Oh! for the joy thy presence gives, And if thou make thy temple shine, XVIII. LOVEST THOU ME? John xxi. 16. HARK, my soul! it is the Lord: 66 Say, poor sinner, lovest thou me ? "I deliver'd thee when bound, And when bleeding, heal'd thy wound; "Can a woman's tender care Cease towards the child she bare? Yes, she may forgetful be, "Mine is an unchanging love, "Thou shalt see my glory soon, XIX. CONTENTMENT. Phil. iv. 11. FIERCE passions discompose the mind, In vain by reason and by rule For none but in the Saviour's school Since at his feet my soul has sat, "Art thou a sinner, soul?" he said, "If thou of murmuring wouldst be cured, ""Tis I appoint thy daily lot, And I do all things well; Thou soon shalt leave this wretched spot, And rise with me to dwell. "In life my grace shall strength supply, Proportion'd to thy day; At death thou still shalt find me nigh, Thus I, who once my wretched days Taught in my Saviour's school of grace, XX. OLD TESTAMENT GOSPEL. Heb. iv. 2. ISRAEL, in ancient days, Not only had a view Of Sinai in a blaze, But learn'd the Gospel too; The types and figures were a glass, The paschal sacrifice, And blood-besprinkled door,* Exod. xii. 13. Seen with enlighten'd eyes, And once applied with power, Would teach the need of other blood, To reconcile an angry God. The Lamb, the Dove, set forth Whose blood of matchless worth For he who can for sin atone, The scape-goat on his head + Was to be seen no more: The living bird went free; ‡ Described a guilty soul enlarged, Jesus, I love to trace, Throughout the sacred page, The footsteps of thy grace, The same in every age! O grant that I may faithful be To clearer light vouchsafed to me! * Lev. xii. 6. + Lev. xvi. 21. Lev. xiv. 51-53. XXI. SARDIS. Rev. iii. 1—6. "WRITE to Sardis," saith the Lord, Thou art call'd a living church, "Watch, remember, seek, and strive, Exert thy former pains; Let thy timely care revive, And strengthen what remains : Cleanse thine heart, thy works amend, Former times to mind recall, Lest my sudden stroke descend, And smite thee once for all. "Yet I number now in thee They for mine shall be confest; Let my faithful servants hear, And woe be to the rest." |