3 If Jesus seem to hide his face,
What anxious fears I feel!
But, if he deign to whisper peace,
I'm happy; all is well.
4 Confirm'd by one soft, secret word,
I seek no farther light;
But, walk, depending on my Lord,
By faith, and not by sight.
5 Of friends and counsellors bereft,
I often hear him say,
"Decline not to the right or left; Go on; lo! here's the way."
6 Weak in myself, in him I'm strong:
His Spirit's voice I hear.
The way I walk cannot be wrong,
If Jesus be but there.
7 He is my helper and my guide;
I trust to him alone:
No other helps have I beside;
I venture all on one.
KING Hezekiah lay diseased,
With every dangerous symptom seized,
Beyond the cure of art;
With languid pulse, and strength decayed,
With spirits sunk, and soul dismayed,
And ready to depart.
2 His friends despair; his servants droop;
The learned Leech can give no hope;
All signs of life are fled;
When, lo! the seer Isaiah came
With words to damp th' expiring flame,
And strike the dying dead.
3 Entering the royal patient's room,
He thus denounced the dreadful doom:
"Of flattering hopes beware.
God's messenger, behold, I stand,
Thus saith the Lord, Thy death's at hand:
Prepare, O king, prepare!"
4 Where is the man, whom words like these, Though free before from all disease, Would not deject to death?
Favourite of heaven, in thee we see
The miracles of prayer, in thee
Th' omnipotence of faith!
5 Methinks I hear the hero say,
"And must my life be snatch'd away
Before I'm fit to die?
Can prayer reverse the stern decree,
And save a wretch condemn'd like me?
It may, at least, I'll try.
6 Ye damps of death, that chill me through, God's prophet and prediction too,
I must withstand you all.
Both heaven and earth awhile begone;
I turn me to the Lord alone,
And face the silent wall."
7 He said, and, weeping, pour'd a prayer
That conquer'd pain, removed despair
With all its heavy load,
Repell'd the force of death's attack,
Brought the recanting prophet back,
And turn'd the mind of God.
814. A general Admonition.
BRETHREN, why toil ye thus for toys,
And reckon trash for treasure;
Call gay deceptions solid joys,
Intoxication pleasure?
2 If more refined amusements please,
As knowledge, arts, or learning,
A moment puts an end to these,
And sometimes short's the warning.
3 What balm could wretches ever find
In wit to heal affliction?
Or who can cure a troubled mind
With all the pomp of diction?
4 Reflect what trifles ye pursue,
So anxious and so heedful;
For, after all, you'll find it true,
There is but one thing needful.
5 God in his scriptures to reveal
His will has condescended:
What there is said he will fulfil,
Though man may be offended.
6 This written word with rev'rence treat;
Join prayer with each inspection;
And be not wise in self-conceit,
"Tis folly to perfection.
7 True wisdom, of celestial birth,
Can both instruct and cherish;
Other attainments are of earth,
And all that's earth must perish. 8 The chief concern of fall'n mankind Should be to gain God's favour. What safety can a sinner find Before he finds a Saviour?
9 This Saviour must be one that can From sin and death release us,
the breach 'twixt God and man; Which none can do but Jesus.
10 Jesus is Judge of quick and dead;
And there is none beside him,
Whether his power we slight or dread
Adore him, or deride him.
11 Whate'er we judge ourselves, we must
Or stand or fall by his doom.
And they that in this Jesus trust
Have found eternal wisdom.
12 Mercy and love, from Jesus felt,
Can heal a wounded spirit;
Mercy that triumphs over guilt,
And love that seeks no merit.
13 Then kiss the Son, or from his wrath
No wisdom can deliver.
Close in with Christ by saving faith,
And God's your friend for ever.
815. Romans iv. 25.
JESUS, when on the bloody tree
He hung, through soul and body pierced,
That all things might accomplish'd be
Contain'd in Scripture, said, "I thirst."
2 Hyssop, the plant ordain'd by God,
And held by Jews in high esteem,
Which sprinkled them with paschal blood,*
Sharp vinegar convey'd to him.
3 This done, our dear, our dying Lord Exerts his short expiring breath,
Utters this rich, important word, "Tis finish'd!" and submits to death. 4 Henceforth an end is put to sin: Th' important word implies not less. Now for believers is brought in An everlasting righteousness. 5 The Son of God and man has died, Sinners as black as hell to save; And, that they might be justified, Is risen victorious from the grave. 6 In heaven he lives, our King, our Priest; There for his people ever pleads. How sure is our salvation; Christ Died, rose, ascended, intercedes.
816. "And ye are complete in him.”
WHEN is it Christians all agree
And let distinctions fall?
When, nothing in themselves, they see
That Christ is all in all.
2 But strife and diff'rence will subsist
While men will something seem;
Let them but singly look to Christ,
And all are one in him.
3 The infant and the aged saint,
The worker and the weak;
They who are strong and seldom faint,
And they who scarce can speak.
4 Eternal life's the gift of God;
It comes through Christ alone!
"Tis his, he bought it with his blood:
And therefore gives his own.
5 We have no life, no power, no faith,
But what by Christ is given.
We all deserve eternal death,
And thus we all are even.
817. Genesis xxvii. 20.
AND now the work is done,
Without much pains or cost:
The author's merit's none,
And therefore none his boast;
He only claims whate'er's amiss:
Alas! how large a share is his!
Some time it took to beat
And hunt for tinkling sound;
But the rich sav'ry meat
Was very quickly found;
For every truly Christian thought
Was by the God of Isaac brought.
May he that sings or reads
That precious blessing know
That comes by Jacob's kids,
And not from Esau's bow.
O bring no price! God's grace is free
To Paul, to Magdalene, to me!
4 Glory to God alone,
Let man forbear to boast,
To Father, and to Son,
And to the Holy Ghost.
Eternal life's the gift of God;
The Lamb procured it by his blood.
THE King of heaven a feast has made,
And to his much-loved friends,
The faint, the famish'd, and the sad,
This invitation sends:
2 Beggars, approach my royal board,
Furnish'd with all that's good:
Come, sit at table with your Lord,
And eat celestial food.
3 "My body and my blood receive,
It comes entirely free;
I ask no price for all I give;
But 0, remember me!"
4 Lo, at thy gracious bidding, Lord,
Though vile and base, we come.
O, speak the reconciling word,
And welcome wanderers home.
5 Rich wine, and milk, and heavenly meat,
We come to buy, and live;
Since nothing is the price that's set,
And we have nought to give.
6 Impart to all thy flock below
The blessings of thy death:
On every begging soul bestow
Thy love, thy hope, thy faith.
|