Christ will on him compassion take:
Who asks the faithful people's prayers,
By living saints to Christ applies,
Would pray himself, but scarcely dares
Approach, or lift to heaven his eyes.
1273.
[Man magnifies the deeds of men]
They besought Him instantly, saying, &c.
—vii. 4.
Man magnifies the deeds of men,
With God the creature's merit pleads,
But all our thoughts by Christ are seen,
Our actions' spring and end He reads;
Strangers to evangelic grace,
The pompous works by sinners done
As works of charity they praise;
But Christ commends our faith alone.
1274.
[Because unworthy of Thy grace]
Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy, &c.
—vii. 7.
Because unworthy of Thy grace,
In me Thy powerful grace reveal;
This plague of heart which I confess
A motion of Thy will can heal;
The Lord of all in earth and skies
Can by a word my soul restore;
O speak it now, and now I rise,
And follow Thee and sin no more.
1275.
[Jesus vouchsafes to recompense]
They . . . found the servant whole that had, &c.
—vii. 10.
Jesus vouchsafes to recompense
The faith He doth Himself impart,
Inspires the hope, and then the sense
Of pardon in a contrite heart;
Faith to be heal'd Thou know'st I have,
I wait Thy pardoning love to feel:
Come, Lord, and to the utmost save,
And perfectly Thy servant heal.
1276.
[We here the sinner's history read]
Behold, there was a dead man carried out.
—vii. 12.
We here the sinner's history read,
Who dead in sin, and doubly dead
Is carrying to the tomb;
Happy, before he reach the pit,
If Jesus the procession meet,
And to his rescue come.
Follow'd, and by the church deplored,
(That widow of her heavenly Lord,)
Insensible he lies;
The mother sad with pious tears
Bewails her son, till Christ appears,
And bids the dead arise.
1277.
[Her loss she never can forget]
When the Lord saw her, He had compassion.
—vii. 13.
Her loss she never can forget,
Till Life and death together meet,
The sinner and his God:
He comes, and lifts His mourner up,
He fills her heart with cheerful hope,
And sheds His love abroad.
Pitying He hears the widow's prayers,
For souls that claim her tenderest cares,
Bereft of life and power;
And soon returning from the skies,
Jesus will banish all her sighs,
And bid her weep no more.
1278.
[Touch'd by Thine efficacious grace]
And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak.
—vii. 15.
Touch'd by Thine efficacious grace,
Raised from his sins to speak Thy praise,
And testify Thy power,
Thou bidd'st him in Thy Spirit live,
Dost to his joyful mother give,
Dost to Thy church restore.
Happy the soul who lives again
Redeem'd from sin and death and pain
That glorious church to see,
(That mother of us all above,)
Communion with the saints to prove
Through all eternity.
1279.
[A guide of souls will not retain]
John calling unto him two of his disciples.
—vii. 19.
A guide of souls will not retain,
Or suffer them on him to' attend,
But sends them to increase the train
Of Him that did from heaven descend;
His Saviour's humble harbinger,
No party will he call his own,
His only care that souls should hear,
Believe, and hang on Christ alone.
1280.
[One only thing we ask to know]
Art Thou He that should come? &c.
—vii. 20.
One only thing we ask to know,
But one which everything contains,
Art Thou the Man that dwelt below,
That died to purge our sinful stains?
Assure my heart, if Thou art He,
My King, my Prophet and my Priest,
My God who gave Himself for me—
I'll trust Thy love for all the rest.
1281.
[Simple men who nothing know]
All the people that heard Him, &c.
—vii. 29.
Simple men who nothing know,
Poor, but penitents sincere,
Simply their obedience show,
When the sinners' Friend they hear,
Enter into His design,
Gladly saved by grace Divine.
1282.
[But the men of learning proud]
But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected, &c.
—vii. 30.
But the men of learning proud,
Proud of their own righteousness,
Scorn to follow with the crowd,
Scorn their evil to confess,
Levell'd in the dust to lie,
There for mercy, mercy cry.
Never by the precept slain,
How can they the promise plead?
They the gospel plan disdain,
No Divine Physician need,
Will not condescend to take
Life and heaven for Jesu's sake.
1283.
[The holy God Himself they blame]
Ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, &c.
—vii. 34.
The holy God Himself they blame,
The' essential Righteousness,
And shall we fondly hope or aim
A froward world to please?
No, Lord, we only wish to live
Thy life of purity,
And then Thy treatment to receive,
And suffer it like Thee.
1284.
[Secretly allured by grace]
A woman . . . which was a sinner, &c.
—vii. 37.
Secretly allured by grace,
Lo to Christ the sinner flies,
Dares not look upon His face,
Dares not meet His purer eyes;
Having found the God she seeks,
Fill'd with shame, she scarce appears,
Only by her heart she speaks,
Pours it out in silent tears.
1285.
[While He sits at meat, reclined]
And stood at His feet behind Him.
—vii. 38.
While He sits at meat, reclined,
Looking for that inward meat,
Penitent, she stands behind,
Falls, to wash and kiss His feet;
Waters them with copious showers
From the fountains of her eyes,
Richer than the oil she pours,
More accepted sacrifice.
Thus may I with faith sincere
Holy, self-abhorring shame,
Trembling to my Lord draw near,
Bring Him all I have, and am;
All my sinfulness confess,
Never from His feet remove,
Quite o'erwhelm'd with pardoning grace,
Swallow'd up in grief and love.
1286.
[O how gentle is my Lord]
Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee.
—vii. 40.
O how gentle is my Lord
Toward a Pharisee austere,
O how bounteous to reward
For his hospitable cheer!
Kind instruction He bestows
On a sinner unforgiven;
Bid by Pharisees, He shows
Pharisees the way to heaven.
1287.
[I the greatest debtor am]
There was a certain creditor which had two, &c.
—vii. 41.
I the greatest debtor am,
Infinite the debt I owed,
Till a bankrupt poor I came
To the sin-remitting God;
Trembling at His feet I lay,
Scarcely dared for mercy call:
Then, when I could nothing pay
Frankly He forgave me all.
1288.
[Still He doth to sinners turn]
He turned to the woman, and said, &c.
—vii. 44.
Still He doth to sinners turn,
Doth with mild complacence view,
Objects of your virtuous scorn
Sinners He prefers to you;
You who with self-righteous pride
Sinners haughtily entreat,
Judge whom God hath justified,
Spurn them at their Saviour's feet.
At His feet that harlot see,
Weeping and adoring there,
Feet transfix'd on Calvary,
Still she wipes them with her hair,
Kisses them a thousand times,
Weeps, and washing them again,
Loathes herself for pardon'd crimes,
Crimes that caused His mortal pain.
1289.
[Much she loved her loving God]
Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which, &c.
—vii. 47.
Much she loved her loving God,
Much forgiven by His grace,
Hence her large affections flow'd,
More increased by Jesu's praise:
Thus, when He hath purged our stain,
Glad we feel the guilt removed,
Dearly love our Lord again,
Us because He first hath loved.
Did our love the pardon buy?
Ours is but the' effect of His;
God doth freely justify,
Gives the reconciling kiss;
Then we fall and kiss His feet,
Much we love when much forgiven,
Hear Him every day repeat
“Saved by faith go on to heaven!”
1290.
[While our grief for sin we show]
He said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
—vii. 48.
While our grief for sin we show,
Our respect for Christ express,
More confirm'd His love we know,
Deeper wrought His work of grace;
Jesus by His Spirit's power
Fuller confidence imparts,
Gives us what He gave before,
Seals the pardon on our hearts.
1291.
[Who is this that sin forgives?]
Who is this that forgiveth sins?
—vii. 49.
Who is this that sin forgives?
A mere mortal sinful man,
Who his power from Rome receives,
Forms, and absolutions vain?
No; the power is God's alone;
God it is that justifies,
He who did for sin atone,
He the precious grace applies.
Who is this that sin forgives,
Now as yesterday the same?
Ask the sinner that believes,
Well he knows his Saviour's name;
Jesus bought the grace with blood,
Our infallible High-Priest,
Jesus is our pardoning God,
God supreme for ever bless'd.
1292.
[Saving faith is not alone]
And He said to the woman, Thy faith hath, &c.
—vii. 50.
Saving faith is not alone;
All who savingly believe
Make their true affection known,
To their dear Redeemer cleave
Humbly at His feet they mourn,
All His benefits restore,
Never to the world return,
Walk in Christ, and sin no more.
Saved by faith from sin and fear,
Bright they in His image rise,
Meet before His face to' appear,
Sinners still in their own eyes;
Lord on me the grace bestow,
Pardon on my heart impress;
Saved by faith I then shall go,
Go to God in perfect peace.
CHAPTER VIII.
1293.
[Poor for our sake, the Lord most high]
Certain women which had been healed, &c.
—viii. 2, 3.
Poor for our sake, the Lord most high
Humbly accepts His creature's aid,
Doth on His Father's care rely,
And freely deals the' immortal bread;
His sustenance from those receives
Whose sins He did by grace remove;
And thus to saints occasion gives
Of witnessing their grateful love.
Jesus, Thy travelling church below
In every age its Head attends,
Whoe'er Thy healing virtue know,
And trample on the' ejected fiends,
Pardon'd and thankful for their cure,
From Satan and the world set free,
By succouring Thy members poor
They serve and minister to Thee.
In the first infant church we view
The happy pair whom God hath join'd,
The mix'd inseparable two,
Knowledge and charity combined:
And still where Christ and His appear,
They hand in hand together move,
And both at once we see and hear,
The word of truth and works of love.
1294.
[The word, the seed of righteousness]
They . . . bring forth fruit with patience.
—viii. 15.
The word, the seed of righteousness
Sown in our hearts we gladly feel,
With joy our proffer'd Lord embrace,
With rapturous joy unspeakable
Receive the news of sin forgiven,
And taste in love our present heaven.
Yet the incorruptible seed
Doth never in a moment rise,
But buried deep, as lost and dead,
Long in our earthy hearts it lies,
Water'd, before the fruit appears,
With showers of grace, and floods of tears.
Howe'er our hasty nature fret,
Or instantaneous growth require,
We must, we must with patience wait,
With humble, languishing desire,
And when ten thousand storms are pass'd,
Bring forth the perfect fruit—at last.
1295.
[The truth who with our hearts believe]
No man, when he hath lighted a candle, &c.
—viii. 16.
The truth who with our hearts believe,
We must not there suppress,
But open testimony give,
And with our mouth confess:
Ashamed of Christ we must not be,
But let His candle shine,
That all throughout our lives may see
The light of love Divine.
1296.
[Though God in Christ reveal]
Whosoever hath not, from him shall, &c.
—viii. 18.
Though God in Christ reveal
Our sins through faith removed,
We lose the talent we conceal,
The blessing unimproved;
Not labouring after more
Abundant righteousness,
Stripp'd of our former peace and power,
We forfeit all our grace.
1297.
[Lord, if Thy grace I have]
Whosoever hath, to him shall be given.
—viii. 18.
Lord, if Thy grace I have,
I plead Thy word for more:
Whom Thou hast saved, persist to save,
And all Thy life restore:
If with a faithful heart
I simply follow Thee,
Whate'er Thou hast, whate'er Thou art,
Thou art, and hast for me.
1298.
[To whom but Jesus shall we run]
They came to Him, and awoke Him.
—viii. 24.
To whom but Jesus shall we run
For refuge in despair?
We make our lost condition known
And waken Him by prayer;
Master, if Thou neglect to hear
Thy poor disciples cry,
If Thou Thy needful help defer,
Now in our sins we die.
Our toiling strength exhausted is,
Our Hope Thou art alone;
Save, or we perish in the' abyss,
Eternally undone:
Our succour in extremity,
Our all-commanding Lord,
Now, now rebuke the winds and sea,
And speak the calm restored.
1299.
[By Thee preserved in our distress]
He said unto them, Where is your faith?
—viii. 25.
By Thee preserved in our distress,
In our temptation kept,
Thy watchful goodness we confess;
Our faith it was that slept.
With holy dread and wonder fill'd
We praise Thy saving power,
Rejoice to find the tempest still'd,
And at Thy feet adore.
1300.
[The slave to nature's filthy sin]
There met Him . . . a certain man, which had devils.
—viii. 27.
The slave to nature's filthy sin
(Fit mansion for the spirit unclean)
Bewrays his foulest shame,
Wanders a phrenitic possess'd,
A furious diabolic beast,
And Legion is his name.
Stripp'd of his Maker's character,
Of virtuous sense and modest fear,
Far from himself he roams,
Far from the eye of man he flies,
Delights in rottenness and vice,
And dwells among the tombs.
1301.
[When Christ and purity is near]
When he saw Jesus, he cried out.
—viii. 28.
When Christ and purity is near,
He starts appall'd with guilty fear,
As from his deadly foe;
All commerce with the Lord disclaims,
Aghast as if he saw the flames
The yawning gulf below.
1302.
[The slave to vile affections sold]
Oftentimes it had caught him, &c.
—viii. 29.
The slave to vile affections sold,
No laws can bind, no fetters hold;
By Satan's impulse driven
He haunts the ghastly wilderness,
Far from the pleasant paths of peace,
As far as hell from heaven.
1303.
[When given up to brutish lust]
The herd ran violently down a steep place, &c.
—viii. 33.
When given up to brutish lust,
Left by the holy God and just
To his own heart's desire,
He hurries for a moment on,
Rushes with his companions down,
And plunges in the fire.
1304.
[How vain our strife to heal]
A woman having an issue of blood, &c.
—viii. 43.
How vain our strife to heal
The plague incurable!
Still the plague remains unstay'd,
Still the issue is undried;
Reason's philosophic aid
Heightens, and inflames our pride.
Endeavouring to restrain,
The law augments our pain:
Virtue's firm resolve we boast,
Boast our liberty of will;
All our confidence is lost,
Cannot stop the raging ill.
The' original disease
Our medicines but increase:
Happy when at last we know
Human insufficiency,
When we truly humbled go,
Jesus, for relief to Thee.
1305.
[To Thee I now draw near]
She came behind Him, and touched the border.
—viii. 44.
To Thee I now draw near,
With faith and shame and fear
Mercy at Thy feet implore,
Feel my own unworthiness,
Faint without Thy saving power,
Die without Thy healing grace.
Source of my holiness,
Thy manhood I confess;
Through the means to Thee apply,
Wait Thy Spirit to receive;
Let it heal and purify,
Jesus, in Thy patient live.
1306.
[With lowly fear and shame]
And when the woman saw that she, &c.
—viii. 47.
With lowly fear and shame
My Saviour I proclaim;
Prostrate at Thy footstool own,
Own in love's simplicity,
Thou hast made Thy mercy known,
Magnified Thy power on me.
For pardon I believed,
And have the grace received;
Jesus mighty to redeem
Bless'd me with a sudden cure:
Yes; I touch'd His garment's hem,
Touch'd and felt my pardon sure.
The truth I now declare,
My testimony bear,
Jesu's grace to sinners tell;
All the benefit may find:
Present is His power to heal
Me, and them, and all mankind.
1307.
[Lord, if my sin-sick soul]
Daughter, be of good comfort . . . . go in peace.
—viii. 48.
Lord, if my sin-sick soul
Thou hast indeed made whole,
Bid me go in humble peace,
Go to that celestial prize,
Go to perfect holiness,
Go to God in paradise.
1308.
[Looking for the grace of God]
Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master, &c.
—viii. 49.
Looking for the grace of God
And ready to receive,
Tempted then by flesh and blood,
And urged to disbelieve,
Let us then our shield hold fast,
And wrestle on in faithful prayer,
Sure to gain His life at last,
And all His impress bear.
1309.
[Fed, and strengthen'd by the word]
Fear not: believe only, and she shall, &c.
—viii. 50.
Fed, and strengthen'd by the word
Our faith receives increase,
Stirs us up to seek the Lord,
To pray and never cease;
Prayer and faith the fight maintain,
By no discouragement repell'd,
Till the victory we gain
To full redemption seal'd.
Wherefore should I doubt His power,
When Christ the word hath said?
Can He not to life restore
A soul though doubly dead?
Is the thing impossible?
The thing impossible shall be,
Christ with all His love shall dwell,
With all His heaven in me.
1310.
[Make Thy heavenly wisdom mine]
He suffered no man to go in, save Peter, &c.
—viii. 51.
Make Thy heavenly wisdom mine,
By signs infallible,
Teach me, Lord, the works Divine
To publish, or conceal;
When before the multitude
Thy gracious wonders to repeat,
When the people to exclude,
And when the saints admit.
1311.
[Need the true believer dread]
She is not dead, but sleepeth.
—viii. 52.
Need the true believer dread
A temporary sleep?
Earth receives the body dead,
But cannot always keep;
Waken'd by the trumpet's sound
Body and soul shall soon arise,
Find their wings and spurn the ground,
And meet Him in the skies.
1312.
[Heathens mock our blessed hope]
They laughed Him to scorn.
—viii. 53.
Heathens mock our blessed hope
As fancy's idle dream,
Yet we shall be all caught up
To live and reign with Him:
Here our souls by faith restored
Retrieve the life of holiness,
There our eyes shall see the Lord,
And glory in His face.
1313.
[Thou hast took us by the hand]
He took her by the hand, and called, &c.
—viii. 54.
Thou hast took us by the hand,
Who didst our nature take;
Son of God and man command
The dead in sin to wake:
Sinners from the bed, the bier,
The tomb, a word of Thine can raise;
O that all Thy voice might hear,
And live the life of grace!
1314.
[Souls from Jesus separated]
Her spirit came again, and she arose.
—viii. 55.
Souls from Jesus separated
No spark of life retain,
Dead, emphatically dead,
Till Christ come back again:
Lord, Thou know'st for whom I mourn,
Whom dead to God I still deplore,
In Thy quickening Spirit return,
And never leave him more.
1315.
[Lord our life of faith and prayer]
He commanded to give her meat.
—viii. 55.
Lord our life of faith and prayer
Will languish soon and die,
If Thou dost not still repair,
And with fresh grace supply;
That we still in Thee may live,
Be Thou Thyself our daily Bread,
Every hour Thy Spirit give,
And every moment feed.
Keep us to that solemn hour
When Thou the Judge shalt come;
Then through Thine almighty power
We triumph o'er the tomb,
In the twinkling of an eye
Caught up, on eagles' wings we soar,
Swiftly to Thy bosom fly,
And meet to part no more.
Then we eat before Thy throne
The' immortalizing Food,
Glorious joy till then unknown
In the full sight of God,
Drink the new celestial wine,
Banquet with all the saints above,
Satisfied with Truth Divine,
And pure eternal Love.
1316.
[Never may I take the praise]
He charged them that they should tell no man, &c.
—viii. 56.
Never may I take the praise
Or my own glory spread,
Made Thine instrument to raise
A sinner from the dead.
Never call the work my own,
But prosper'd in my ministry,
Sink forgotten and unknown,
And swallow'd up in Thee.
CHAPTER IX.
1317.
[A hidden kingdom in the skies]
Take nothing for your journey, &c.
—ix. 3.
A hidden kingdom in the skies
To sinners we declare;
In vain; unless we first arise,
And find our treasure there,
Indifferent to the things below
Unless the proof we give,
By all our life and converse show
That now in heaven we live.
1318.
[What profits it the great and wise]
Now Herod . . . heard of all that was done.
—ix. 7.
What profits it the great and wise,
All that was done by Christ to know,
Unless they take His love's advice,
Their sins renounce, themselves forego,
Unless His Spirit He imparts,
And works His wonders in their hearts?
1319.
[What could the curious passion do?]
He desired to see Him.
—ix. 9.
What could the curious passion do?
He would not to his Saviour turn;
His Saviour's messenger he slew;
He saw, and laugh'd the Lord to scorn;
And thus a dire example set,
Still follow'd by the lawless great.
1320.
[Come all to Christ, who all receives]
The people . . . followed Him: and He received them.
—ix. 11.
Come all to Christ, who all receives,
Instruction to the' unlearnèd gives,
Supplies our every need,
Makes the distemper'd sinner whole,
And satisfies the hungry soul
With true immortal bread.
Happy the steward of His grace,
Preacher of joy and righteousness,
The kingdom from above;
Who through the power of Jesus' word,
Sees sin-sick souls to health restored
And perfected in love.
Happy who finds his whole employ,
To serve their faith, and find their joy,
Till entering into rest
Up from this wilderness they rise,
Regain their country in the skies,
And God's eternal feast.
1321.
[Pastors the sheep should feed]
He said unto them, Give ye them to eat, &c.
—ix. 13.
Pastors the sheep should feed,
When Jesus gives the word,
Whose grace provides with all they need
The followers of their Lord:
God will Himself supply
The impotence of man,
And do, poor souls to satisfy,
Whate'er the' Almighty can.
Jesus doth not enjoin
Impossibilities,
But shows our need of grace Divine
The Lord our God to please;
The things within our power
Commands us to fulfil,
Employ His grace, and ask for more
To do His perfect will.
For what Thou didst bestow
Thy love we glorify,
But own we can no farther go
Without a fresh supply:
We every word receive
Our Lord vouchsafes to say;
Command whate'er Thou wilt, but give
Thy servants power to' obey.
1322.
[Dispenser of the joyful word]
There was taken up of fragments . . . twelve, &c.
—ix. 17.
Dispenser of the joyful word
Who at the banquet of his Lord
The people and himself hath fed,
Will gather up with pious care,
And in his faithful memory bear,
The fragments of that heavenly bread;
Will fear a single word to lose,
On every sacred saying muse,
And meditate and pray them o'er;
Each precious truth resolve, digest,
And lengthen out the gospel feast,
Replete, yet hungering still for more.
1323.
[Thou art the Christ of God]
Peter answering said, The Christ of God.
—ix. 20.
Thou art the Christ of God
On all mankind bestow'd,
Thee the co-eternal Son
By the' anointing Spirit seal'd,
Prophet, Priest, and King we own,
Man with all the Godhead fill'd.
The Spirit of our Head
Is on the members shed:
Ever streaming from above
He to us Thy name imparts,
Brings the unction from above,
Forms and dwells in Christian hearts.
Thy mystic body we
Our all receive from Thee,
Life and truth, and grace for grace;
Thine anointed ones we rise,
Temples of Thy holiness,
Fill'd with Him who fills the skies.
1324.
[Jesus spake the word to all]
If any man will come after Me, let him deny, &c.
—ix. 23.
Jesus spake the word to all,
All in every time and place;
Rich and poor, and great and small,
Every child of Adam's race,
Would ye His disciples be?
Follow Christ to Calvary.
Not a single soul excused,
Not a day exempted is:
Heaven is with the cross refused,
Glorious everlasting bliss:
Who the Saviour's burden shun
Down to endless ruin run.
You who revel every day,
Every day in pleasures live,
Will not Jesus' word obey,
Will not Jesus' yoke receive,
With your own desires comply
Dead in sin for ever die.
1325.
[Preserver of mankind]
Whosoever will lose his life for My sake, &c.
—ix. 24.
Preserver of mankind,
The mystery explain,
Instruct my heart the way to find,
The truth of life to gain;
And when I rightly know
The sweetness of Thy love,
I come, by losing it below
To save my life above.
1326.
[Who blush their Lord to own]
Whosoever shall be ashamed of Me and of, &c.
—ix. 26.
Who blush their Lord to own,
His truth and people here,
When Jesus sits upon the throne,
O where shall they appear!
They gain their just desert,
Soon as the Judge is come,
And from His frowning face depart
To hell's eternal gloom.
1327.
[Thy kingdom, Lord, I fain would see]
He took Peter and John and James, and went, &c.
—ix. 28.
Thy kingdom, Lord, I fain would see:
O carry up my soul with Thee,
Above my body raise,
From earth's tumultuous scenes remove,
Bear to the holy mount above,
And then unveil Thy face.
Thou only by Thy prayer and blood
Canst bring me to the smiling God,
Reveal my sins forgiven,
And bless me with that rapturous sight
Which makes the saints' supreme delight,
Which makes a heaven of heaven.
1328.
[In momentary majesty]
Who appeared in glory, and spake of His, &c.
—ix. 31.
In momentary majesty
My Saviour on the mount I see,
As on His dazzling throne,
But when the glorious God appears,
He still remains the Man of tears,
And speaks of death alone.
May this alone my thoughts employ
In triumph of ecstatic joy,
And temper the delight;
The moment that transports me hence,
And bids eternity commence,
Be ever in my sight.
1329.
[When shall the happy moment come]
When they were awake, they saw His glory, &c.
—ix. 32.
When shall the happy moment come,
Which calls our dust out of the tomb
To see Thy glories shine?
Which doth our slumbering eyes unseal,
And all the mysteries reveal,
And all the truths Divine.
The world, and all we valued here
Shall then an empty dream appear,
And vanish from our view,
While Thee triumphant on Thy throne,
We see surrounded with Thine own
Creating all things new.
The fulness of the Deity
Even I shall then adore in Thee,
And on Thy beauties gaze,
Enjoy the pure eternal light,
And fall transported at the sight
In ecstasy of praise.
1330.
[Who tastes the truth, and Jesus sees]
Let us make three tabernacles; one for Thee, &c.
—ix. 33.
Who tastes the truth, and Jesus sees
In all the Scripture-mysteries
The law and prophets' End,
Delights to meditate and pray,
Would gladly on the mountain stay,
And never more descend.
1331.
[Blind to the Christian mystery]
Not knowing what he said.
—ix. 33.
Blind to the Christian mystery,
We first a glimpse of glory see,
And zealous for Thy cause
Expect with sanguine hope and vain
The rest before the toil to gain,
The crown before the cross.
But ah! we know not what we say,
Who for pure consolation pray,
And seek with fond desire
In pomp of ghostly gifts to shine,
And in our fleshly prisons join
The bright celestial choir.
1332.
[Him, only Him we long to hear]
This is My beloved Son: hear Him.
—ix. 35.
Him, only Him we long to hear,
Creator of the listening ear,
Who comes in Moses' place,
Spirit and life and power imparts,
And speaks into our faithful hearts
The words of truth and grace.
He doth to us His mind declare,
By every gospel messenger
His will to sinners show;
To heathens poor He speaks His praise,
He speaks by all His mysteries,
His life and death below.
He speaks by benefits bestow'd;
We hear the language of His rod,
Who kindly doth reprove:
In trouble's storm He chides our fear,
And gives our flutter'd hearts to hear
The whispering voice of love.
His Spirit's small and quiet voice
Makes all our broken bones rejoice,
Our souls to health restores;
And then the saint renew'd by grace
Abhors himself, and hides his face,
And silently adores.
1333.
[Jesus alone the room supplies]
When the voice was past, Jesus was found alone.
—ix. 36.
Jesus alone the room supplies
Of prophets, law, and sacrifice,
Containing all in one:
And let the shadows disappear,
Suffice for us that Christ is here,
That Christ is seen alone.
Thee Lord our law and rule we see,
Regard no other guide but Thee
To that good land above;
Thine, not Elijah's spirit desire,
And call for no celestial fire
But that of purest love.
1334.
[From the calm repose of prayer]
When they were come down from the hill, &c.
—ix. 37.
From the calm repose of prayer,
Mount of contemplation sweet,
To our labour we repair,
Haste the multitude to meet:
Sinners hungry for the word,
Sick of every soul-disease,
When in us they hear our Lord,
Heal'd by faith they go in peace.
See the fruit of faithful prayer,
When the sacred mount we leave
Souls prevent the pastor's care,
Jesus eager to receive:
Sinners poor, before we seek,
Waiting for the word are found:
Then of Jesus' love we speak;
Thousands bless the joyful sound!
1335.
[Jesus attend my cry]
Behold, a man of the company cried out, &c.
—ix. 38.
Jesus attend my cry,
And cast a pitying eye;
Meanest of the sinful crowd
Me with kind compassion see:
Sorely vex'd I cry aloud,
Cry aloud for help to Thee.
Tormented I confess
My own most desperate case:
Nearer than an only child,
Lord, my only soul's oppress'd,
By the filthy fiend defiled,
By the pride of hell possess'd.
No help or hope I have
But in Thy power to save;
Master of the ransom'd soul,
Thou canst by a touch of Thine
Change my heart and make it whole,
Fill with purity Divine.
1336.
[A youth possess'd by sin]
Lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly, &c.
—ix. 39.
A youth possess'd by sin
Obeys the spirit unclean,
Horribly at times he roars,
For his own damnation calls;
Satan governs all his powers,
Bruises by a thousand falls.
Weaker for each he lies,
And more attach'd to vice:
Shorter every interval
Fiercer lusts his bosom tear,
Shake him o'er the mouth of hell,
Leave him sunk in sad despair.
1337.
[Jesus, incline Thine ear]
I besought Thy disciples to cast him out.
—ix. 40.
Jesus, incline Thine ear,
Thine own disciples hear;
Help the wretch for whom we pray,
While our impotence we own,
Chase the' indwelling fiend away,
Heal his soul Thyself alone.
1338.
[Who marvel at His power admire]
But while they wondered . . . He said, &c.
—ix. 43.
Who marvel at His power admire
The greater wonder of His grace,
For God, the' incarnate God to' expire
Is more than all hell's host to chase:
From Satan's hands who rescued man
Into the hands of man betray'd,
Endured the cross, the shame, the pain,
And love's omnipotence display'd.
1339.
[The little child, the twice-born man]
Jesus . . . took a child, and set him by Him.
—ix. 47.
The little child, the twice-born man,
Thou, Lord, wilt to Thyself receive,
Who humbly doth his soul refrain,
No glory to the creature give,
None to himself assume, or claim
Among the saints an honour'd name.
O could I gain my calling's height
Reduced to second infancy,
Smallest of all in my own sight,
Caught to Thy arms and hid in Thee,
Hid from the world, unmark'd, unknown,
Till seen the partner of Thy throne.
1340.
[We will not chide Thy followers, Lord]
We will not chide Thy followers, Lord,
Distinct from us, who preach Thy word,
Who devils in Thy name expel,
And pluck poor sinners out of hell;
We dare not enviously deny
Their inward call to prophesy,
While faith is to their hearers given,
With God Himself sent down from heaven.
1341.
[Wherefore should we droop or fear]
When the time was come that He should be, &c.
—ix. 51.
Wherefore should we droop or fear,
When the hour of death is near?
Death is but a ready way
Leading to the realms of day;
Wing'd in death our souls shall fly
To our city in the sky,
Find in Him that reigns above
All we wish, and all we love.
Tell me, O my Life, my Hope,
When shall I be taken up?
If Thy signs I understand
Now the time is near at hand:
Set my steadfast face and heart,
Make me ready to depart,
Breathe Thyself into my breast,
Bear me to eternal rest.
1342.
[Vengeance doth to God belong]
Wilt Thou that we command fire to come, &c.
—ix. 54.
Vengeance doth to God belong:
Who the mind of Jesus have,
Kindness we return for wrong,
Only wish our foes to save.
If to Christ in spirit join'd,
If in us His bowels move,
Anger at the sin we find,
More than life the sinner love.
Let the furious sons of Rome
Show exterminating zeal,
Loathsome heretics consume,
Call for fire from heaven—or hell:
Lord, in their behalf we call,
Send Thy Spirit from above,
Burn their sins, consume them all,
Burn their souls with fire—of love.
1343.
[O thou who hadst the world forsook]
No man, having put his hand to the plough, &c.
—ix. 62.
O thou who hadst the world forsook,
And set thy hand to Jesus' plough,
If back thou cast a wishful look,
One earthly fond desire allow,
That one desire thy bane will be,
And ruin all His work in thee.
Who to the world restorest thy heart,
Thou forfeitest the gracious power,
Unqualified for God thou art,
But ten times deader than before,
Fit with apostate fiends to dwell,
Fit for a burning throne in hell.
CHAPTER X.
1344.
[Two and two, not one and one]
The Lord appointed other seventy also, &c.
—x. 1.
Two and two, not one and one,
He sends His messengers,
Makes by them His coming known,
By them His way prepares:
What shall part whom God hath join'd,
Or break the' indissoluble cord?
Two are one in heart and mind,
When Jesus is the third.
1345.
[Lamb without spot, who didst give up]
Behold, I send you forth as lambs, &c.
—x. 3.
Lamb without spot, who didst give up
Thyself to worrying wolves a prey,
Thou art Thy suffering people's hope:
With us in our temptation stay,
Nor leave Thy church to Satan's power,
Nor let the sheeplike wolves devour.
The persecutor's rage restrain
Who tears Thy church with cruel scorn,
Baffle the furious wrath of man,
Or strangely to Thy glory turn,
Into a lamb the wolf convert,
And bless with a new meeken'd heart.
1346.
[Peace to this house! the greatest good]
Into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace, &c.
—x. 5.
Peace to this house! the greatest good
Which sinners can from God receive!
The peace Divine on all bestow'd
Who in a proffer'd Christ believe,
The peace which seals your sins forgiven,
And brings you here a taste of heaven.
We cannot wish our neighbour more
Than present and eternal peace,
The riches these of Jesu's poor,
With which the sons of men we bless,
And spread through earth the precious prize,
And turn it into paradise.
1347.
[A preacher should with freedom use]
Eat such things as are set before you.
—x. 8.
A preacher should with freedom use
The food which poor or rich prepare,
Nothing reject and nothing choose,
The better or the meaner fare
With equal thankfulness receive,
Nor live to eat, but eat to live.
1348.
[Tremble who slight the word ye hear]
Notwithstanding be ye sure of this, &c.
—x. 11.
Tremble who slight the word ye hear,
Nor will repent, believe, obey;
Damnation from salvation fear:
The word shall judge you in that day,
When dead out of your graves ye rise,
To die the death that never dies.
Then, then ye shall with anguish own
Ye might have took the proffer'd grace,
Ye might have God in Jesus known,
And lived the life of righteousness,
Ye might have felt your sins forgiven,
Ye once were at the gates of heaven.
1349.
[To Christ ascribing my success]
The seventy returned again with joy, &c.
—x. 17.
To Christ ascribing my success,
To Christ I may the glory give
In words, while secretly I please
Myself, and vain delight receive,
May praise myself in praising God,
Happy that I by men am known,
That I, not others, was employ'd,
That I perform'd the work alone.
1350.
[The things which we the' occasion make]
He said unto them, I beheld Satan, &c.
—x. 18.
The things which we the' occasion make
Of pride and self-complacency,
Shall cause our humbled hearts to quake
When rightly taught O Lord by Thee:
What saint dares in himself delight,
Or boast the grace and talents given,
Or glory in perfection's height,
Who sees archangels fall from heaven?
1351.
[The power is not revoked or lost]
Behold, I give unto you power to tread, &c.
—x. 19.
The power is not revoked or lost
Which Christ did on His church bestow;
Satan is still with all his host
Trod down by those that Jesus know:
Yes Lord, the whole serpentine brood,
The scorpions swarming from that pit,
Are by Thy bloody cross subdued,
Are bruised beneath Thy people's feet.
1352.
[Saviour, we nothing have to fear]
And nothing shall by any means hurt you.
—x. 19.
Saviour, we nothing have to fear,
Whate'er our flesh may here endure,
From sin, the world, and Satan near
Thy promise shall our souls secure:
No evil can afflict or grieve
A saint that on Thy truth relies;
Safe in the toils of hell we live,
As in the bowers of paradise.
1353.
[No dazzling gifts or talents]
In this rejoice not, that the spirits are, &c.
—x. 20.
No dazzling gifts or talents
Require our exultation,
But let us praise
Redeeming grace,
Which brings us sure salvation:
Jesus hath bought the pardon
For every true believer,
And wash'd in blood,
And born of God,
Our souls shall live for ever.
Judas might cast out devils,
And die a perjured traitor:
With faith sincere,
Who Jesus hear,
Our cause of joy is greater:
The rapturous name of Jesus
To ransom'd sinners given,
Pure joy imparts,
And tells our hearts
Our names are wrote in heaven.
1354.
[Saviour, I listen for Thy voice]
Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
—x. 20.
Saviour, I listen for Thy voice
Which certifies my sins forgiven:
O speak, and bid my heart rejoice,
To know my name enroll'd in heaven:
Thy heavenly name might I but prove,
Thy holiest name inscribed on me,
I'd triumph in Thy perfect love,
I'd sing through all eternity.
1355.
[Father, we in the joy rejoice]
Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank Thee, &c.
—x. 21.
Father, we in the joy rejoice
Of Thine eternal Son,
Approve Thy wise mysterious choice,
Thy depths of love unknown;
Thy love demands our highest praise,
And lo, we with our Lord
Adore the wonders of Thy grace
By Christ Himself adored.
Not by a blind capricious will
Thou dost Thy gifts bestow,
But justly from the proud conceal
What all the humble know;
To babes Thou dost Thy truths declare,
Explain Thy whole design,
And stamp them with the character
The holy name Divine.
For this we magnify Thy name
Through our High-priest above,
Thine awful righteousness proclaim,
Thy free electing love:
Who perish, perish self-destroy'd,
While we our voices raise
In songs of grateful joy employ'd,
For ever saved by grace.
1356.
[Happy we, the friends of Jesus]
Blessed are the eyes which see the things, &c.
—x. 23.
Happy we, the friends of Jesus,
Him with eyes of faith to see,
Him whose pains and sorrows ease us,
Him whose bonds have set us free:
Partner of the fallen nature
He redeems us from our fall,
Christ the Way, and Mediator,
Principle of life to all.
Christ the God of our salvation
Still we see and still embrace,
Israel's Strength and Consolation,
Author, Finisher of grace.
Christ we find our sure protection,
Christ our utmost Saviour prove,
All our goodness and perfection,
All our purity and love.
1357.
[Prophets, kings far off beheld Thee]
Many prophets and kings have desired to see, &c.
—x. 24.
Prophets, kings far off beheld Thee,
Jesus, God's eternal Son,
Shadows then, and veils conceal'd Thee
Till in mortal flesh made known:
We have now beheld Thy glory,
Heard Thy voice of truth and grace,
Still we hear, and fall before Thee
Till we see Thy open face.
1358.
[Do it Thyself in me]
This do, and thou shalt live.
—x. 28.
Do it Thyself in me,
I then shall do Thy will,
Shall live Thy life, inspired by Thee,
And all Thy words fulfil.
1359.
[In every child of misery]
Go, and do thou likewise.
—x. 37.
In every child of misery,
Jesus I would my neighbour see
With pity from above;
Endear'd by grace and nature's ties,
Would see the sinner with Thine eyes,
And in Thy bowels love.
Mercy constrains me to relieve
Who needs, and will my help receive,
By more than blood allied,
Stranger, or foe, he claims my aid,
A soul whom my Creator made,
For whom my Saviour died.
1360.
[Martha's faith in active life]
Martha received Him into her house.
—x. 38.
Martha's
faith in active life
Was laudably employ'd,
Tending Christ with zealous strife,
She served the' eternal God:
Mary waiting at His feet
The life contemplative express'd:
Let the happy sisters meet,
For join'd they both are bless'd.
O that I might humbly sit
With His beloved ones,
Happier at my Saviour's feet
Than monarchs on their thrones!
Who before His footstool bow
Are sure His quickening voice to hear;
Jesus speak: I listen now,
And all my soul is ear!
1361.
[O my God, how can it be!]
But Martha was cumbered about much serving.
—x. 40.
O my God, how can it be!
The work I undertake,
In Thy saints to wait on Thee,
Their servant for Thy sake;
Work for Thy great praise design'd
Doth oft from Thee mine eye divert,
Dissipate my burden'd mind,
And quite dry up my heart.
Help me, Lord, to recollect
My scatter'd thoughts in prayer,
Thee in all things to respect,
And all Thy burdens bear:
I shall patiently endure,
In care unmoved, in labour still,
When my works are wrought in pure
Obedience to Thy will.
1362.
[What is everything beside]
One thing is needful.
—x. 42.
What is everything beside
For which the world contend?
Baits of lust, or boasts of pride,
Which in a moment end:
After earthly happiness
I can no longer pant or rove,
Need no more, who all possess
In Jesu's heart-felt love.
1363.
[Martha's chosen work is good]
Mary hath chosen that good part, &c.
—x. 42.
Martha's
chosen work is good,
But Mary's better still;
Mary rests on earth employ'd
Like those on Zion's hill,
Antedates the' immortal joys,
Partaker with the heavenly powers,
Hears her dear Redeemer's voice,
And lost in love adores.
Rest, thou favour'd spirit, rest,
Who in His presence art,
Of the needful thing possess'd,
And Mary's better part:
Choose who will that happy place,
He there shall unmolested sit;
Never can the Saviour chase
A sinner from His feet.
CHAPTER XI.
1364.
[In pain and darkness groaning]
Lord, teach us to pray.
—xi. 1.
In pain and darkness groaning
Thy ransom'd creature see,
A helpless soul bemoaning
My own infirmity!
I cannot help implore;
But at Thy footstool stay
Till Thou confer the power,
And teach me how to pray.
The feeble first desire
Proceeds from Thee alone;
Thou dost this wish inspire
My impotence to own,
In mournful lamentation
My misery to declare,
And beg Thy kind compassion
To fill my heart with prayer.
Purchased by Thy own merit
Thy righteousness and death,
Thy supplicating Spirit
Into my bosom breathe:
The Spirit of contrition
O let Him plead in me,
And cry for a Physician,
And show that Thou art He!
1365.
[Thou who art both God and man]
Thou who art both God and man
Canst Thy Father's will explain,
Thou the Truth, the Life, the Way,
Know'st what man to God should say;
Thou, that we His mind may know,
Dost the Holy Ghost bestow.
Teach me, Jesus, how to pray,
Take the hindering thing away,
Into this weak heart inspire
Power, and hunger, and desire;
Then the pleading Spirit impart,
Fix my Teacher in my heart.
1366.
[Father of me, and all mankind]
Our Father which art in heaven, &c.
—xi. 2–4.
Father of me, and all mankind,
And all the hosts above,
Let every understanding mind
Unite to praise Thy love;
To know Thy nature and Thy name,
One God in Persons three,
And glorify the great I AM
Through all eternity.
Thy kingdom come, with power and grace,
To every heart of man;
Thy peace, and joy, and righteousness,
In all our bosoms reign!
Thy righteousness our sin keep down,
Thy peace our passions bind,
And let us in Thy joy unknown
The first dominion find.
The righteousness that never ends,
That finishes our sin,
The joy that human thought transcends,
Into our souls bring in,
The kingdom of establish'd peace,
Which can no more remove,
The perfect power of godliness,
The' omnipotence of love.
Then let us hear the trumpet sound,
That latest of the seven;
Come, King of saints, with glory crown'd,
The' eternal God of heaven.
Judge of Thine antichristian foe,
Appear on earth again,
And then Thy thousand years below
Before Thine ancients reign.
Hasten that happiest gospel-day,
When all on earth forgiven
As fully shall Thy will obey
As angels do in heaven;
While not one disharmonious string
Is heard below, above,
But all in perfect concert sing,
And praise the God we love.
Give us this day our daily bread,
As manna from above,
And every happy moment feed
Our hungry souls with love;
The' imperishable meat bestow,
For which our spirits cry,
And, nourish'd by Thy grace below,
Our souls shall never die.
Now, Father, now our sins forgive,
With present pardon bless,
And let our souls the kiss receive
Which seals our inward peace;
Accept us in Thine own dear Son,
Who bore our sins away,
Who all our debts discharged alone,
And left us nought to pay.
Grace unconditional and free,
Thy sweet forgiving grace,
Instructs us, as embraced by Thee,
Our brother to embrace:
Since Thou our infinite offence
Dost pardon and forget,
His debt of scarce an hundred pence
We cheerfully remit.
Ah, leave us not, above our power,
Above our patience tried,
But turn aside the dreaded hour,
And from temptation hide:
Or if we fall into the snare,
Let us our Lord behold,
Whose hand doth through the furnace bear,
And brings us forth as gold.
Deliver us from evil, Lord,
Thy church so dearly bought,
From every evil work, and word,
And every evil thought:
Preserve us from the tempting fiend,
The world of wickedness,
Till all our wars and conflicts end
In everlasting peace.
1367.
[We in our celestial Friend]
Which of you shall have a friend, &c.
—xi. 5.
We in our celestial Friend
To a kind Father pray,
Need not urge our God to lend
Who gives without delay;
Presses us to ask for grace,
Solicits beggars to receive
All at every time and place
Which Love Divine can give.
Bold we then to Thee apply
In this accepted hour;
Father, hear Thy Spirit's cry,
And all Thy blessings pour;
Truth we want our minds to feed,
Our hearts require Thy love alone;
Fulness of immortal bread
Vouchsafe us in Thy Son.
1368.
[Still I knock, and ask, and seek]
Because of his importunity he will rise, &c.
—xi. 8.
Still I knock, and ask, and seek,
A pressing beggar I;
Speak, the word of comfort speak,
And grant me the supply,
Pity a poor traveller,
With toil fatigued, with hunger faint;
Give, for Thou hast bread to spare,
O give me all I want!
Perishing for want of food
A sinner claims Thy care;
Every promise is made good
To persevering prayer:
Man may long withhold his aid,
Which want can scarce at last procure;
Never is Thy help delay'd
When souls are truly poor.
Man is cruel to his friends,
And sells his services,
Helps them but for sordid ends,
His own content or ease;
God doth every soul relieve
From His exhaustless stores above;
Grace to all doth freely give,
For God is perfect love.
1369.
[Thou who know'st a father's heart]
If a son shall ask bread of any of you, &c.
—xi. 11, 12.
Thou who know'st a father's heart,
To thy own children good,
Less benign than Him thou art,
Who fills the world with food;
Nature's love 'tis God bestows,
A drop of that unfathom'd sea;
Mercy all His works o'erflows,
And now extends to thee.
1370.
[Father, through Thy Son to me]
How much more shall your heavenly Father, &c.
—xi. 13.
Father, through Thy Son to me
Thy Holy Spirit give;
Him (Thy Son engaged for Thee)
Who ask shall all receive:
Bound by Jesu's word Thou art
To send Him from Thy throne above;
Send Him now, to fill my heart
With purity and love.
1371.
[Long undisturb'd the tempter keeps]
When a strong man armed keepeth, &c.
—xi. 21.
Long undisturb'd the tempter keeps
His house, and rules without control;
The soul in his possession sleeps,
The careless, gay, unthinking soul.
No trouble fears, no evil sees,
But rests secure in hellish peace.
Pride is the armour of our foe,
In man's concupiscence he trusts,
And never will his house forego,
While strengthen'd with the sinner's lusts.
While guilt and unbelief remains
The tyrant in his palace reigns.
O come, Thou stronger than the fiend,
The giant arm'd this moment bind;
This moment his oppressions end,
Destroy in me the carnal mind,
The pride of life, the lusts unclean,
And root out all my love of sin.
By taking all my sins away,
From Satan all his armour take,
Thy glory through Thy house display;
And that the foe may ne'er come back,
Secure me for Thy lawful prize,
And bear Thy trophy to the skies.
1372.
[Then do not rest secure]
When the unclean spirit is gone out, &c.
—xi. 24–26.
Then do not rest secure
If now thy heart be pure:
Thine infernal enemy
Arm'd with sevenfold rage will come,
Seek his former place in thee,
Strive to gain his ancient home.
Driven by stronger grace
Out of his dwelling-place,
All its avenues he knows,
Knows thy old besetting sin,
Watches if thine eyelids close
Unperceived to enter in.
A saint quite off his guard
Is for the fiend prepared;
When in grace they cease to grow,
When they in their grace confide,
Souls are ready for the foe
Garnish'd and adorn'd by pride.
The house which seems so clean,
And swept from every sin,
Tempts the tempter to come back;
Satan and a troop from hell
Of the soul possession take,
In the saint for ever dwell.
1373.
[Heathens shall in judgment rise]
The queen of the south shall rise up, &c.
—xi. 31.
Heathens shall in judgment rise,
Careless Christians to condemn,
Who Thine oracles despise,
Thee refuse in slighting them:
Saviour, give my soul to own
Thou dost in Thy word appear
Greater far than Solomon,
Wisdom's self is speaking here!
1374.
[Ah, Lord, direct my aim aright]
If thy whole body therefore be full of light, &c.
—xi. 36.
Ah, Lord, direct my aim aright,
Fill up my soul with purest light,
With genuine sanctity;
Leave here no unenlighten'd part,
No sin or folly in my heart,
No pride or wrath in me.
Then shall the lamp diffuse its blaze,
Through the once dark infernal place,
Through my whole nature shine,
While all my faculties restored
Reflect the candle of the Lord,
The heavenly light Divine.
1375.
[From the close hypocrisy]
Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside, &c.
—xi. 39.
From the close hypocrisy,
Lord am I entirely free?
No: my selfishness and pride
Carefully from man I hide,
Act the Pharisaic part,
Wear a veil upon my heart.
Yet I seldom blush or groan
That my heart to Thee is known,
That Thou seest me as I am,
Sink of filthiness and shame,
Seest me now without disguise,
Torture to Thy purer eyes.
Thee that I at last may please,
Clothe me with Thy righteousness:
Canst Thou not a holy thing
Out of an unholy bring?
What Thou dost require, impart,
Cleanse, by dwelling in my heart.
CHAPTER XII.
1376.
[Nothing I in secret do]
Whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall, &c.
—xii. 3.
Nothing I in secret do,
Nothing I in secret say,
Walk in man and angels' view,
Blameless walk in open day,
Follow'd by His piercing eye
Who to faith alone appears,
Still I think—the Judge is nigh,
Still reflect—the Witness hears.
1377.
[See the source of human care!]
Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, &c.
—xii. 6, 7.
See the source of human care!
Man will not on God rely,
God who counts his every hair
Doth his every want supply,
Loves the works His hands have wrought;
None without His nod can fall,
Not a sparrow is forgot,
God preserves and cares for all.
Him we foolishly mistrust,
Him ungratefully forget,
Doubt if God be true and just,
Kind to give the promised meat.
But His word if sinners claim
He cannot unfaithful prove,
He continues still the same,
Wisdom, Power, and Truth, and Love.
Who His wisdom can surprise?
Who can overrule His power?
Providence with all its eyes
Guides us in the dangerous hour;
Every word of His is sure,
Mercy bears us in its hands;
Then we stand in Christ secure
Long as our Supporter stands.
1378.
[Whom the Lord of life denies]
He that denieth Me before men shall be, &c.
—xii. 9.
Whom the Lord of life denies,
Justly, finally forsakes,
Satan claims as lawful prize,
To his place of torment takes.
1379.
[Jesus declines the umpire's place]
Who made Me a judge or a divider over, &c.
—xii. 14.
Jesus declines the umpire's place
Whose word had made their difference end,
To teach the stewards of His grace
Above all earthly views to' ascend;
True ministers of Christ the Lord
Should only live to preach His word.
1380.
[Our life on needful things depends]
A man's life consisteth not in the abundance, &c.
—xii. 15.
Our life on needful things depends,
Not on superfluous treasures vain:
A little serves for nature's ends;
And if a world of wealth we gain,
We nothing gain with all our care
But food to eat and clothes to wear.
1381.
[By riches lawfully acquired]
What shall I do, because I have no room, &c.
—xii. 17.
By riches lawfully acquired
The miserable owner's vex'd;
Possess'd of all his heart desired,
Yet still encumber'd and perplex'd.
Poor in abundance, he complains
Of wealth preserved by toil and cost,
And anxious to secure his gains
Regrets his peace for ever lost.
Not such the riches of His grace
Which God hath to His people given:
Riches which at our wish increase,
Enlarge, and fill the heart with heaven:
Distributing we find them grow,
Preserved and multiplied by use,
Which we (who their true value know,
And always love) can never lose.
1382.
[Full of designs for living here]
There will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
—xii. 18.
Full of designs for living here
Till death, the worldly man we see,
Till summon'd at the bar to' appear
Unmindful of eternity:
In vain he passes all his days,
He lives a wretch for this alone,
Earth to remove, and heap, and raise,
And leave it to his heirs unknown.
The perishable things below
He fondly reckons all his goods,
No happiness desires to know,
No treasure in those bright abodes;
Renounces the good things unseen,
The saints' ineffable delight,
The heavenly joys of righteous men,
The Good Supreme, the Saviour's sight.
1383.
[“Goods for many years laid up!”]
Thou hast much goods laid up for many years.
—xii. 19.
“Goods for many years laid up!”
Worldling, to the future blind,
Trust not thy deceitful hope
Of those many years behind;
Slave to appetite and sense,
Foolish soul, of life secure,
Who, when judgment calls thee hence,
Can another hour ensure?
1384.
[Hear this, thou prosperous wretched man]
But God said unto him, Thou fool, &c.
—xii. 20.
Hear this, thou prosperous wretched man,
Thou fool, by fools reputed wise,
Enlarge thy wealth-augmenting plan,
Enjoy the goods this earth supplies,
Indulge thy worldly heart's desire,
Regardless of the things unseen:
But God shall soon thy soul require,
And where are all thy treasures then?
1385.
[The miser doth his riches store]
So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, &c.
—xii. 21.
The miser doth his riches store
Not for his own or others' use,
Not for his God in Jesus' poor,
But for himself—to count—and lose:
Wealth for himself his confidence,
His god he makes, his sole delight
Till hurried in a moment hence
He sinks in everlasting night.
1386.
[Labour is by God enjoin'd]
Neither be ye of doubtful mind.
—xii. 29.
Labour is by God enjoin'd,
God forbids our needless care,
Toil of the mistrustful mind,
Hung like meteors in the air,
Held in infidel suspense
Doubting His good providence.
But whoe'er Thy word receive,
We a firm support have found,
Free and undistracted live,
Built on an eternal ground,
Truth Divine which cannot move,
Boundless power, and endless love.
1387.
[Only on our Father's love]
Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's, &c.
—xii. 32.
Only on our Father's love
For the kingdom we depend:
Whom He doth in Christ approve
God shall keep us to the end:
Kindly number'd with His own,
Wherefore should we doubt or fear?
He who hath the work begun
Gives the grace to persevere.
1388.
[Is it not the Shepherd's voice?]
Is it not the Shepherd's voice?
Jesus, I Thy word embrace,
Fearful I in hope rejoice,
I shall gain the crowning grace
I the kingdom shall receive,
By my Father's pleasure given,
Triumph in Thy smile, and live
High-enthroned with God in heaven.
1389.
[Give us, Lord, the grace to give]
Sell that ye have, and give alms, &c.
—xii. 33.
Give us, Lord, the grace to give,
Then we shall relieve Thy poor;
Then we shall from Thee receive
Gifts an hundredfold or more,
Riches which can never fail,
Safe laid up for saints above,
Treasures incorruptible,
Endless stores of heavenly love.
Selling all our happiness,
All our hopes beneath the skies,
Strangely we procure Thy grace
Without money, without price.
Gain, when grace removes us hence,
Solid and immortal good,
All our rich inheritance,
All the purchase of Thy blood.
1390.
[What we love for its own sake]
Where your treasure is, there will your heart, &c.
—xii. 34.
What we love for its own sake,
Merely for ourselves desire,
We of that our treasure make,
Happiness from that require.
Pleasure, wealth, or fame, or power,
Business, books, or sports, or ease,
Grasp'd for one amusing hour,
Then our joys for ever cease.
Thou, my God, and Thou alone
My unfailing treasure be:
Thou art all good things in one;
Let me find them all in Thee.
When my whole delight Thou art,
Then I find the treasure given,
Heaven resides within my heart,
Dwells my heart with Thee in heaven.
1391.
[Jesus the power impart]
Blessed are those servants, whom the lord, &c.
—xii. 37.
Jesus the power impart
Thy coming to attend,
And mark the motions of my heart,
Till life and care shall end:
That last important hour
Be ever in my sight,
Till mounting from the watchman's tower,
I greet my friends in light.
1392.
[Each should the word receive]
Speakest Thou this parable unto us, or even to all?
—xii. 41.
Each should the word receive
As to himself address'd;
For what my Lord to me doth give,
He gives it to the rest:
We all through life's short day
Our God should glorify;
We all are call'd to watch and pray,
For all are born to die.
1393.
[Goods and time, and gifts, and grace]
Who then is that faithful and wise steward, &c.
—xii. 42.
Goods and time, and gifts, and grace
And life, are not my own,
Nothing I from Christ possess
But for His use alone:
In His family employ'd,
A steward of His mysteries I
Daily with the word of God
His people's wants supply.
Master, Lord, on me confer
The tender zeal of love,
Then I shall my faithful care
Over Thy church approve,
Gladly all my talents spend,
With constant, wise fidelity
Serve Thy people to the end
And live and die for Thee.
1394.
[Living to dispense Thy grace]
Blessed is that servant, whom his lord, &c.
—xii. 43.
Living to dispense Thy grace
A life of toil and care,
Never may I quit my place
Through slackness or despair;
Labouring with my utmost power
Thy servant at the gospel feast,
Find me at my latest hour,
And give me then to rest.
1395.
[Great the steward's labour is]
He will make him ruler over all that he hath.
—xii. 44.
Great the steward's labour is,
But greater the reward,
Bliss, immeasurable bliss,
The riches of his Lord:
All He hath if Jesus give,
Who comprehends the vast delight,
He may God Himself conceive
And grasp the Infinite.
1396.
[What will it profit me to know]
That servant, which knew his lord's will, &c.
—xii. 47.
What will it profit me to know,
That others know their sins forgiven,
And on to full perfection go,
And live on earth the life of heaven?
Unpardon'd if I still remain,
Nor serve my Lord with loving zeal,
My light will aggravate my pain,
And lead me to the darkest hell.
1397.
[Thou camest from above]
I am come to send fire on the earth.
—xii. 49.
Thou camest from above
The fire of heavenly love
Over all the earth to spread;
Good and gracious as Thou art
Now Thy loving Spirit shed,
Now inflame my longing heart.
Answer Thine own design,
And let one spark Divine
From that sacred altar come
Kindled once on Calvary,
All my sins by love consume,
Hallow all my soul to Thee.
1398.
[Thee, Lord, Thy love constrains]
How am I straitened till it be accomplished!
—xii. 50.
Thee, Lord, Thy love constrains
To save us through Thy pains,
Straiten'd by desire Thou art
To appease the wrath of God,
Life by Thy own death to' impart,
Man to wash in Thy own blood.
Thy precious sacrifice
The general pardon buys:
Hence, my God, Thou canst not rest
Till Thou lay the ransom down,
Till with grace and glory bless'd
All Thy saints obtain their crown.
1399.
[Peace with the world and peace with God]
Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth?
—xii. 51.
Peace with the world and peace with God
We never can at once maintain;
And Christ redeems us with His blood
From friendships and connections vain,
He breaks us off from man, to join
Our souls to Him in love Divine.
Spirit of unity, come down,
Thy people from the world to part
That knit to God in Christ alone
With all our mind and all our heart,
Perfect in one Thy church may know
Why the great God appear'd below.
1400.
[Thy work, O God, they will not see]
How is it, that ye do not discern this time?
—xii. 56.
Thy work, O God, they will not see
Revived in our degenerate days,
Or mark the crowds begot by Thee,
The signs of Thy converting grace,
Refusing with their sin to part,
That wilful blindness of the heart.
Sinners, your bosom sins let go,
So shall ye all the truth perceive,
Your time of visitation know,
And savingly on Christ believe,
Increase the publicans forgiven,
And live on earth the life of heaven.
CHAPTER XIII.
1401.
[O what a life is mine!]
Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
—xiii. 3.
O what a life is mine!
Backward I cast mine eye,
And trembling own the truth Divine,
“I must repent, or die!”
But Him, who tells me so,
Highly extoll'd I see,
The godly sorrow to bestow,
The godly love on me.
Saviour, and Prince, appear
To break this stubborn heart,
And then to bid my guilty fear
And unbelief depart;
While at Thy feet I grieve,
From all my sins release,
The sense of Thy salvation give,
The kingdom of Thy peace.
1402.
[A sinner long possess'd by sin]
And, behold, there was a woman which, &c.
—xiii. 11–13.
A sinner long possess'd by sin,
By Satan's power together bow'd,
Is utter impotence within,
Nor can lift up his soul to God;
Carnal his unregenerate mind,
Perverse his will, to evil prone,
His soul is all to earth inclined:
And such alas I find my own!
But surely Thou hast cast on me
The eye of Thy preventing grace,
Hast seen my depth of misery,
And undertook my desperate case.
Even now I hear Thine inward word,
Obedient to Thy sovereign will,
Which draws and brings me to my Lord,
And bids me wait Thy hand to feel.
That hand beneficent, Divine,
In mercy on Thy creature laid,
Shall strengthen this weak soul of mine,
Correct the work itself hath made;
My heart and spirit rectify,
Remove my nature's bent to ill,
And while Thou dost the rule apply,
Conform me to Thy perfect will.
O that I now my heart could raise
Transferr'd from earth to things above,
And only live to spread Thy praise,
To magnify Thy healing love!
O that in every word and thought
And deed I might Thy glory show,
Who hast on me such wonders wrought,
That all may Thy salvation know.
1403.
[The foes of our Lord, Who multitudes see]
All His adversaries were ashamed: and all, &c.
—xiii. 17.
The foes of our Lord, Who multitudes see
Made straight and restored By mercy like me,
With wonders surrounded No credence they give,
And must be confounded Who will not believe.
But we the base throng Our voices may raise,
And sing the new song To Jesus's praise:
With joy we adore Thee, Thy miracles own,
And give Thee the glory Of all Thou hast done.
Bow'd down to the ground, But prisoners of hope,
We heard the glad sound That lifted us up:
The news of Thy passion It set our hearts free,
And call'd to salvation We found it in Thee.
The works of Thy grace Exulting we sing,
Our tribute of praise And thankfulness bring;
Thou Saviour hast bought us, And sprinkled with blood,
Hast ransom'd and brought us Accepted to God.
1404.
[He that hath ears to hear]
He said unto them, Strive to enter in at, &c.
—xiii. 23, 24.
He that hath ears to hear
Will fully understand
Thine answer, Lord, express and clear,
Contain'd in Thy command;
To that celestial port
In safety few arrive,
But multitudes who seek come short
Because they never strive.
Their indolence would shun
The agonizing pain,
Widen the way to bliss unknown,
And make the hill a plain;
As always in their power
The joys of heaven they dream,
And nothing find at death's sad hour
But hell reserved for them.
1405.
[Long did I seek in vain]
Long did I seek in vain,
And could not enter in;
Now, Saviour, every nerve I strain,
But am not saved from sin:
I struggle to get free,
I strive, and pray, and groan;
Yet when admitted into Thee,
Shall live by grace alone.
1406.
[The Jews beheld the Lord most-high]
We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, &c.
—xiii. 26.
The
Jews beheld the Lord most-high,
When God on earth appear'd,
His wonders saw with careless eye,
His slighted sayings heard:
They would not own that Christ was He,
The true eternal God,
Held fast their incredulity,
And perish'd in their blood.
Professors still His name abuse,
His sacraments and word,
Subjection to His will refuse,
And falsely call Him Lord;
But who will not their Master own,
Or His commands obey,
They justly are by Christ unknown
In that decisive day.
1407.
[Earth's remotest countries now]
They shall come from the east, &c.
—xiii. 29.
Earth's remotest countries now
The law of Christ receive;
Heathens once, to Him we bow,
And in His name believe,
Hold, of Jesus' Spirit possess'd,
Communion sweet with saints forgiven,
Banquet at the royal feast,
And eat the bread of heaven.
1408.
[Oft a soul that late begins]
There are last which shall be first, and, &c.
—xiii. 30.
Oft a soul that late begins
To run the Christian race
Leaves the rest behind, and wins
The crown of righteousness,
Burning with intensest zeal,
Sunk in the lowest depths of love,
First he scales the heavenly hill,
And finds his seat above.
Set on slippery ground is he
Who claims the foremost place,
Conscious of his primacy
He loses all his grace:
Of himself who highly thinks
He tumbles from perfection's height;
Then the first is last, and sinks
Into eternal night.
1409.
[Thee, Lord, we our Example see]
There came certain of the Pharisees, saying, &c.
—xiii. 31.
Thee, Lord, we our Example see,
Hard-threaten'd by the world like Thee
Satan employs his ministers
To' alarm us by a thousand fears,
Weaken our hands, dismay our heart,
And make us from our work depart.
But arm'd with Thy undaunted zeal
We slight who can the body kill,
Their feeble menaces disdain,
Our path pursue, our post maintain,
In dangers, snares, and deaths live on
Immortal till our work is done.
1410.
[Jesus, if Thou Thy Spirit give]
I cast out devils, and I do cures to-day and, &c.
—xiii. 32.
Jesus, if Thou Thy Spirit give,
We all the serpent's wiles perceive,
Faithful and true perform Thy will,
Our ministry with joy fulfil,
Give up our all, and win the prize
When death completes the sacrifice.
1411.
[My hunted life belongs to Thee]
Nevertheless I must walk to-day, and, &c.
—xiii. 33.
My hunted life belongs to Thee
Subsisting still by Thy decree:
And while Thou wilt its actions use,
My hunted life I cannot lose,
Bound up with Thy designs of love,
And safe with Thee conceal'd above.
1412.
[Far from the house of God most-high]
It cannot be that a prophet perish out.
—xiii. 33.
Far from the house of God most-high
The victim was not to be slain;
The Truth must there the place supply
Of all its types and figures vain,
Jerusalem her sin fill up,
(The bloody, proud Jerusalem,)
And Jesus on Moriah's top
All nations of the earth redeem.
1413.
[Would God decree His creature's pain]
How often would I have gathered, &c.
—xiii. 34.
Would God decree His creature's pain,
Would Jesus pass one sinner by,
Of man's obduracy complain,
Or ask who must, Why will ye die?
Could Love Divine their death intend?
And mock with offers insincere?
His messengers to sinners send,
But first resolve they should not hear?
“How oft would I have gather'd you
And ye would not be gather'd in!”
Sinners believe the record true,
The truth itself in Christ is seen,
In pity's softest form appears
And fain would bring you all to God,
He weeps! believe His artless tears:
He bleeds! believe His speaking blood.
CHAPTER XIV.
1414.
[Jesus, Thou dost the sinner see]
There was a certain man . . . which had the, &c.
—xiv. 2–4.
Jesus, Thou dost the sinner see,
Thy mercy meets my misery
Preventing my request;
Unask'd Thou dost Thy blessings give,
Thy heart inclines Thee to receive
And succour the distress'd.
Present before Thy pitying eyes
To Thee my soul for help applies
In nature's sore disease:
This thirst of pleasure, wealth, and fame
Indulgence doth but more inflame,
And make my plague increase.
Swollen with concupiscence and pride,
I cannot heal, I cannot hide
The dropsy of my soul;
Unless Thou all Thy love reveal
The cause out of my heart to' expel,
I never shall be whole.
Thy hand medicinal extend,
To make my sins and sufferings end
Apply Thy sovereign grace:
Dry up in me corruption's flood,
And all my lust of creature good,
And all my thirst of praise.
Faith to be heal'd even now I feel,
I trust that balm infallible
Which Thy own Spirit applies:
Thy love omnipotent display,
And send me throughly heal'd away
From earth to paradise.
1415.
[What meekness, grace, and love Divine]
Which of you shall have an ass or an ox, &c.
—xiv. 5.
What meekness, grace, and love Divine
Through all His words and actions shine!
He teaches, not insults His foes,
Nor publishes the hearts He knows:
He stops the mouth of baffled spite,
Nor brings their secret sins to light,
Nor drags them out for all to see,
But hides His silent victory.
1416.
[How doth he take the lowest place]
Sit down in the lowest room.
—xiv. 10.
How doth he take the lowest place
Who glories in the heights of grace?
And free from self-mistrusting fear
Assumes the perfect character?
If void of true humility,
No place among the saints hath he;
And if his pride he will not feel,
Shall have the lowest place—in hell.
1417.
[Why have I, Lord, so often been]
Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased.
—xiv. 11.
Why have I, Lord, so often been
Baffled, debased by every sin?
With humble shame and grief
One sin I own the cause of all,
Pride always went before my fall,
The pride of unbelief.
1418.
[Give me, O Lord, my soul to' abase]
He that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
—xiv. 11.
Give me, O Lord, my soul to' abase,
To sink o'erwhelm'd with pardoning grace
Lower and lower yet;
But till I mount above the skies,
O may I never, never rise
From weeping at Thy feet!
1419.
[Shall man exalt himself, or boast]
Shall man exalt himself, or boast
His goodness, forfeited and lost
When his first parent fell?
A dark abyss of sin unknown
Is all he now can call his own,
And all his right is hell.
The good he doth through grace regain
He may by lowliness retain,
Or forfeit it by pride:
Full of the serpent's treacherous art,
He cannot trust his own weak heart
Or in his gifts confide.
Yet bold his neighbour to explore,
He durst prefer himself before
The meanest sons of grace;
No evil in himself can see,
And passing all in purity
He takes the highest place.
But taught of God we wait the end,
A moment patiently attend
Our true estate to find;
Eternity will soon disclose
What none but the Omniscient knows,
The hearts of all mankind.
1420.
[Who gladly to his home invites]
When thou makest a feast, call the poor, &c.
—xiv. 13, 14.
Who gladly to his home invites
The poor that keep their Saviour's word,
Relations all at once unites,
Friends, neighbours, brethren in the Lord,
Christ in His members entertains,
And heaven's eternal banquet gains.
Their debts to God who paid alone
Jesus their debts to man shall pay:
The future partners of His throne,
Christian, thy royal guests survey!
The princes of His people these
Who sit in heavenly palaces.
To tend the great Jehovah's heirs,
Persist with joy thy goods to give,
Thy labours, services, and cares;
A ministerial spirit live,
Till Jesus in the clouds come down
And His glad host with glory crown.
1421.
[Happiness for Adam's race]
A certain man made a great supper, and, &c.
—xiv. 16.
Happiness for Adam's race
Thou hast, O God, prepared;
All may gain Thy pardoning grace,
And heaven their full reward:
Bliss unspeakable, unknown,
Thou hast for every soul design'd,
Freely given Thine only Son
A Feast for all mankind.
1422.
[When the time was now fulfill'd]
And sent his servant at supper time to say, &c.
—xiv. 17.
When the time was now fulfill'd
Thou didst send forth our Lord;
In a servant's form reveal'd
He preach'd the gospel word,
Show'd the heavenly kingdom nigh,
Invited sinners to the feast,
“Weary souls, on Me rely,
And I will give you rest.
I will give you drink, and feed
Your hungry souls with love,
To the feast eternal lead,
And be your Life above;
I have there prepared your place
Who to My yoke your spirits bow;
Now receive My word, and grace
And heaven is ready now.”
1423.
[Men with one consent excuse]
They all with one consent began to make, &c.
—xiv. 18–20.
Men with one consent excuse
Themselves from happiness,
Still in various ways refuse
Their Saviour and His grace;
Some unpolish'd roughness show,
The messengers in haste repel,
Some with courteous smoothness go,
And decently—to hell.
House to house and field to field
The greedy worldling joins:
Shall he leave his ground untill'd
To serve his God's designs?
Time for heaven he cannot spare,
Or on his precious soul attend,
Earth engrosses all his care
Till life's short moment end.
All his treasure here he views,
And toils and hurries on,
Eagerly the world pursues
By lawful things undone:
“Business must be minded now:”
Who can for God no leisure find
Sets his hand to Satan's plough,
And never looks behind.
Why should that a hindrance prove
Which God a help intends?
Sinner gain in Jesus' love
The bliss that never ends;
Come, thou oft-invited guest
Whom God Himself vouchsafes to woo,
Hasten to the gospel-feast,
And bring thy consort too.
1424.
[Multitudes of souls distress'd]
Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, &c.
—xiv. 22.
Multitudes of souls distress'd
At Thy command are come,
Now partake the heavenly feast,
Yet, Lord, there still is room:
Room (though millions have obey'd
Thy call, and to Thy arms are brought),
Room for all Thy hands have made,
For all Thy blood hath bought.
Room in Thy capacious breast
There is for all our kind,
Every soul may gain the rest
For every soul design'd,
Plunge in that unfathom'd sea,
The depth and height of mercy prove,
Feast through all eternity
On my Redeemer's love.
1425.
[To the hedges and highways]
Go out . . . and compel them to come in, &c.
—xiv. 23.
To the hedges and highways
Even now Thy servant goes,
All the riches of Thy grace
To wandering sinners shows;
Seeks the vagabonds that fly
The most abandon'd slaves of sin,
Outcasts at the point to die,
And forces to come in.
Jesus bleeding on the tree,
Thy death their hearts compels,
Then they feel the joy in Thee
Which all delight excels.
Crowd into Thy house below,
Convinced Thy flesh is meat indeed
Thee their life eternal know,
And on Thy fulness feed.
1426.
[O what multitudes at last]
None of those men which were bidden shall taste.
—xiv. 24.
O what multitudes at last
Their own destroyers prove!
Call'd, they might but will not taste
The sweets of Jesus' love:
Those who scorn'd His proffer'd grace,
And would not to His supper come,
Christ shall from His presence chase
To hell's eternal gloom.
1427.
[Who follows Christ with heart sincere]
If any man come to Me, and hate not his, &c.
—xiv. 26.
Who follows Christ with heart sincere,
Sits loose to all relations here,
From every creature free:
The tenderest love which nature knows
Compared with what to Christ he owes
May pass for enmity.
Far above all competitors
Jesus the Saviour he prefers,
Jesus the Good supreme;
His bosom-friend if Christ demands
He renders back into His hands,
Or dies himself for Him.
1428.
[Millions the Christian name]
Whosoever doth not bear his cross, &c.
—xiv. 27.
Millions the Christian name
Without the cross receive,
Servants of men and slaves of fame
In ease and pleasures live;
Following the world His foe
They throng the spacious road,
Nor will in Jesu's footsteps go
By Calvary to God.
But better taught by grace
His doctrines I approve,
Cheerful His daily cross embrace,
And all His sufferings love:
With joy I follow Him
Who once for sinners died,
And nothing know, desire, esteem
But Jesus crucified.
1429.
[Lord, I have counted first the cost]
Which of you . . . sitteth not down first, and, &c.
—xiv. 28.
Lord, I have counted first the cost,
My all must for Thy love be lost:
I know, the sure foundation stands
Establish'd by almighty hands;
And Thou who hast Thy work begun,
From faith to faith shalt lead me on,
Till bold I to the summit press,
And rise complete in holiness.
I reckon on Thy Spirit's power
To build me up into a tower,
Thy gracious all-sufficiency
Shall bring forth the head-stone in me:
The more I sink in my own eyes
The higher in my Lord's I rise,
Fall into nothing through Thy love,
And thus I reach Thy throne above.
1430.
[Shall I the Lord of hosts defy]
Or what king, going to make war, &c.
—xiv. 31, 32.
Shall I the Lord of hosts defy,
As stronger than the' Almighty I?
Or now my impotence confess,
And humbly sue for terms of peace?
The terms He hath already given,
The peace is made 'twixt earth and heaven;
I yield: the war is at an end,
And God in Jesus is my friend.
CHAPTER XV.
1431.
[Yes; for Thou hast received]
This Man receiveth sinners.
—xv. 2.
Yes; for Thou hast received
The sinners' chief in me:
Through mercy I believed,
And favour found with Thee:
Admitted on Thy grace to feast,
O take me to Thy glorious rest.
1432.
[Jesus the good Shepherd, good]
What man . . . having an hundred sheep, if, &c.
—xv. 4–10.
Jesus the good Shepherd, good
With Divine humanity,
Miss'd the purchase of His blood,
Left the ninety-nine for me:
Hurrying down the' infernal way
Long His fugitive He sought,
Found at last His fainting stray,
Found, and to His bosom caught.
Kindly for His own He cares,
Full of sympathetic love
All my griefs and burdens bears,
Hides my life secure above:
Sure support His mercy gives,
Bears beyond the adverse power,
Never to myself He leaves,
Never lets me wander more.
Jesus now gone up on high
Calls his family above,
Bids his friends and neighbours cry
“Glory to the God of love!”
Jesus' bliss the church inspires
Who before His face appear,
Angels strike their sounding lyres
For a soul repenting here.
Angels, saints, and men are glad
At a prodigal's return,
Envious Pharisees are sad,
With the powers of darkness mourn:
Scribes in every age the same
Thus their true succession prove,
By their murmurings proclaim
“God we neither fear nor love.”
1433.
[The cause of human ruin see!]
Father, give me the portion of goods, &c.
—xv. 12.
The cause of human ruin see!
Man will his own disposer be,
And independent live,
His gracious stock at once demands,
Nor will from a kind Father's hands
His daily bread receive.
1434.
[Lord of himself, he takes his flight]
The younger son gathered all together, and, &c.
—xv. 13.
Lord of himself, he takes his flight,
Far from his heavenly Father's sight,
While sense and passion guides,
Far as he can from God removes,
Through nature's paths licentious roves,
And with the world resides.
Ranging in vice without control,
He spends the riches of his soul,
Religion's laws disdains,
He sells himself and God for nought,
Sins on till not one serious thought
Or good desire remains.
1435.
[Who happy without God would be]
He began to be in want.
—xv. 14.
Who happy without God would be
Finds only want and misery
When God is quite removed:
How void the soul if He depart,
And O, what famine in the heart
Where Jesus is not loved.
1436.
[Yet more and more abandon'd still]
And joined himself to a citizen of that country, &c.
—xv. 15.
Yet more and more abandon'd still
He hires himself at Satan's will
To serve the fiend's design;
And lo, the tempter's instrument
To theatres and gardens sent,
He feeds the devil's swine.
He spends his strength the world to please,
In sin's most sordid services
Obeys his cruel lord,
A labourer in his vineyard lives,
Death all the wages he receives
And hell his whole reward.
1437.
[With envious impotent desire]
He would fain have filled his belly with, &c.
—xv. 16.
With envious impotent desire,
The creatures wallowing in the mire,
The human herd he sees;
But no delight in sin can taste,
Harass'd and quite worn out at last
In Satan's drudgeries.
His wishes, were they all fulfill'd,
No real happiness could yield,
The filthy sinful herd
Could never satisfy his need;
On vanity themselves they feed,
On ashes, husks, and wind.
1438.
[When to his sober mind restored]
How many hired servants of my father's, &c.
—xv. 17.
When to his sober mind restored,
He envies those that serve the Lord
With every good supplied,
Who in His family possess
The true substantial happiness,
And nothing want beside.
1439.
[Drawn by the secret power of grace]
I will arise and go to my father, &c.
—xv. 18.
Drawn by the secret power of grace
Sin to forsake, and all its ways,
And not a moment lose,
He vows to try if prayer can move
The bowels of a Father's love,
At once resolves, and does.
1440.
[I will, I do arise]
And he arose, and came to his father.
—xv. 20.
I will, I do arise,
And to my Father go,
My injured Father in the skies
To Thee my heart I show;
With late remorse confess
I have rebellious been,
My inward parts are wickedness,
And all my life is sin.
A sinner in Thy sight,
I have Thy justice dared,
And forfeited my filial right,
And earn'd the fiends' reward:
Yet do not lose Thine own;
Yet me for Jesus' sake,
(Unworthy to be call'd a son,)
Thy meanest servant make.
1441.
[With mercy's quickest eyes]
His father saw him, and had compassion, &c.
—xv. 20.
With mercy's quickest eyes
His wretched son He sees,
The prodigal far off espies,
And pities his distress:
At sight of human woe
His yearning bowels move,
The Father swiftly runs to show
His warm paternal love.
A late-returning child,
His mercy's arms embrace,
His lips declare him reconciled,
His lips distilling grace;
The kiss dispels his fears,
With balmy words applied,
The self-condemning sinner hears,
And seals him justified.
Not one upbraiding word
The pardon'd sinner grieves:
In mercy rich his heavenly Lord
Forgets when He forgives:
He hears his heart's desire,
Preventing his request,
And recent from the swine and mire
Receives him to His breast.
1442.
[Father, I still confess]
And the son said . . . Father, I have sinned, &c.
—xv. 21.
Father, I still confess
The sins Thou hast forgiven,
Unworthy to behold Thy face
Or lift mine eyes to heaven:
Though Thou Thy love reveal
Remitting all my debt,
That I have sinn'd I never will,
I never can forget.
Thou know'st what I would say
While at Thy feet I fall,
And dost not give me time to pray
To be the least of all:
Thy mercy bids me rise,
From all that I have done
Discharged, and fill'd with sweet surprise,
And call'd a pleasant son.
1443.
[Yet for my sinless Saviour's sake]
Yet for my sinless Saviour's sake
Thou wilt be reconciled,
Into Thine arms of mercy take,
And own me for Thy child.
1444.
[Thou hast brought forth for me]
Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him, &c.
—xv. 22.
Thou hast brought forth for me
That best original dress,
That robe of spotless purity
To hide my nakedness:
The robe Thy children wear
By faith is truly mine,
The perfect heavenly character,
The righteousness Divine.
The ring, the Spirit's seal
I from Thy hands receive,
Earnest of bliss ineffable
Which only God can give:
The signet bears His name
Who left His throne above,
And lo, to Christ betrothed I am
In mercy, truth, and love.
Shod with the gospel-peace
I safely now go on,
Ready with all Thy messages
In all Thy paths to run;
I urge my way with speed,
And strength invincible,
On serpents, and on scorpions tread,
On sin, and death, and hell.
1445.
[At the great feast of God]
And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it, &c.
—xv. 23.
At the great feast of God
Delighted I sit down,
And eat the flesh, and drink the blood
Of Thine eternal Son:
I more than taste and see
How full of grace Thou art:
I sup with Christ, and Christ with me,
And heaven o'erflows my heart.
Angels the banquet share,
Thy family above
More happy, more triumphant are
Through Thy redeeming love;
My joy doth theirs increase,
Exalts their raptures higher,
O'erwhelms with mightier ecstasies
The whole transported choir.
From every golden string
Sublimer praises sound,
The dead restored to life they sing,
The wandering sinner found;
Found, to be lost no more,
Alive, in life to stay,
And love, and wonder, and adore
Through one eternal day.
CHAPTER XVI.
1446.
[God is rich, and God alone]
There was a certain rich man, which had, &c.
—xvi. 1.
God is rich, and God alone:
The goods which we possess
Lent us by our Lord we own
As stewards of His grace:
Every talent we receive
Improved we should to Him restore,
Only for His service live,
And God in all adore.
Not employing for His use,
Our Master's goods we waste,
Life and all its blessings lose,
And our own souls at last;
Thoughtless of that day unknown,
When each shall at His bar appear,
Answer for the evil done
And good neglected here.
We shall stand before His face,
For all we now receive
(Every gift and every grace)
A strict account to give.
How we here our trust fulfill'd,
Our riches, time, and thoughts employ'd,
How we used the truth reveal'd,
And how the Christ of God.
1447.
[The men who seek their portion here]
The children of this world are in their, &c.
—xvi. 8.
The men who seek their portion here,
To their own worldly interest true
Consistent with themselves appear,
With steady aim their end pursue,
Contrivance, care, and foresight show
To' ensure the good they prize below.
Not half so wise the sons of light
The one thing needful to secure!
Toiling henceforth both day and night
To make our heavenly treasure sure,
O might we every means improve,
And Jesus every moment love!
1448.
[Help us to make the poor our friends]
Make to yourselves friends of the mammon, &c.
—xvi. 9.
Help us to make the poor our friends,
By that which paves the way to hell,
That when our loving labour ends,
And dying from this earth we fail,
Our friends may greet us in the skies
Born to a life that never dies.
1449.
[Whoe'er his Master's money wastes]
He that is unjust in the least is unjust also, &c.
—xvi. 10.
Whoe'er his Master's money wastes,
A prodigal of time becomes,
Swiftly to sure perdition hastes,
His grace, his life, his soul consumes,
And when the self-destroyer dies
Forfeits his portion in the skies.
1450.
[Ye rich, your poverty confess]
If ye have not been faithful in that which is, &c.
—xvi. 12.
Ye rich, your poverty confess,
And low at Jesu's footstool bow,
Stewards of all ye here possess,
Proprietors of nothing now,
His goods as He directs employ,
And share at last your Master's joy.
Foreign and false the riches here
Make themselves wings, and fly away:
Who bears the Christian character
Disdains to court their longer stay,
Restores the momentary loan,
And only heaven he calls his own.
For those eternal things design'd
Which Jesus did for him procure,
He sets on them his heart and mind,
The riches great, and true, and sure,
The fund of true unfading bliss
Which Jesus made for ever his.
1451.
[Which wilt thou serve? the world or God?]
No servant can serve two masters, &c.
—xvi. 13.
Which wilt thou serve? the world or God?
Sinner, thou canst not both obey;
Each other contraries exclude:
If Mammon thine affections sway,
Thou must renounce the joys above,
Thou canst not God and money love.
Canst thou deliberate which to choose?
This moment with thine idols part,
The world with all its goods refuse,
Thy faithful undivided heart
To Christ thy rightful Master give,
And happy as His angels live.
1452.
[Riches to love and clothing gay]
There was a certain rich man, which was, &c.
—xvi. 19.
Riches to love and clothing gay,
Themselves to pamper every day,
And to neglect the poor,
Consigns the men who will not know
Their God, to everlasting woe,
And makes damnation sure.
Ye rich who live yourselves to please,
Your pleasures and luxurious ease
Compare to Jesus' cross:
How doth your life with His agree,
Your pomp with His humility,
Your riot with His laws?
Daily do you yourselves deny,
Your lusts and passions mortify,
And serve and suffer on?
Set ye your hearts on things above,
God beyond all His creatures love,
And worship Him alone?
Alas, ye scorn the Lord to fear,
To work out your salvation here,
Or all for Christ forego:
His needy members ye despise,
And shut against the light your eyes,
To lift them up—below!
1453.
[Behold a favourite of the skies!]
And there was a certain beggar named, &c.
—xvi. 20.
Behold a favourite of the skies!
Before the glutton's gate he lies
In pining want and pain,
Cover'd with wounds and loathsome sores,
Relief he silently implores,
But asks the crumbs in vain.
1454.
[The dogs some small relief afford]
Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
—xvi. 21.
The dogs some small relief afford,
Kinder than their hard-hearted lord;
The wretch he passes by,
Sufficient that his beasts he feeds,
He slights his fellow-creature's needs,
And lets the beggar die.
1455.
[Worn out with grief, and want, and pain]
The beggar died, and was carried by the angels, &c.
—xvi. 22.
Worn out with grief, and want, and pain,
The beggar dies, and lives again
Beyond conception bless'd,
By flaming ministers convey'd
To realms of joy, he rests his head
On his Redeemer's breast.
1456.
[Gripp'd by the' arresting hand of death]
The rich man also died, and was buried, &c.
—xvi. 22, 23.
Gripp'd by the' arresting hand of death,
The glutton too resigns his breath,
Lodged in a stately tomb!
His carcase leaves its bliss behind,
His soul with torturing fiends confined
Receives its fearful doom.
Below he lifts his haggard eyes,
Cursed with a glimpse of paradise,
And sees the beggar there:
The loss of heavenly happiness
Doth all his raging pangs increase
And deepens his despair.
Thou epicure not yet in hell,
Thy danger now submit to feel
While thy damnation stays:
Awake out of thy worldly dream,
Lift up thine eyes in prayer to Him
Who offers all His grace.
Thou need'st not feel the' infernal woe,
Or to that place of torment go,
That endless misery:
Repent, renounce thy wealth and ease,
Sell all for Jesu's love, and seize
The heaven prepared for thee.
1457.
[In hell he pours a fruitless prayer]
Father Abraham, have mercy on me, &c.
—xvi. 24.
In hell he pours a fruitless prayer,
No mercy for a suppliant there
Who would not hear the poor:
Unheard he must, unpitied cry,
The gnawing worm that cannot die,
The quenchless fire endure.
How righteous is the sinner's doom!
He who refused the poor a crumb
Desires a drop in vain;
Who sold his God for pleasures base
Is justly driven from His face
To everlasting pain.
1458.
[Why is he doom'd to endless pain?]
Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime, &c.
—xvi. 25.
Why is he doom'd to endless pain?
Did he by fraud his wealth obtain?
No; but the blessings given
On his rich neighbours he bestow'd,
Enjoy'd himself instead of God,
And sought no other heaven.
He had the happiness he chose,
Sensual delight and soft repose,
Magnificence and fame:
And who from earth their joys receive
Their joys they soon, like him, shall leave
For that eternal flame.
1459.
[Though now the good and evil meet]
Between us and you there is a great gulf, &c.
—xvi. 26.
Though now the good and evil meet,
Though here the goats and sheep, the wheat
And tares we mingled see;
The' irremeable gulf betwixt
The saved and damn'd will soon be fix'd
For all eternity.
No hope shall the tormented know
Of 'scaping from the pit of woe,
And passing to the skies,
No fear shall with the bless'd remain
Of ever forfeiting again
Their heavenly paradise!
My God, to which shall I belong?
Rejoice with saints, or groan among
The cursed despairing crowd?
For Jesus' sake a sinner clear,
And give mine inmost soul to hear
The answer of His blood.
1460.
[Is there benevolence in hell?]
Send him to my father's house: for I, &c.
—xvi. 27, 28.
Is there benevolence in hell?
Or can the damn'd compassion feel
At their associates' doom?
No: but an epicure below
May dread a huge increase of woe
When his associates come.
How will he their reproaches bear,
Who spread his table for a snare,
Taught them to scorn the poor,
Made them in all his crimes partake,
And left them all his goods to make
Their swift damnation sure?
1461.
[We have them too; and Christ beside]
They have Moses and the prophets.
—xvi. 29.
We have them too; and Christ beside:
His word and Spirit is our guide
In the celestial way;
His gospel and apostles show
The means to' escape that hellish woe,
“Repent, believe, obey.”
1462.
[In vain the self-deceiver stays]
If one went unto them from the dead, they, &c.
—xvi. 30.
In vain the self-deceiver stays
For wonders of resistless grace
His stubborn heart to' incline,
Proof for his faith affects to want:
A thousand proofs if mercy grant,
He asks a farther sign.
Faith for his proofs is wanting still,
He will remain, because he will,
Unsaved and unforgiven;
Till hearkening to the sacred word
He leaves his sin, and serves his Lord,
His God come down from heaven.
1463.
[His oracles who disbelieve]
If they hear not Moses and the prophets, &c.
—xvi. 31.
His oracles who disbelieve,
To miracles no credence give:
His oracles are fill'd
With wonders by Jehovah done
To make His truth and goodness known,
And speak His arm reveal'd.
Jesus by His stupendous grace
Another Lazarus did raise,
Him from the dead He sent;
Himself on the third day arose,
To save His most obdurate foes,
Yet would they not repent.
Him and His friend they sought to slay,
Nor saw the clear meridian day
Which in their darkness shone,
Through passion blind and proud despite
They shut their eyes against the light
Of that meridian Sun.
Taught by their incredulity
The standing means vouchsafed by Thee
We thankfully embrace,
Thy Scriptures search to find our Lord
And listen to the joyful word
Of reconciling grace.
The sinner poor Thy word believes,
As full sufficient proof receives
What Thou art pleased to' impart:
But love alone can change the will,
But only Gilead's balm can heal
The blindness of my heart.
CHAPTER XVII.
1464.
[Let mine injurious brother own]
If he trespass against thee seven times in a day, &c.
—xvii. 4.
Let mine injurious brother own
His oft-reiterated sin,
Received for Jesu's sake alone,
As the offence had never been,
I to my confidence restore,
And love, and prize him as before.
But if his stubborn pride disdain
The frequent evil to confess,
Lord, shall I trust my foe again,
Or as my bosom-friend caress?
I must, I will, with love receive,
And twice ten thousand times forgive.
Harden'd in his impenitence
For him I now in secret mourn,
Remit unask'd the hundred pence,
And pray my God his heart to turn,
And treat him, when the change I see,
As kindly, as Thou treatest me.
1465.
[Faith enables us to bear]
Increase our faith.
—xvii. 5.
Faith enables us to bear
The sharpest injuries:
Faith alone gives birth to prayer,
And prayer doth faith increase:
Faith will every moment droop
Unless we every moment cry,
Guard it Lord, confirm, fill up,
And take us to the sky.
Thus throughout our course below
For more and more we pray,
Fresh degrees of faith bestow,
Nor let the grace decay;
Strengthen us to persevere,
And walk unblamed with Thee in white,
Till our faith is perfect here,
And swallow'd up in sight.
1466.
[Whether Thy little flock we feed]
Which of you, having a servant plowing, &c.
—xvii. 7, 8.
Whether Thy little flock we feed,
Or follow, Lord, the gospel plough,
Patience, as well as faith, we need,
And must not ask our wages now,
Howe'er impatient nature say
“Go, triumph first, and then obey.”
Weary, with thirst and hunger faint,
From labouring in Thy field I come,
Thy sweet refreshing grace I want,
Unready for my heavenly home,
I long Thy promises to prove,
And banquet on Thy perfect love.
Yet O, a time I dare not set,
Or now demand to sup with Thee:
Still on my Lord I humbly wait,
If still Thou use my ministry;
In hunger, weariness, and thirst,
'Tis fit I serve my Master first.
Then let me patiently attend
The leisure of my heavenly Lord,
Till Thou in mercy condescend
To comfort by Thy hallowing word,
And raise me weeping at Thy feet,
At table with the King to sit.
After I have endured awhile,
After I have Thy pleasure done,
Thy love shall recompense my toil,
Thy love my patient faith shall crown,
And then I enter into rest,
And then on Thy perfection feast.
1467.
[“But if you needs must work before]
Doth he thank that servant because he did, &c.
—xvii. 9.
“But if you needs must work before,
Salvation is of works, not grace:”
Not so; if Christ supplies the power
For my imperfect services,
And gives me on Himself to' attend,
Labouring and suffering to the end.
No thanks to me my Master owes
For works which He Himself hath wrought;
Grace only the reward bestows
For every gracious word and thought,
And when I His commands have done,
The praise, I trow, is all His own.
I have but done my duty, Lord,
When answering all Thy welcome will,
I cannot speak one boasting word,
But most unprofitable still,
The meanest of Thy servants I,
The chief of sinners live and die.
1468.
[Repentance doth with fear begin]
There met Him ten men that were lepers.
—xvii. 12.
Repentance doth with fear begin,
We feel the baseness of our sin,
Not bold salvation to demand,
Or snatch the grace out of His hand,
Not worthy before God to' appear,
We come, yet tremble to draw near.
Foul lepers, by ourselves abhorr'd,
Ashamed to meet an holy Lord,
Our nature's loathsomeness we feel,
Our heart and life deserving hell,
And cry with lifted voice aloud,
Immeasurably far from God.
Saviour of men, to Thee we cry,
Whose blood was shed to bring us nigh,
Apply it, Lord, to purge our sin,
To make our filthy conscience clean;
Thy love infuse, Thy mercy show,
And wash the lepers white as snow.
1469.
[Numbers frequent Thy house of prayer]
And one of them, when he saw that he was, &c.
—xvii. 15.
Numbers frequent Thy house of prayer,
And wait Thy loving-kindness there,
Lift up their voice, and sue for grace,
But silent in the Giver's praise,
A thousand blessings they receive,
Yet never to Thy glory live.
A grateful soul cannot defer
Redeeming mercy to declare,
He must his thankful love express,
His Saviour before men confess,
And witnessing his sins forgiven,
Give glory to the God of heaven.
1470.
[Accompanied it needs must be]
And fell down . . . at His feet, giving Him thanks.
—xvii. 16.
Accompanied it needs must be
True love with deep humility,
A leper cleansed, a sinner heal'd,
A soul who knows his pardon seal'd,
Prostrate, with all his ransom'd powers
At Jesus' feet through life adores.
1471.
[Where are the nine? alas, my God]
Were there not ten cleansed? but where, &c.
—xvii. 17.
Where are the nine? alas, my God,
We soon forget Thy cleansing blood;
But lo, I now at last return,
My base ingratitude to mourn,
Thy pardoning love to glorify,
Thy confessor to live and die.
1472.
[Jesus by whom redeem'd I live]
There are not found that returned to give, &c.
—xvii. 18.
Jesus by whom redeem'd I live,
To Thee I all the glory give,
And on the wings of angels borne
Shall soon triumphantly return,
To celebrate with saints above
The praise of Thine eternal love.
1473.
[The lower at His feet we stoop]
Arise, go thy way.
—xvii. 19.
The lower at His feet we stoop,
The higher Jesus lifts us up,
And strengthens with confirming grace
Through all His peaceful pleasant ways
To walk unblamable in love,
And serve Him as His saints above.
1474.
[Jesus commends the faith in me]
Thy faith hath made thee whole.
—xvii. 19.
Jesus commends the faith in me
Which heals my sinful leprosy,
That I may praise the grace of God
Who faith and its effects bestow'd,
And doth even now His peace impart,
And stamps His image on my heart.
1475.
[Engrave her doom upon my heart]
Remember Lot's wife.
—xvii. 32.
Engrave her doom upon my heart,
That I may never wish to part,
(So apt to tempt my loving God,
To stop, and linger on the road,)
That I may never more draw back,
Saviour, into Thy bosom take,
And make this dear-bought soul of mine
A monument of grace Divine.
1476.
[Shall I be left in sin to die]
Two men shall be in the field.
—xvii. 36.
Shall I be left in sin to die,
Or all the vengeful storms outfly?
Perish as the rebellious race,
Or 'scape within Thy arm's embrace?
Saviour, the solemn secret tell:
Or if Thou still Thyself conceal,
Yet keep me till my fears are pass'd,
And save me as by fire at last.
CHAPTER XVIII.
1477.
[Surely if we ought, we may]
Men ought always to pray, &c.
—xviii. 1.
Surely if we ought, we may
Every moment watch and pray:
Simply I receive Thy word,
Merciful, almighty Lord:
Thou who gavest the command,
Nothing can Thy will withstand;
And if I believe in Thee,
Nothing is too hard for me.
O that I my God might find
Always present to my mind,
O that I might Thee desire,
Thee in every wish require.
When my constant aim Thou art,
Master of my longing heart,
All my happiness and care;
Then I pray the ceaseless prayer.
1478.
[A widow poor, forlorn, oppress'd]
And shall not God avenge His own elect?
—xviii. 7.
A widow poor, forlorn, oppress'd,
Importunate her suit could gain;
And shall not we our joint request
By persevering prayer obtain?
A stranger to the judge she was;
But we God's chosen people are,
And wishing us to gain our cause
Himself doth all our burdens bear.
To an unrighteous judge she came,
But to a righteous Father we,
Who bids us confidently claim
His grace for needy sinners free:
The widow's and the orphan's Friend
Kindly commands us to draw nigh:
And lo, our hearts to heaven ascend,
And boldly Abba Father cry!
She had no promise to succeed,
And but at times could find access;
Encouraged we, and sure to speed,
Both day and night our suit may press.
Her vehemence did the judge provoke;
But God our earnestness approves,
Watches our every sigh and look,
And most the boldest suitor loves.
She had no friend or patron kind,
To' enforce and make her suit his own;
But we a powerful Spokesman find
Before us at the Father's throne;
Our Advocate for ever lives
For us in heaven to intercede,
For us the Comforter receives,
And sends Him in our hearts to plead.
1479.
[Lord Thy promise we believe]
I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.
—xviii. 8.
Lord Thy promise we believe,
And confidently pray,
Soon Thou wilt the answer give,
And take our sins away,
Wilt Thy precious Self reveal,
Thine own almighty grace employ,
Satan from our hearts expel,
And all his works destroy.
Wrestling on in ceaseless prayer,
We will not let Thee go;
Saviour, Thy great arm make bare,
Avenge us of our foe;
Us who in Thy name intreat,
Thy church Thou canst not long refuse:
Bruise him now beneath our feet,
The fiend for ever bruise.
Day and night for this we cry,
And will not let Thee rest:
Cast him out, O Lord most high,
And heal our inbred pest.
Deal the' exterminating blow,
Purge out our nature's deepest stains,
Root and branch destroy our foe,
And slay his last remains.
Then our spotless spirits hide,
Till Thou to judgment come,
Claim the widow for Thy bride,
And take Thine exiles home,
Fully vindicate Thine own
Admitted in Thy deed to share,
Seated by Thy righteous throne
To doom the tempter there.
1480.
[When to the house of prayer we go]
Two men went up into the temple to pray, &c.
—xviii. 10.
When to the house of prayer we go,
Who can our secret motive tell?
Beneath the same religious show
Our good or evil we conceal;
God only knows our inward parts,
The pride, or hunger of our hearts.
The proud He doth far off behold,
But hears the trembling sinner's prayer,
Pities a soul to Satan sold,
Who from the confines of despair
In Jesus' name for mercy cries;
And lives—because his Saviour dies!
1481.
[He comes (pretender vain) to pray]
God, I thank Thee, that I am not as other, &c.
—xviii. 11, 12.
He comes (pretender vain) to pray,
Yet nothing of the Lord desires;
He comes, his virtues to display,
Himself, instead of God, admires;
Or thanks Him with his lips alone,
And thinks his goodness all his own.
His goodness in externals lies,
In negatives, and forms of good,
In freedom from disgraceful vice,
In alms by vanity bestow'd,
In fasts for sin to satisfy,
And the first seat above to buy.
His thanks abominably vain
The number of his sins increase,
And while he scorns the dregs of men
His inward parts are wickedness;
And while he God his debtor makes
All glory to himself he takes.
Presumption, confidence, and pride,
The prayer of Pharisees compose,
Of all who in themselves confide;
From nature their religion flows,
Nature improved by hellish art,
To hide the demon in their heart.
1482.
[A mere helpless sinner I]
God be merciful to me a sinner.
—xviii. 13.
A mere helpless sinner I
Must without His mercy die;
But when this is all my plea,
God in Christ is love to me.
1483.
[Lord, I would be brought to Thee]
They brought unto Him also infants, &c.
—xviii. 15–17.
Lord, I would be brought to Thee,
Passive as an infant be,
Hallow'd by that touch of Thine,
Lodged within the arms Divine.
Longing to be all Thine own,
Let me hang on Thee alone,
Free from trouble and concern
All my manly thoughts unlearn.
All my worldly wisdom lose,
All my power to will or choose;
Simply in Thy Spirit live,
Everything from God receive.
Let my elder brethren chide,
Push my foolishness aside,
Call'd I am in Thee to rest;
Press me closer to Thy breast.
Me into Thy kingdom take,
Me Thy loyal subject make,
Hide my happy life above,
Safe in unreflecting love.
Principled with humble grace
Make me meet to see Thy face,
Then Thy spotless image own,
Then receive me to Thy throne.
1484.
[How rich in God's esteem]
There is no man that hath left house, &c.
—xviii. 29.
How rich in God's esteem
Is Jesus' minister,
Who has abandon'd all for Him,
And nothing covets here!
From hopes and fears set free
He labours for the sky,
In apostolic poverty
Resolved to live and die.
For precious souls he cares,
Their willing servant is,
And glad attends the royal heirs
Of everlasting bliss;
Nothing he hath, below,
And yet of all possess'd
Exults in perfect peace to go
And share that heavenly feast.
Lord we our seal set to,
Before we hence remove,
And testify that Thou art true,
To those who trust Thy love:
Besprinkled with Thy blood,
In deepest poverty,
Detach'd from every outward good
We all things have in Thee.
In Thy mysterious peace,
Which rules the spotless mind,
We here an hundredfold possess
For what we left behind;
Happy on earth we live
Who know our sins forgiven,
And die exulting to receive
Our full reward in heaven.
1485.
[How ignorant and blind]
A certain blind man sat by the way side, &c.
—xviii. 35–43.
How ignorant and blind
The sinner's heart and mind!
In the shades of death he dwells,
Poor and proud of misery;
When his unbelief he feels,
Then he half begins to see.
Happy, if then he hear
Of the Physician near,
Jesus, Son of the Most-High,
Met with in the beggar's way!
But He quickly passes by:
Prayer alone can make Him stay.
Stop Him by prayer alone
Address'd to David's Son;
Cry, thou wretched beggar, cry,
Jesus, my Redeemer be,
Save, or in my sins I die,
Show Thy pardoning love to me.
Check'd by the worldly throng
I will not hold my tongue,
More importunate I cry
With redoubled energy;
Save, or in my sins I die,
Show Thy pardoning love to me.
Thou dost Thy suppliant hear,
Thy call hath brought me near;
All my heart to Thee is known,
Lord, I would receive my sight:
Shine, Thou uncreated Sun,
Turn my darkness into light.
This unbelief of heart
Command it to depart:
Pardon with Thy Spirit give;
Speak, and all my sins are gone,
Speak, and I my Lord perceive,
Truly saved by faith alone.
Thou dost my pardon seal,
Thou dost Thyself reveal,
Thee my Saviour from above
Now Thou giv'st me eyes to see,
Tongue to praise, and heart to love,
Feet to follow after Thee.
Happy through life if I
My God may glorify,
Make Thy power and mercy known,
Worthily show forth Thy praise,
Force the heathen world to own
The great miracle of grace.
CHAPTER XIX.
1486.
[A rich man saved! it cannot be]
Behold, there was a man named Zacchæus, &c.
—xix. 2.
A rich man saved! it cannot be,
Till sovereign grace his heart incline;
But then the' impossibility
Is done by Christ, the Power Divine,
The chief of publicans believes,
The sinners' chief his Lord receives.
1487.
[Thou Saviour dost the wish impart]
He sought to see Jesus who He was; and, &c.
—xix. 3.
Thou Saviour dost the wish impart,
Which draws a sinner from the crowd,
Assists his littleness of heart
And lifts him up to see his God:
Through Thee he longs Thyself to know,
And then Thou dost the sight bestow.
1488.
[Allured by his Redeemer's love]
And he ran before, and climbed up into a, &c.
—xix. 4.
Allured by his Redeemer's love,
Prevented by His secret grace,
He runs with eagerness, above
All earthly things himself to raise,
Surmounts the judgment of mankind,
And leaves a scoffing world behind.
He waits in hope to see and know
The Lord in His appointed ways,
Where Christ is wont to pass, and show
Himself to those who seek His face,
Who all behold His love reveal'd,
And glory in their pardon seal'd.
1489.
[Before He saw him in the tree]
And when Jesus came to the place, He looked, &c.
—xix. 5.
Before He saw him in the tree
Jesus the curious gazer view'd,
Gave him that heart sincerity,
That passion for a glimpse of God;
And while he after Christ aspires,
The Saviour crowns His own desires.
1490.
[Sinner, come down at Jesus' call]
He . . . said unto him, Zacchæus, make haste, &c.
—xix. 5.
Sinner, come down at Jesus' call,
Sink into thy own nothingness,
Feel the full misery of thy fall,
Thy vile apostasy confess,
Jesus with lowly faith receive,
Who stoops with sinful men to live.
Humility prepares His way,
His saving power the humble feel:
Jesus will lodge with thee to-day,
Will every day with sinners dwell,
Nor visit as a transient guest,
But be their everlasting Feast.
He for no invitation stays,
But freely of His own accord
Comes with the kingdom of His grace,
And favour shows as sovereign Lord:
His love, for every sinner free,
Precedes all good desire in thee.
1491.
[Who would not descend His Saviour to meet?]
And he made haste, and came down, and, &c.
—xix. 6–9.
Who would not descend His Saviour to meet?
The publicans' Friend I hasten to greet:
And from my embraces He never shall part,
When on His own graces He feasts in my heart.
The Pharisees see And murmur in vain,
“Who comes unto Me With Me shall remain”;
The gracious Beginner Of faith will go on,
And raise a mere sinner To sit on His throne.
The change of my heart My life shall express,
While freely I part With all I possess;
My Master from heaven To Thee I restore
The goods Thou hast given, By feeding the poor.
I stand in Thy sight My evils to own,
And render their right To all I have known,
Renounce with confusion My ill-gotten gain,
And full restitution I make unto man.
If God justifies, Let all men condemn;
Worse in my own eyes, And viler than them,
Possess'd of Thy favour, A penitent poor,
My God and my Saviour, What can I have more?
The heart that believes Is Jesus's home,
When Him it receives Salvation is come;
And I through His passion From sin am set free,
And now my Salvation Inhabits in me.
Of Abraham's line The Blessing I own,
To me and to mine In Jesus made known:
His indwelling Spirit Believing we find,
And gladly inherit The Friend of mankind.
1492.
[Our whole apostate kind]
The Son of man is come to seek and to save.
—xix. 10.
Our whole apostate kind
May now salvation find:
Lost to every thought of good,
Lost as sheep that went astray,
Jesus brought us by His blood
Back into Himself the Way.
Us through rebellion lost
To save, His life it cost:
Lost through sin's most sore disease,
Gasping out our latest breath,
Jesus brought us health and ease,
Rescued from that second death.
From sin and misery
Come then and rescue me,
Come my wandering soul to seek,
Come my sin-sick soul to heal,
All my guilty fetters break,
All Thy saving grace reveal.
Still let Thy grace abound
To me a sinner found:
Equal need I always have
To be sought and found by Thee:
Now, and every moment save,
Save through all eternity.
1493.
[Thy pound hath gain'd the pounds, not I]
Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
—xix. 16.
Thy pound hath gain'd the pounds, not I,
Not I, who all but sin disclaim:
My Saviour did the grace supply,
I nothing can, I nothing am,
Thou wrought'st in me to will and do,
Thou shalt have all the glory too.
1494.
[Tremble thou careless minister]
Lord, . . . here is thy pound, which I have kept, &c.
—xix. 20.
Tremble thou careless minister,
Who standest all day long
Idle in Jesus' vineyard here,
Yet think'st thou dost no wrong,
Content in indolence to live,
As for thy pastime born,
Thou dost from Christ the pound receive,
And make Him no return.
Not to improve them, is to lose
The talents of thy God,
The gifts which for His church's use
He hath on thee bestow'd;
Not to do good is to do ill;
Thy sacred ministry
Not to discharge, not to fulfil,
Is wickedness in thee.
1495.
[But lo, the sentence to prevent]
Those mine enemies . . . slay them before me.
—xix. 27.
But lo, the sentence to prevent,
While yet Thou may'st be found I come,
Thy foes and mine to Thee present;
Jesus to swift destruction doom
My sins, and rebel lusts, not me,
Who groan beneath their tyranny.
These lords Thy subject have oppress'd,
And never will Thy laws obey:
Expel the tyrants from my breast,
The' usurpers by Thy Spirit slay,
Slay by the brightness of Thy face,
And let Thy glory fill the place.
1496.
[This, this we all acknowledge]
The whole multitude of the disciples began, &c.
—xix. 37, 38.
This, this we all acknowledge
Our time of visitation,
And see and own
What Thou hast done
For us and our salvation;
Sent from Thy Father's bosom
Honour, and might, and blessing,
And glory we
Ascribe to Thee,
And praises without ceasing.
Come in Thy gracious kingdom
We now by faith adore Thee;
But wait to see
Thy majesty,
And all Thy heavenly glory;
Thy last triumphant coming
Shall from the grave deliver;
And then we rise
Above the skies,
And praise our King for ever.
1497.
[The word fulfill'd in this our day]
If these should hold their peace, the stones, &c.
—xix. 40.
The word fulfill'd in this our day
Obdurate sinners find,
And joyful multitudes obey
The Saviour of mankind:
Because the rulers hold their peace
The stones cry out and sing;
And still we shout, and still confess
The coming of our King.
1498.
[Weeps the Saviour o'er His foe]
He beheld the city, and wept over it.
—xix. 41.
Weeps the Saviour o'er His foe,
The vilest of mankind:
Need we arguments to show
His mercy unconfined?
Arguments His heart to prove,
Copious from His eyes they fall,
Every tear demonstrates love,
And love that died for all!
Still the streams of pity run,
And never, never cease,
Still He mourns a soul undone
By its own wickedness;
One who would from Him depart
He doth with eyes of mercy see:
Grieves for me His melting heart,
His Spirit grieves for me!
Jesus, lengthen out my day,
That I Thy grace may know,
Grace which takes the stone away
And makes the waters flow:
Touch me with Thy sacred grief,
Draw me to Thy wounded side;
Then Thy blood is my relief,
And speaks me justified.
1499.
[The most apostate spirit below]
Thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
—xix. 44.
The most apostate spirit below
Amidst his torments shall confess
His season he refused to know
When visited by saving grace:
This, sinner, makes the hell of hell,
Thou might'st have lived on earth forgiven,
Consign'd to flames unquenchable
Thou might'st have gain'd the joys of heaven.
1500.
[Still every faithful minister]
The chief priests . . . sought to destroy Him, &c.
—xix. 47, 48.
Still every faithful minister
Meets with the treatment of his Lord;
The priests detest, and scorn to hear,
The people hang upon his word.
CHAPTER XX.
1501.
[The people can a prophet know]
They be persuaded that John was a prophet.
—xx. 6.
The people can a prophet know
Who lives a prophet's life below,
Who witnesses the truths of God,
And seals his mission with his blood.
But proof the learned cannot find
Through envious prepossession blind,
Nor should a saint the praise receive
Which Pharisees are forced to give.
1502.
[His miracles had plainly told]
Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you, &c.
—xx. 8.
His miracles had plainly told
The' authority of Christ the Lord,
But who would not the facts behold,
Would never have believed His word:
He justly then to them denies
The light which He on babes bestows,
Hides from the prudent and the wise,
And mysteries to the simple shows.
1503.
[Jesus to heaven is gone]
He went into a far country for a length of time.
—xx. 9.
Jesus to heaven is gone,
That distant land unknown,
Long He from His vineyard stays,
Doth not in His flesh appear;
Yet in His protecting grace
Every day we find Him here.
The slothful worldly throng
Suppose He tarries long;
Life appears an age to them,
Till the' important moment's o'er,
Then they wake out of their dream,
See the Judge, and sleep no more.
1504.
[Who in his mean condition here]
Whosoever shall fall upon that stone, &c.
—xx. 18.
Who in his mean condition here
Refused the humbled Son of man,
Induced His righteous wrath severe
And perish'd, without mercy slain;
Who scorn Him on His glorious throne,
More harden'd than rebellious Jews,
His judgments shall on them come down,
His vengeance shall for ever bruise.
Who on Thy mystic body fall,
Thy church, O Lord, they cannot shock,
But broken fly, and scatter'd all
Like dashing glass against a rock;
And who their fearful state can tell,
When Christ to' avenge His saints shall come,
His whole almighty wrath reveal,
And fix their everlasting doom!
1505.
[Who sets not God before his eyes]
They feared the people.
—xx. 19.
Who sets not God before his eyes,
Who His eternal wrath defies,
What keeps him from the last excess,
The utmost height of wickedness?
Only the abject fear of man,
And momentary ills restrain
A sinner, hanging by that hair
O'er the deep gulf of dark despair.
1506.
[Beneath a mask of piety]
They . . . sent forth spies, which should feign, &c.
—xx. 20.
Beneath a mask of piety
Their worst designs the wicked hide:
Yet (for their hearts we cannot see,
Till actions cast the veil aside)
Love all things hopes, and all believes,
Rejecting and suspecting none:
And thus the hypocrite deceives,
And makes us trust in God alone.
The wisdom from above restrains,
And governs our credulity,
It guards the simple, and explains
How caution may with love agree.
With candour then we all receive,
Yet safe beyond the' impostor's power
We none implicitly believe,
We trust appearances no more.
1507.
[The wicked, Lord, and they alone]
Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Cæsar, or no?
—xx. 22.
The wicked, Lord, and they alone
Will question Cæsar's right,
Who Thy authority disown
May Thy vicegerent slight;
Who reverence God, their king obey
With constant loyalty,
And while his due to him we pay,
We serve and worship Thee.
1508.
[In Thee, O Lord, is all my trust]
They could not take hold of His words.
—xx. 26.
In Thee, O Lord, is all my trust,
When men by speeches fair
Urge me to speak, and seeming just
Would in my words ensnare;
To turn the tempter's tools aside,
Thou wilt my wisdom be,
Thou wilt direct my tongue, and guide
My heart resign'd to Thee.
1509.
[The Lord unto my Lord hath said]
The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on, &c.
—xx. 42, 43.
The Lord unto my Lord hath said,
The Father to His risen Son,
Sit Thou with all My power array'd,
The Partner of My heavenly throne;
At My right hand exalted sit,
Till all who Thy command withstood
Are subjected beneath Thy feet,
Cast down and vanquish'd by Thy blood.
Jesus, eternally the same,
Enthroned in glorious rest above,
We call on Thine almighty name,
We trust in Thine all-conquering love:
Thy church's foes Thou know'st are Thine,
The foes of our salvation see,
Take to Thyself Thy strength Divine,
And fight against them all in me.
Thou hast o'ercome the world and sin,
The work of ancient days repeat,
For us; for us the battle win,
And make Thy victory complete;
Whoe'er oppose Thy righteous reign,
We long to see them all subdued,
And every rebel soul of man
Prostrate before their dying God.
Avenge us, Saviour, of our foe,
Whose malice doth Thy saints accuse,
The seat of Antichrist o'erthrow,
Under our feet the tempter bruise;
Him and his works at once destroy,
The fulness of Thy Spirit give,
And crown us with triumphant joy,
And to Thy heavenly throne receive.
1510.
[Alas for us, who need beware]
Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk, &c.
—xx. 46, 47.
Alas for us, who need beware
Of men that sit in Moses' chair,
And should to heaven the people guide!
Men with the pomp of office clad,
In robes pontifical array'd,
But stain'd with avarice and pride.
The church they call their proper care,
The temple of the Lord they are,
Abusers of their legal power;
Greedy the church's goods to seize,
Their wealth they without end increase,
And the poor widow's house devour.
CHAPTER XXI.
1511.
[He still with fix'd attention sees]
He looked up, and saw the rich men casting, &c.
—xxi. 1.
He still with fix'd attention sees
The hand and heart of rich and poor:
Mark'd by no other eyes than His,
We all should His own gifts restore,
Renounce the empty praise of man,
Of vanity the vain reward,
And truly give whate'er we can,
As cheerful givers to the Lord.
Thou dost not Lord the rich condemn,
Who much of their abundance give,
That we the' intent may never blame,
When good the action we perceive:
The end of every offerer here,
The principle to God is known,
And till Thou make their hearts appear,
We leave their hearts to Thee alone.
1512.
[Rich in faith and poverty]
This poor widow hath cast in more than they all.
—xxi. 3.
Rich in faith and poverty,
Rich in thy Redeemer's love,
Small thy gifts can never be,
Gifts which God delights to' approve;
Charity augments the least,
All exalts and multiplies,
Offer'd through the great High-priest,
Mix'd with Jesus' sacrifice.
1513.
[The pile magnificent may please]
As for these things which ye behold, the days, &c.
—xxi. 6.
The pile magnificent may please
The curious eye of mortals vain,
But nothing great a Christian sees
In all the boasted works of men,
To nobler sights his soul aspires,
And Christ, and only Christ admires.
Objects which fleshly minds amuse
With careless eye he passes o'er,
Or palaces and temples views
As sinking—to be seen no more,
So soon the shadows disappear,
So soon the' eternal world is here!
When time and all its works are pass'd,
When earth and heaven are thrown aside,
The things invisible shall last,
The saints shall on their Base abide
(All who the will Divine have done)
As steadfast as Jehovah's throne.
1514.
[Did His own apostles need]
Take heed that ye be not deceived, &c.
—xxi. 8.
Did His own apostles need
A commandment to take heed,
And shall we, the dregs of men,
Count the Saviour's caution vain?
If His warning we despise,
Obstinately close our eyes,
Jesus for His foe we leave,
Tempt the tempter to deceive.
Then the prophets false we hear
Publishing “The time is near,”
Showing when the Judge will come
The ungodly to consume,
Fixing the tremendous day
When He all His foes shall slay,
Pointing out the hour unknown,
Hid from all but God alone.
1515.
[Happy the man who uses right]
Great earthquakes shall be in divers places, &c.
—xxi. 11.
Happy the man who uses right
Public calamities,
Whose faith in every fearful sight
The Lord approaching sees:
Famine, and pestilence, and war
Are tokens of that day,
Earthquakes and prodigies prepare
The great Redeemer's way.
Good out of all these ills He brings,
And serves His own design,
While ushering in the King of kings
The heavenly armies join;
Dissolved the universal frame,
That Jesus may appear,
And nature's dying groans proclaim
Her New-creator here.
1516.
[Fearful, fluttering heart be still]
There shall not an hair of your head perish.
—xxi. 18.
Fearful, fluttering heart be still,
And free from anxious care,
Till my kind Defender will,
I cannot lose an hair:
If for Christ my all I leave
I but a moment's loss sustain,
Here an hundredfold receive,
And life eternal gain.
1517.
[That we may in patient hope]
In your patience possess ye your souls.
—xxi. 19.
That we may in patient hope
Our quiet souls possess,
Lord, to Thee we give them up,
And to Thy guardian grace:
Them we then shall keep secure,
When every moment kept by Thee,
Faithful until death endure,
And die Thy face to see.
1518.
[While the world and sin oppress us]
While the world and sin oppress us,
Strengthen'd by the' infernal fiend,
We who keep the word of Jesus
Suffer on and wait the end;
Safe in manifold temptations,
If His proffer'd grace we use;
But the souls that lose their patience,
They themselves for ever lose.
Fix in us that quiet spirit
Which in Thee our Head abode,
Crucified, we then shall bear it,
Bear and bless the sacred load.
Arm us with Thy self-denial,
With Thy hope of joys above;
Bring us through the fiery trial
Perfected in meekest love.
Masters of our every passion
Who Thy daily burden bear,
Out of tenfold tribulation
Lo, we come Thy throne to share,
Hold our souls in full subjection,
Till we into nothing fall;
Then we find our true perfection,
Feel that Christ is all in all.
1519.
[Meet and right it is that Thou]
Then shall they see the Son of man coming, &c.
—xxi. 27.
Meet and right it is that Thou,
Jesus shouldst the heavens bow,
Once an humble Son of man,
Our salvation to obtain,
Shouldst display Thy greatness here,
Glorious like Thyself appear!
Sovereign Lord for this we wait:
Come in Thy sublime estate,
Hasten the expected hour,
Come with all Thy pomp and power,
Come, the Father's only Son,
Shining on Thine azure throne.
Come Thine exiles to remove,
Us who Thy appearing love;
Prays the Spirit in the bride,
Come and take us to Thy side,
Take to our celestial home,
King of saints, triumphant come.
1520.
[The trees their swelling buds disclose]
Behold the fig tree, and all the trees, &c.
—xxi. 29–31.
The trees their swelling buds disclose,
The vernal flowers appear,
And nature's resurrection shows
Our constant summer near:
The melancholy season's pass'd,
No more we droop and mourn,
But weathering out the wintry blast
Salute the spring's return.
The signs of our Redeemer nigh
We see and understand,
With cheerful hope look up and cry
His kingdom is at hand:
The joys which from believing flow
Are happiness in bloom,
And soon by tender love we know,
The life of heaven shall come.
In that perpetual summer, we
Retain the flowers of grace,
Nor fear the winter's wastes to see,
Or autumn's sad decays;
Summer and spring eternal meet
And mix their fruits and flowers,
And Jesus makes our bliss complete,
And all He is, is ours.
1521.
[O may we to ourselves take heed]
Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time, &c.
—xxi. 34.
O may we to ourselves take heed,
A life of soft indulgence dread
Disguised by nature's art,
That regular, allow'd excess,
Which lulls the soul in sensual ease,
And stupifies the heart.
O may we shun that subtler snare,
The' entanglement of lawful care
Which busy worldlings feel,
Which banishes the thought of death,
And chokes their miserable breath,
And sinks them into hell.
Regardless of the things unseen,
They live to the desires of men,
Till the great day surprise,
And charged with all their sins they go
To taste the bitterer death below,
The death that never dies.
1522.
[The men of wealth and character]
As a snare shall it come on all them, &c.
—xxi. 35.
The men of wealth and character,
The men of earth who settle here,
And count the world their home,
Entangled in the toils of hell,
Shall all the weight of vengeance feel,
And all the wrath to come.
But we who God in Jesus know,
Superior to the things below,
To every creature love:
Beyond the fowler's net we fly,
On eagle's wings divide the sky,
And dwell with Christ above.
1523.
[The servant of the Lord]
In the day time He was teaching in the, &c.
—xxi. 37, 38.
The servant of the Lord,
Who Jesu's charge receives,
A faithful steward of the word,
A wrestling Jacob lives.
God and the multitude
His sacred labours share,
His day is spent in active good,
His night in fervent prayer.
Before the rising morn
He comes his flock to feed,
His flock with hungry hearts return,
And seek their daily bread:
Their love and earnestness
The pastor's zeal improve,
The pastor's zeal doth more increase
Their earnestness and love.
CHAPTER XXII.
1524.
[Fear for a moment may withhold]
For they feared the people.
—xxii. 2.
Fear for a moment may withhold,
And curb the man to evil sold;
But if a stronger passion rise,
He every consequence defies,
And nature all restraint disdains,
And sin and Satan take the reins.
1525.
[A priest corrupt whom avarice blinds]
He . . . sought opportunity to betray Him unto them.
—xxii. 6.
A priest corrupt whom avarice blinds
For no mature occasion stays,
But goes, and seeks it out, and finds,
Truth, justice, innocence betrays,
No conscience, no remorse he feels,
And to His foes the Saviour sells.
Saviour shut up my feeble heart
Against the direful lust of gold,
Which always takes the murderer's part,
Which Thee ten thousand times has sold,
Millions of hoary traitors made,
And peopled hell with Satan's aid.
1526.
[Holy sanctifying Lamb]
Then came the day of unleavened bread, when, &c.
—xxii. 7.
Holy sanctifying Lamb,
Thee my Passover I see,
Victim pure I Thee proclaim,
Offer'd up to God for me.
Thee the true unleaven'd Bread,
The one sinless Man I own,
From the iron furnace freed,
Ransom'd by Thy blood alone.
1527.
[Who the true disciples are]
Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat, &c.
—xxii. 11.
Who the true disciples are,
Counted worthy to be bless'd,
Christ their Passover to share,
Eat with Him the mystic feast?
Those that have their sins eschew'd,
Pant for happiness above,
Seek redemption in His blood,
Long their loving Lord to love.
Israelites indeed they stand,
Free and disengaged in heart,
Staves they carry in their hand,
Ever ready to depart:
Such His faithful followers be,
Eat the Christian sacrifice,
Share His immortality,
Feast with Jesus in the skies.
1528.
[Not for the legal feast]
With desire I have desired to eat this passover, &c.
—xxii. 15.
Not for the legal feast
His longing He express'd,
Jesus languish'd to bestow
Blessings on His church beneath,
First His passion's type to show,
Then to bless us by His death.
With infinite desire
He doth His cross require,
There to purge the general stain,
There proclaim our sins forgiven,
There our paradise regain,
There ensure our thrones in heaven.
He long'd the rite to' ordain
Which God unites with man,
Sacramental mystery,
Emblem of His dying love,
Where the slaughter'd Lamb we see,
Share Him with the church above.
His passover precedes,
And then the Victim bleeds,
Then the great salvation's wrought
Life in Jesu's death we find,
From the house of bondage brought
Leave the world and sin behind.
1529.
[The fellowship below]
I will not any more eat thereof, until it be, &c.
—xxii. 16.
The fellowship below
Prepares for that above,
Where Christ His face shall show,
And feed us with His love.
His glory shall be soon reveal'd,
And then the mystery is fulfill'd.
Imperfectly we have
Communion with our Lord,
Till ransom'd from the grave
We gain His full reward,
In Jesu's blissful presence given,
That eucharistic feast of heaven!
1530.
[How shall we do the things enjoin'd]
This do in remembrance of Me.
—xxii. 19.
How shall we do the things enjoin'd,
Or how remember Thee aright,
Born in the dregs of time, and blind
To God, without Thy Spirit's light!
Upon all flesh Thy Spirit shower,
Thy death we then shall truly show,
And when Thou com'st in glorious power,
Banquet with our great King below.
1531.
[When the sacramental cup]
This cup is the new testament in My blood, &c.
—xxii. 20.
When the sacramental cup
We faithfully receive,
Glad partakers of our hope,
By Jesu's death we live:
Feel the covenant blood applied,
And testify from sin set free,
Saviour of the world, He died
A sacrifice for me.
1532.
[Who knows the evils that remain]
They began to enquire among themselves, &c.
—xxii. 23.
Who knows the evils that remain,
The trials still behind?
Thou, Lord, who canst my will restrain
To every sin inclined:
I cannot answer for my heart
So full of treachery;
Or fear, (if Thou my keeper art,)
To fly, and fall from Thee.
1533.
[The pride of haughtiest kings is seen]
There was also a strife among them, which, &c.
—xxii. 24.
The pride of haughtiest kings is seen
In ambition's fishermen
Who the first place assume;
The plague of every human heart
It never will from one depart,
Till Jesu's Spirit come.
Jesus, Thou only canst abase
Proudest of sinners by Thy grace;
My Saviour from above
Appear, that I the least of all
May sink, and into nothing fall
Before Thy dying love.
1534.
[With truth we benefactors call]
They that exercise authority . . . are called, &c.
—xxii. 25.
With truth we benefactors call
Princes and kings who born for all
Delight the worthy to reward,
But punish with the last regret,
As awful ministers of fate,
Entrusted with Jehovah's sword.
Who their authority maintain,
That justice and the laws may reign,
That man may to his God submit;
Who glory in their people's good,
To pride and passion's power subdued,
And cast their crowns at Jesu's feet.
1535.
[In the church whoe'er aspire]
He that is greatest among you, let him be as, &c.
—xxii. 26.
In the church whoe'er aspire
To the first distinguish'd place,
They superior toils desire,
Deeper draughts of patient grace,
Ask to suffer in His cause,
Ask to die on Jesu's cross.
Wholly sacrificed to God,
Wholly to His people given,
Day and night for souls employ'd,
Servants to the heirs of heaven,
Active as the spirits above,
All humility and love.
1536.
[Lord of souls He truly was]
I am among you as he that serveth.
—xxii. 27.
Lord of souls He truly was
Who Himself their servant made,
Bore their sorrows on the cross,
Bow'd beneath their load His head,
Them to serve His life resign'd,
Died the Ransom of mankind.
And shall I His lot refuse,
Greater than my Master be?
Master, I Thy portion choose,
Partner in Thy ministry
Stoop alike to great and small,
Live and die the least of all.
1537.
[A true disciple of the Lord]
I appoint unto you a kingdom, as My Father, &c.
—xxii. 29.
A true disciple of the Lord,
Who can his dignity explain,
Entitled to the same reward
Which Jesus did Himself obtain!
The Son who by His Father sits,
The glorified triumphant Son
His servant at that day admits
To reign a partner of His throne.
1538.
[Shall I my Lord and God adore]
That ye may eat and drink at My table, &c.
—xxii. 30.
Shall I my Lord and God adore
In that supreme felicity,
That state of joy, delight, and power,
And glorious fellowship with Thee?
For this I all things here forego,
Pleasures, and wealth, and honours vain,
And suffering on Thy cross below,
Shall in Thy heavenly kingdom reign.
The saints shall at Thy table sit,
Drink the pure crystal streams above,
The tree of life immortal eat,
And banquet on Thy richest love:
The treasures of eternity
Shall make our ravish'd souls run o'er,
And when Thy open face we see,
The heaven of heavens can give no more.
1539.
[Still our adversary's nigh]
Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired, &c.
—xxii. 31.
Still our adversary's nigh
In every place and hour,
Eager still to tempt and try
And sift us, and devour:
But before he can o'erthrow,
Or once endeavour to deceive,
The malicious fiend we know
Must ask our Saviour's leave.
1540.
[Jesus mine Advocate hath been]
But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith, &c.
—xxii. 32.
Jesus mine Advocate hath been,
And by the fiery darts assail'd
Of Satan, and the world and sin,
My faith hath never wholly fail'd:
Jesus, on whom I still depend,
Who ever lives for me to pray,
Shall keep me patient to the end,
Shall make me faithful to that day.
The tempted church for help relies
On His almighty prayer alone,
Who lives, His one great sacrifice
To plead before His Father's throne;
A voice assaults the ears of God,
That trembling, sinking soul sustain,
Attentive to this speaking blood,
Which cannot stream, or cry in vain.
Saved by that blood from death and hell,
My own infirmity I know,
And bowels of compassion feel
For every tempted soul below;
With tenderest love their burden bear,
(If Christ through me His grace supply,)
And joining in my Saviour's prayer,
Servant of all I live and die.
1541.
[Till Jesus casts the veil aside]
Lord, I am ready to go with Thee, both, &c.
—xxii. 33.
Till Jesus casts the veil aside,
And man to man explains,
What depths of self-presuming pride
The sinner's heart contains.
He boasts his strength of faith and zeal
While to himself unknown,
And will not, but by falling, feel
He cannot stand alone.
Peter self-confident, sincere,
Before his faith was proved,
Was sure he loved his Master dear,
More than his life he loved:
But when the tempting foe assail'd,
At a weak woman's word
He sunk; the love of life prevail'd,
And he abjured his Lord.
1542.
[Who did His servant's fall foretell]
I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this, &c.
—xxii. 34.
Who did His servant's fall foretell,
Forbids us to confide
In fervours we this moment feel,
In strength of faith untried;
Wherefore to Him we leave the heart
He only can defend,
And trust He will His grace impart
Till war with life shall end.
1543.
[Thou dost for Thy disciples care]
When I sent you without purse, and scrip, &c.
—xxii. 35.
Thou dost for Thy disciples care,
Open Thine ears to hear our prayer,
Thine eyes our wants to see:
Thou canst not, Lord, Thyself deny;
Thou always wilt the wants supply
Of conscious poverty.
Calling Thy mercies past to mind
Increasing confidence we find,
And stronger comforts prove:
Jesus, Thou art a friend indeed,
Who never fail'st in time of need,
A God of truth and love.
We trust Thy providential power,
To keep us every future hour
Thy dear peculiar race;
We cannot lack a real good,
On whom Thou hast Thyself bestow'd,
With all Thy heaven of grace.
1544.
[Enough for Him who only means]
They said, Lord, behold, here are two swords, &c.
—xxii. 38.
Enough for Him who only means
Himself by yielding to defend,
To purge, by suffering for, our sins,
By perfect patience to contend,
And conquer a rebellious race
By meekly dying in our place.
1545.
[Warn'd of God to watch and pray]
Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
—xxii. 40.
Warn'd of God to watch and pray,
Ere the dying hour arrive,
Let us antedate the day,
Against sin and Satan strive,
Urge our vehement request,
Wrestle till the power come down,
Power to bear the fiery test,
Power to win the martyr's crown.
1546.
[Following Christ when danger's near]
He was withdrawn from them, . . . and kneeled, &c.
—xxii. 41.
Following Christ when danger's near,
Leaving friends we pray apart,
Tell Him all our grief and fear,
Pour out all our troubled heart,
Bow our soul and body's knee
To the Lord of earth and skies,
Prostrate in humility,
Mix'd with Jesus' sacrifice.
Every knee shall bow before
God's tremendous righteousness:
Jesus on His knees adore!
God supreme, as man He prays!
Angels tremble at the sight,
Cast their crowns before His throne:
We our prayer to His unite,
God respects them both as one.
1547.
[Father, if Thou willing be]
Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup, &c.
—xxii. 42.
Father, if Thou willing be,
Succour and deliverance send,
Take this bitter cup from me,
Bid this sore temptation end:
In His name and words I pray,
Whom Thou never canst deny;
Take this bitter cup away,
Seal my peace, and let me die.
But if Thou appoint me still
Dark and tempted to remain,
Father, I accept Thy will,
All the grief and all the pain:
Wretched I submit to live,
Till my latest death is pass'd,
Only then my soul receive,
Saved for Jesus' sake at last.
1548.
[Who the host celestial made]
And there appeared an angel unto Him, &c.
—xxii. 43.
Who the host celestial made,
Who their strength to angels gives,
God Himself support and aid
Through His creature's hands receives!
And shall I with scorn refuse
My inferior's ministry,
If my Lord the meanest use,
Send a worm to strengthen me?
See the salutary stream
Flowing from the sinners' Friend!
Big with virtue to redeem,
Large the drops on man descend;
Drops which falling to the ground
Purge the universal stain:
There the precious ransom's found,
There my peace is seal'd again!
1549.
[I too have done the same]
Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?
—xxii. 48.
I too have done the same,
Professing to be Thine,
Exposing to contempt the name
And work, and cause Divine:
Yet for my treacherous kiss
Thou dost not Lord reprove,
But pardonest all I did amiss
With a kind kiss of love.
1550.
[Who Jesus' spirit knows]
Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far, &c.
—xxii. 51.
Who Jesus' spirit knows,
Whatever wrongs he feel
Can never magistrates oppose,
Or force with force repel:
If magistrates abuse
Their just authority,
He counts it gain his life to lose
And keep his conscience free.
The single miracle
He did unask'd, unsought,
A persecuting foe to heal
The Friend of sinners wrought.
Not from Himself to' avert
The death He came to prove,
But mercy mild inclined His heart,
But pure unbounded love.
1551.
[In pure obedience to Thy will]
I was daily . . . in the temple.
—xxii. 53.
In pure obedience to Thy will
Who to Thy house repair,
We find Thee in the temple still,
And hear Thee teaching there.
1552.
[Jesus a captive made]
Then took they Him, and led Him, and, &c.
—xxii. 54.
Jesus a captive made
To set the captives free,
Haste to a sinner's aid,
Exert the power in me
Which cannot be by man confined,
The power which ransoms all mankind.
The slave of hell and sin,
Lord I to Thee complain:
O make me free within
From pride, and passion's chain,
My spirit by Thy bonds release,
And bid me go in perfect peace.
1553.
[The sport of His own creatures made]
The men that held Jesus mocked Him, and, &c.
—xxii. 63.
The sport of His own creatures made,
He suffers it our pride to cure,
That strengthen'd by His Spirit's aid
Contempt with patience to endure
We never may of wrong complain,
But meekly in His footsteps tread,
Loaded with scorn, oppress'd with pain,
Conform'd in all things to our Head.
The Lion might have torn His foes
By the sole motion of His will,
But meekness no resistance knows,
But love can only pity feel:
He doth His church with grace supply,
That I baptized into His name,
Arm'd with His mind, may live and die
A follower of the patient Lamb.
1554.
[Jesus, Son of God and man]
And many other things blasphemously spake, &c.
—xxii. 65.
Jesus, Son of God and man,
Thy Person from the skies
Turns the wrongs Thou dost sustain
Into a sacrifice:
Thus Thou dost the pattern show
Of patient meek humility,
Fountain of all grace below,
For all Thy church and me.
Very God I Thee confess,
In Thy oblation join,
Imitate the lowliness,
And patient love Divine:
Virtue from the Fountain-head
And grace for grace I still receive,
Crucified with Thee and dead,
With Thee for ever live.
1555.
[Ask the ancient prophecies]
Art Thou the Christ? tell us.
—xxii. 67.
Ask the ancient prophecies,
And their reply receive;
Every scripture testifies
To those who would believe;
Ask His every miracle:
His Deity in all is show'd;
All His words and tempers tell
This is the Christ of God.
1556.
[A Sheep before the shearers brought]
Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the, &c.
—xxii. 69.
A Sheep before the shearers brought,
A Lamb whom cruel wolves devour,
Patient of wrong He threatens not,
Declaring His own glorious power,
Witness to that great truth He gives
Which cost the Confessor His blood,
By which His church for ever lives,
One Spirit with the' eternal God.
1557.
[His foes with joy malicious hear]
And they said, What need we any further, &c.
—xxii. 71.
His foes with joy malicious hear
The words which from His mouth proceed,
Which holy transport minister
To all who know Him God indeed:
When Jesus speaks them to my heart,
“I am the Son of God most-high,”
The words eternal life impart,
And bear my soul beyond the sky.
His foes the precious truth abuse,
That God was manifest for them,
His record with His grace refuse,
And Christ to frequent death condemn:
Who boast their sacred character,
They doom their Saviour every day,
And hating all His members here
The Prince of Life persist to slay.
CHAPTER XXIII.
1558.
[If charged the holy Jesus be]
They began to accuse Him, saying, We, &c.
—xxiii. 2.
If charged the holy Jesus be
With faction, treason, blasphemy,
Can innocence secure?
Or shall His followers complain,
Who all the calumnies of men
In life and death endure?
Saviour to Thee in sufferings join'd,
We cordial consolation find,
(If Thou Thy grace supply,)
Thy heaviest load with joy receive,
The offscouring of all things live,
Till on Thy cross we die.
1559.
[Though men Thy yoke disdain]
Art Thou the King of the Jews? And He, &c.
—xxiii. 3.
Though men Thy yoke disdain,
Thy rights Thou wilt maintain:
King of disobedient Jews,
King of inward Jews Thou art:
Those Thine iron rod shall bruise,
These Thou hidest in Thy heart.
All must confess Thy power,
And perish, or adore:
O might I Thy goodness feel,
Object of Thy mercy prove,
Jesus, change my rebel will,
Prince of peace, and God of love.
I long to feel Thy sway,
And all Thy laws obey:
King of righteousness appear,
Reign in all Thy saints alone,
'Stablish Thy dominion here,
Fix in me Thy heavenly throne.
1560.
[Harmless in act, and word, and thought]
Pilate said, . . . I find no fault in this Man.
—xxiii. 4.
Harmless in act, and word, and thought,
The judge declares Him free from blame,
Without a blemish or a spot,
A sinless Saint, a perfect Lamb;
And such is a fit sacrifice,
And such for sinful man He dies!
1561.
[Rejoice, ye followers of your Lord]
They were the more fierce, saying, He, &c.
—xxiii. 5.
Rejoice, ye followers of your Lord,
Who preach the pure, pacific word,
Disturbers of the public peace,
Troublers of sleeping consciences,
As enemies to church and state,
Whom all men persecute and hate,
To you, your Master's cup is given,
And great is your reward in heaven.
1562.
[Led to a court (our heavenly Lord]
He sent Him to Herod.
—xxiii. 7.
Led to a court (our heavenly Lord
Went never of His own accord)
But led in bonds He is;
To show that truth is seldom free
From insults and captivity
In royal palaces.
1563.
[The great ones of the earth delight]
When Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding, &c.
—xxiii. 8.
The great ones of the earth delight
In each new entertaining sight,
Diversion all their aim:
And still religion is the sport
Of wicked princes and their court
Who bear the Christian name.
1564.
[Christ doth not hear, or answer those]
Then he questioned with Him in many, &c.
—xxiii. 9.
Christ doth not hear, or answer those
Who questions curiously propose:
Let us His cause defend
(When such its enemies we see)
With silent meek humility,
And suffering to the end.
1565.
[Worldly men whom interest parts]
The same day Pilate and Herod were, &c.
—xxiii. 12.
Worldly men whom interest parts
By that made friends again,
Join their wicked hands and hearts
With Satan and his train;
Widest opposites unite
Kings, soldiers, priests, in this agree
All against the life to fight
Of genuine piety.
1566.
[If guilty why to be set free?]
I will therefore chastise Him, and release, &c.
—xxiii. 16.
If guilty why to be set free?
Or why chastised, if innocent?
The heart hath no stability,
By two contending passions rent:
The abject slave of worldly fear
Who basely courts the smiles of men,
Condemning whom he fain would clear,
The judge condemns himself in vain.
1567.
[To David's Son and sovereign Lord]
But they cried, saying, Crucify Him, &c.
—xxiii. 21.
To
David's Son and sovereign Lord
Hosanna was the people's cry,
Their King they yesterday adored,
To-day they sentence Him to die:
So many blessings He bestow'd,
So many wonders wrought in vain!
Such the benignity of God,
And such the' ingratitude of man!
1568.
[Myself as in a glass]
He released unto them him that for, &c.
—xxiii. 25.
Myself as in a glass
I in Barabbas see,
And, Lord, Thou takest the sinner's place,
A criminal for me:
Me by Thy mortal smart
Thou dost from death release:
Thy blood is sprinkled on my heart,
And bids me go in peace.
Father, behold Thy Son,
And me, even me in Him
Who doth for all my sins atone,
And by His death redeem;
As fasten'd to the tree,
As cover'd with His blood
His purchase and His member see
For ever one with God.
1569.
[The men that suffer in Thy cause]
On him they laid the cross, that he might, &c.
—xxiii. 26.
The men that suffer in Thy cause
To faint beneath their heaviest cross,
Jesus, Thou dost not leave;
But all Thy confessors defend,
Give them Thy patience to the end,
And then Thy glory give.
1570.
[Happy His faithful worshippers]
There followed Him a great company, &c.
—xxiii. 27.
Happy His faithful worshippers,
The women with lamenting tears,
And sympathising cries,
Who follow that incarnate God,
That Isaac laden with the wood
Of His own sacrifice.
They see their meek expiring Lord,
His kindest, last, instructive word
Into their hearts receive;
They stand to catch His parting breath,
And hear the Saviour gasp in death
“Father the world forgive!”
1571.
[Silent before the king He stood]
Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters, &c.
—xxiii. 28.
Silent before the king He stood,
But speaks to the mean multitude
In words of cheering grace,
Their mournful gratitude receives,
To them His last instructions gives,
While dying in their place.
Their deep calamity He sees,
Anticipates their sore distress
By pitying love foreshown,
For them more than Himself He cares,
Their distant griefs and burdens bears
Regardless of His own.
1572.
[Our tears for Thee will nought avail]
Our tears for Thee will nought avail
Unless we Lord our sins bewail,
The cause of all Thy pain,
Unless our rocky hearts be rent
In vain Thou bear'st our punishment,
And shedd'st Thy blood in vain.
But O, Thy blood the sorrow buys,
Thy blood the contrite grace supplies,
And melts my heart of stone:
Struck by Thy death with anguish deep,
Prostrate before Thy cross I weep,
And now myself bemoan.
Long as Thy mangled form appears,
I lie dissolved in gracious tears
Of love's soft sympathy:
And here I would through life remain,
And of those cruel sins complain
Which nail'd Thee to that tree!
1573.
[When mercy's day is o'er]
Then shall they begin to say to the, &c.
—xxiii. 30.
When mercy's day is o'er,
And time exists no more,
Nothing but the wrath of God
Doth for guilty souls remain:
Sinners then shall bear their load,
Load of everlasting pain.
In vain they would decline
The vengeful wrath Divine,
Would to rocks for shelter call,
Of the righteous Judge afraid,
Bid the' o'erwhelming mountains fall
On their hell-devoted head.
But now through faith we may
To Christ escape away,
In the mount of holiness,
In the Rock of Israel hide,
There our quiet souls possess,
Rest secure in Jesu's side.
Jesus our souls receive,
Who diedst that we might live,
Live till saved from sin and fear
We our spotless lives lay down,
Rise to see our Judge appear,
Hail Thee on Thy great white throne.
1574.
[He dies—a death of pain and shame]
They crucified Him, and the malefactors, &c.
—xxiii. 33.
He dies—a death of pain and shame,
To the vile death of slaves submits,
And thus the humble patient Lamb
His own great sacrifice completes!
The universal sin He bears,
Conquers the world, and death, and hell,
And balm in His own blood prepares
The wounds of all mankind to heal.
1575.
[When Jesus for His murderers prays]
Father, forgive them; for they know not, &c.
—xxiii. 34.
When Jesus for His murderers prays,
Can God reject the dying prayer?
Thou must forgive our ransom'd race;
Thou dost our world of ruffians spare:
The pardon bought by blood Divine
Hath surely pass'd the seals of heaven;
Father, Thou art in Jesus mine,
And all the world's with me forgiven.
1576.
[King of the inward Jews Thou art]
If Thou be the King of the Jews, save Thyself.
—xxiii. 37.
King of the inward Jews Thou art,
And reign'st in every faithful heart,
But dearly didst Thy kingdom buy,
Vouchsafing on a cross to die;
The death establishes Thy throne,
And makes our ransom'd souls Thine own,
And saved, and gainers by Thy loss,
We only glory in Thy cross.
Blasphemous Jews may still deride,
And stumble at the Crucified,
Gentiles as foolishness condemn
A God made flesh to die for them;
Saviour, the mystery of Thy grace
Shall be the matter of my praise,
That grace which fills the hosts above
With joy, astonishment, and love.
1577.
[Who doth through Jesu's grace repent]
Lord, remember me when Thou comest, &c.
—xxiii. 42.
Who doth through Jesu's grace repent
With patience to the cross submits,
Humbly accepts his punishment,
Himself condemns, and God acquits,
Zealous his genuine faith to' express,
And Christ in life and death confess.
His God he on the cross can see,
For His eternal kingdom prays,
In mercy, Lord, remember me,
Give me above the meanest place,
But give me with Thy saints a part,
And bear me on Thy dying heart.
1578.
[A monument of mercy's power]
To-day shalt thou be with Me in paradise.
—xxiii. 43.
A monument of mercy's power,
Rescued by Jesus on the tree,
Saved at the last tremendous hour
One soul, and only one we see,
With brokenness of heart sincere
That all may hope, that all may fear.
He but to be remember'd wants,
The time and all things else he leaves:
More than he asks the Saviour grants,
A kingdom promises and gives,
“I will My majesty display,
And thou shalt reign with Me to-day.”
1579.
[Saviour in death, the grace by one]
Saviour in death, the grace by one
Obtain'd, we all who ask shall have,
Thou by Thy precious death alone
Wouldst the whole world of sinners save;
Return'd triumphant from the dead,
My Lord, and King, remember me,
And give me, when I bow my head,
To find my paradise in Thee.
1580.
[But thicker darkness overspread]
There was a darkness over all the earth.
—xxiii. 44.
But thicker darkness overspread
Their hearts who nail'd Him to the tree,
And could not through that dreadful shade
Perceive the dying Deity:
Admonish'd by that sacred night
Let us to Christ the glory give
Whose death hath merited the light
By which we now in Him believe.
1581.
[Eclipsed the Sun of Righteousness]
And the sun was darkened, and the veil, &c.
—xxiii. 45.
Eclipsed the Sun of Righteousness,
His light and life extinguish'd are,
To make the reign of darkness cease,
The veil of shadowy types to tear:
The living way to joys above
Discover'd by His death we find;
It shows our hearts the truth of love,
It opens heaven to all mankind.
1582.
[The righteous real Abel cries]
Jesus . . . cried with a loud voice.
—xxiii. 46.
The righteous real Abel cries
With all the strength of mortal pains,
His blood resounding through the skies
Grace for His murderers obtains,
His blood with powerful energy
(While Jesus' soul and body part)
Speaks in the ears of God for me,
And writes my pardon on my heart.
1583.
[O might my course like Jesu's end]
Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit.
—xxiii. 46.
O might my course like Jesu's end,
O might His blessed death be mine!
I long my spirit to commend
Into those gracious hands Divine;
Father, my gasping spirit receive
By faith united to Thy Son,
And let me with my Saviour live,
In life and death for ever one!
1584.
[The earliest fruits of bleeding love]
Now when the centurion saw what was, &c.
—xxiii. 47.
The earliest fruits of bleeding love
Not in a Scribe or Jew appear,
But Jesus' death hath power to move
A heathen's heart with pious fear:
A soldier owns His righteousness
Whom priests and elders crucify,
And teaches us our God to bless,
Who man became for man to die.
1585.
[On the thoughtless multitude]
And all the people that came together to, &c.
—xxiii. 48.
On the thoughtless multitude
The second grace is shown,
Those that clamour'd for the blood
Of God's eternal Son;
Those that call'd with fury blind
“Away with Him, not fit to live,”
Soon His answer'd prayer they find
Who cried in death, “Forgive.”
1586.
[But I for Jesu's Spirit pray]
This man went unto Pilate, and begged, &c.
—xxiii. 52.
But I for Jesu's Spirit pray,
Which Thou, O God, alone canst give:
Send Him to take my sins away,
Send Him within my heart to live,
And join me to that Sacrifice
Which crowns of life for sinners buys.
CHAPTER XXIV.
1587.
[His disciples sincere]
He is not here, but is risen: remember, &c.
—xxiv. 6, 7.
His disciples sincere,
We have nothing to fear,
Though our Master was slain,
He died for our sins, and He liveth again!
He is risen indeed,
Our life-giving Head,
We remember His word,
And arise in the power of our heavenly Lord.
His promises kind
He brings to our mind,
His Spirit imparts,
And the meaning explains to our sensible hearts:
With joy we approve
The design of His love,
The necessity see
Of His passion on earth, and His death on the tree.
The justice of God
Demanded His blood
For our sins to atone;
And exalted Him then to a share of His throne;
That the God of all grace
His members might raise,
From the sepulchre freed
And eternally join'd to our glorified Head.
1588.
[Weaken'd when our faith we find]
They talked together of all these things, &c.
—xxiv. 14.
Weaken'd when our faith we find,
Faint our hope through long delay,
Let us call His death to mind,
Talk of Jesus by the way:
Thus our faith and hope revive,
Thus His Spirit its power exerts,
Jesus shows Himself alive,
Love rekindles in our hearts.
1589.
[Jesu's charity adore!]
While they communed together . . . Jesus, &c.
—xxiv. 15.
Jesu's charity adore!
Raised again, the Shepherd good
Manifests His mercy's power,
Seeks His sheep dispersed abroad:
Lord to us Thyself unite,
Us in all our ways attend,
Always near, and still in sight,
Till our earthly journey end.
1590.
[Mine eyes are holden too]
Their eyes were holden that they should not, &c.
—xxiv. 16.
Mine eyes are holden too:
Till open'd Lord, by Thee,
(Whom once imperfectly I knew,)
I neither know nor see:
Or if reveal'd Thou art,
Thou vanishest away;
But when Thou purifiest my heart,
Thou wilt for ever stay.
1591.
[And still we trust in Thee]
We trusted that it had been He which, &c.
—xxiv. 21.
And still we trust in Thee
The' eternal Son of God,
Thou wilt from all iniquity
Redeem us by Thy blood:
The men of heart sincere
Thy blood shall sanctify,
Restore to Thy full image here,
And speak us to the sky.
1592.
[How foolish is my heart]
O fools, and slow of heart to believe all, &c.
—xxiv. 25.
How foolish is my heart,
How tardy to believe
That Thou so kind a Saviour art,
So ready to forgive,
When all Thy prophets say
Thou shouldst for sinners die,
And rising point us out the way,
And lift us to the sky!
1593.
[Nature attempts and hopes in vain]
Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, &c.
—xxiv.26.
Nature attempts and hopes in vain
The' inevitable cross to shun,
That sacred path of grief and pain
Which led the Saviour to His throne,
To find a wider gate she tries,
A broader way to paradise.
Through sufferings our exalted Head
His height of glorious bliss attain'd,
Through sufferings all His members led,
His martyrs all, the summit gain'd,
Trusting in His and not their own
They echoed back His final groan.
Jesus, my trust is in Thy name,
For pardon, holiness, and heaven;
All merit I, but Thine, disclaim,
Thy cross, Thy crown are freely given;
And Thou, whose blood hath purged my guilt,
Shall save me when and as Thou wilt.
1594.
[The Scriptures all with Christ are fill'd]
He expounded unto them in all the scriptures, &c.
—xxiv. 27.
The Scriptures all with Christ are fill'd,
With Jesus, and His will to save,
His birth and death are there reveal'd,
His rise and triumph o'er the grave,
His kingdom come in gracious power,
His reign when time shall be no more.
Jesus, Divine Interpreter,
To me Thine oracles unseal,
Then shall I find and taste Thee there,
Thy truth, and power, and mercy feel,
And nothing know, and nothing see
In all the book of God but Thee.
To me that Spirit of wisdom give
Who doth in all Thy members breathe,
Thy sinless life I then shall live,
And daily die Thy blessed death,
Fix'd in my heart Thy kingdom own,
And rise to Thine eternal throne.
1595.
[Will my Lord be so unkind]
He made as though He would have gone further.
—xxiv. 28.
Will my Lord be so unkind,
Leave an halting soul behind,
My Companion in the way
Leave me at the close of day?
Farther though Thou seem to go,
Yet Thy secret mind I know,
And Thou never wilt depart:
Have I not explain'd Thy heart?
1596.
[Thee let Thy own love constrain]
They constrained Him, saying, Abide with, &c.
—xxiv. 29.
Thee let Thy own love constrain
With Thy followers to remain,
Now the shades of night are near,
Do not Saviour, disappear:
With us still vouchsafe to' abide,
Through the dreary valley guide,
On Thyself our spirits stay,
Bear us to eternal day.
1597.
[Thou didst forsake Thy throne above]
Did not our heart burn within us, while, &c.
—xxiv. 32.
Thou didst forsake Thy throne above,
To bring on earth the fire of love,
By telling who Thou art:
Jesus, Thy word is as a fire,
And spreads the flame of strong desire
Through every faithful heart.
While in this wilderness we stray,
Talk with us, Saviour, by the way,
The things concerning Thee
In Thine own oracles reveal,
And warm our frozen hearts, and fill
With fervent charity.
Now, in Thy Spirit of burning come,
And all our sins as dross consume,
With purity Divine:
With love seraphical inspire,
And kindle here a heavenly fire
Which shall for ever shine.
1598.
[To Thy poor unfaithful creature]
The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared, &c.
—xxiv. 34.
To Thy poor unfaithful creature,
Jesus show Thyself alive,
Thou who didst appear to Peter,
Now to me repentance give;
Me who have by sin denied Thee,
Author of Thy mortal smart,
Oft afresh have crucified Thee,
Turn, and look, and break my heart.
While with tears of true contrition
I my grievous falls deplore,
Pity my forlorn condition,
Lift me up to sin no more;
By Thy glorious resurrection,
Thou my twice-dead spirit raise,
Quicken'd with Divine affection,
Fill'd with all the life of grace.
1599.
[Captain, God of our salvation]
He was known of them in breaking of bread.
—xxiv. 35.
Captain, God of our salvation
Bought so dear on Calvary,
While we call to mind Thy passion,
Thou for good remember me:
In the bread for sinners broken
Thou mine unbelief remove,
Give my trembling heart a token
Of Thy free redeeming love.
That my fears may all be over,
May with sin for ever cease,
To a drooping soul discover
Thou art still my Life, my Peace;
Take away this inward blindness,
That I may my Saviour know,
Conscious of Thy loving-kindness,
Hold, and never let Thee go.
1600.
[While we of His mysteries]
As they thus spake, Jesus Himself stood, &c.
—xxiv. 36.
While we of His mysteries
Discourse with humble fear,
In the midst of us He is,
And Jesus will appear,
Will remove our sad distress,
By mercy's comfortable voice,
Speak the words of life and peace,
And bid our hearts rejoice.
Lord, Thou dost Thy followers seek,
Where'er dispersed they stray,
Cheer the faint, confirm the weak,
And by Thy presence stay:
Thee the Shepherd good and kind
Before our eyes of faith we see,
Peace the seal of pardon find,
And heavenly joy in Thee.
1601.
[Open mine eyes of faith to see]
Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I, &c.
—xxiv. 39.
Open mine eyes of faith to see
Thy hands and feet transfix'd and torn,
So shall I know that Thou art He
Who hast my sins and sorrows borne,
The Man that on the mountain bled,
And rose my Surety from the dead.
O could I now behold my Lord,
Discern and touch the Crucified,
Adore the true immortal Word,
And thrust my hand into Thy side,
And feel that Thou my Saviour art;
Whose blood is sprinkled on my heart!
1602.
[Sometimes the faith, at once bestow'd]
They yet believed not for joy.
—xxiv. 41.
Sometimes the faith, at once bestow'd,
Unfolds itself by slow degrees,
And thus the heavenly gift of God
More clearly the receiver sees,
Convinced his grace is not his own,
Glory he gives to God alone.
Fear, joy, astonishment oppose
The truth of Christ to life restored,
But these and every mountain flows
Before the presence of the Lord,
When Jesus His own Spirit imparts
To' attest His rising in our hearts.
1603.
[None that is not taught by Thee]
Then opened He their understanding, &c.
—xxiv. 45.
None that is not taught by Thee
Can Thine oracles declare,
Thou hast, Lord, the sacred key,
Thou Thine own interpreter
Dost by inspiration give
The true sense by God design'd,
Teach us rightly to conceive
All Thy gracious Father's mind.
Open then our minds and hearts
Thy own word to understand,
Write it in our inward parts
Every promise and command,
All Thine acceptable will
Let us by Thy Spirit prove,
Through His energy fulfil
The whole counsel of Thy love.
1604.
[What but mercy could impose]
Thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to, &c.
—xxiv. 46.
What but mercy could impose
The strange necessity?
Jesus, Lover of Thy foes,
Thy death hath set us free;
Thou hast suffer'd in our stead:
Thy rising and return to heaven
Proves the general debt is paid,
And all mankind forgiven.
Christ to suffer it behoved
By the decree of God,
Guilt could only be removed
Through His atoning blood:
Justice must be satisfied,
Or mercy never could take place:
Christ embraced the terms, and died,
And ransom'd all our race.
Thus, to save us it became
The Majesty Divine;
Thus to magnify His name
All His perfections join:
Truth and love His throne maintain,
And righteousness and grace agree,
Meet in the redeeming plan
With perfect harmony.
1605.
[Preach repentance in His name]
Repentance and remission of sins should, &c.
—xxiv. 47.
Preach repentance in His name,
Preach forgiveness in His blood,
Then ye may His presence claim,
Then ye preach the word of God:
Empty all beside and vain,
Not the word of God, but man.
1606.
[Jesus, succeed our ministry]
Jesus, succeed our ministry,
And prove the virtues of Thy name:
Thee, Giver of repentance, Thee
Giver of pardon we proclaim:
Thyself of unbelief convince
Whome'er we to repentance call,
And then, to cancel all their sins,
Assure them Thou hast died for all.
1607.
[Sinners, a pardon I proclaim]
Beginning at Jerusalem.
—xxiv. 47.
Sinners, a pardon I proclaim
Offer'd to all in Jesu's name;
But know, the wickedest and worst
Shall have the gracious offer first.
1608.
[Witnesses of Jesu's death]
Ye are witnesses of these things.
—xxiv. 48.
Witnesses of Jesu's death
And resurrection we,
Dead to sin, believe and breathe
His Spirit of purity;
Quicken'd by our living Head
We rise and seek the things above,
Walk as Jesus walk'd, and lead
The life of holy love.
Witness of Thy death am I,
Who daily die with Thee,
I Thy rising testify
Who feel Thy life in me;
Penitent I dare proclaim
Thou dost the contrite grace impart,
Preach forgiveness in Thy name
Who find it in my heart.
1609.
[He lifts the hands stretch'd out so late]
He lifted up His hands, and blessed them.
—xxiv. 50.
He lifts the hands stretch'd out so late,
And nail'd to the accursed tree,
Which bore His sacred body's weight
With all our sin and misery;
The hands from which our blessings flow,
Which every creature's wants supply;
Fountains of grace to all below,
They hold, and bear us to the sky.
Those hands on which my hopes depend
My present and eternal peace,
Lift up, and over me extend,
To guard, and sanctify and bless;
Bless me from Thy celestial throne,
With more than heart can e'er conceive,
And seal, and take me for Thine own,
Thy purchase, in Thy joy to live.
1610.
[Parted in the act of blessing]
While He blessed them, He was parted, &c.
—xxiv. 51.
Parted in the act of blessing,
Never shall His blessings stop:
Still for us He prays unceasing,
Still His hands are lifted up!
First the Comforter is given
Proof of His continued prayer;
Then He prays us up to heaven,
Blesses us for ever there.
1611.
[We worship our exalted Lord]
They worshipped Him, and returned, &c.
—xxiv. 52, 53.
We worship our exalted Lord,
By all the heavenly hosts adored,
Jesus, our sacrifice receive,
And King of saints for ever live.
Thou dost from Thy disciples part,
To make us one with Thee in heart,
Thou art, O God, gone up on high,
To draw us after to the sky.
Our Captain and triumphant Head
Hath took possession in our stead,
Hath open'd and prepared our way
To mansions of eternal day.
Till Thou return to fetch Thy bride,
We at Jerusalem abide,
And life's important hour employ
In hymns of praise and solemn joy:
On Thee we in Thy temple wait
(The house of God, the heavenly gate)
In all the means Thy grace enjoin'd
The presence of Thy Spirit find.
With that acclaiming choir above
We glorify the God of love,
Extol the wonders of Thy grace,
And only live to pray and praise.
