7 O sinners, hear his gracious call! His mercy's door stands open wide: He has enough to feed you all,
And none who come shall be denied.
Joseph made known to his Brethren.—Gen, xlv. 3, 4.
1 WHEN Joseph his brethren beheld
Afflicted and trembling with fear,
His heart with compassion was fill'd:
From weeping he could not forbear.
Awhile his behaviour was rough,
To bring their past sins to their mind;
But, when they were humbled enough,
He hasted to show himself kind.
2 How little they thought it was he
Whom they had ill-treated and sold!
How great their confusion must be,
As soon as his name he had told!
"I am Joseph your brother," he said,
"And still to my heart you are dear;
You sold me, and thought I was dead,
But God for your sake sent me here."
3 Though greatly distressed before,
When charged with purloining the cup,
They now were confounded much more,
Not one of them dared to look up.
"Can Joseph, whom we would have slai,
Forgive us the evil we did?
And will he our households maintain?
O this is a brother indeed!"
4 Thus dragg'd by my conscience, I came,
And laden with guilt, to the Lord,
Surrounded with terror and shame,
Unable to utter a word.
At first He look'd stern and severe,
What anguish then pierced my heart!
Expecting each moment to hear
The sentence, "Thou cursed, depart !"
5 But, Oh! what surprise when He spoke,
While tenderness beam'd in his face;
My heart then to pieces was broke,
O'erwhelm'd and confounded by grace :
"Poor sinner, I know thee full well,
By thee I was sold and was slain;
But I died to redeem thee from hell,
And raise thee in glory to reign.
6 I am Jesus whom thou hast blasphemed,
And crucified often afresh ;
But let me henceforth be esteem'd
Thy brother, thy bone, and thy flesh :
My pardon I freely bestow,
Thy wants I will fully supply:
I'll guide thee and guard thee below,
And soon will remove thee on high.
7 Go, publish to sinners around,
That they may be willing to come,
The mercy which now you have found,
And tell them that yet there is room."
Oh, sinners, the message obey!
No more vain excuses pretend;
But come without further delay,
To Jesus, our brother and friend.
The Bitter Waters.-Exod. xv. 23-25.
I BITTER, indeed, the waters are
Which in this desert flow;
Though to the eye they promise fair,
They taste of sin and woe.
2 Of pleasing draughts I once could dream,
But now, awake, I find,
That sin has poison'd every stream,
And left a curse behind.
3 But there's a wonder-working wood,
I've heard believers say,
Can make these bitter waters good,
And take the curse away.
4 The virtues of this healing tree
Are known and prized by few :
Reveal the secret, Lord, to me,
That I may prize it too.
5 The cross on which the Saviour died,
And conquer'd for his saints;
This is the tree by faith applied,
Which sweetens all complaints.
6 Thousands have found the bless'd effect,
Nor longer mourn their lot;
While on his sorrows they reflect,
Their own are all forgot.
7 When they, by faith, behold the cross,
Though many griefs they meet;
They draw a gain from every loss,
And find the bitter sweet.
Jehovah-Rophi-I am the Lord that healeth thee,— Exod. xv.
1 HEAL us, Emmanuel, here we are,
Waiting to feel thy touch :
Deep-wounded souls to Thee repair,
And, Saviour, we are such.
2 Our faith is feeble, we confess,
We faintly trust thy word;
But wilt Thou pity us the less?
Be that far from thee, Lord!
3 Remember him who once applied
With trembling for relief;
Lord, I believe," with tears he cried,
"O help my unbelief?"
4 She too, who touch'd Thee in the press,
And healing virtue stole,
Was answer'd, "Daughter, go in peace,
Thy faith hath made thee whole."
5 Conceal'd amid the gathering throng,
She would have shunn'd thy view,
And, if her faith was firm and strong,
Had strong misgivings too.
6 Like her, with hopes and fears we come,
To touch Thee if we may ;
Oh! send us not despairing home,
Send none unheal'd away.
Manna.-Exod. xvi. 18.
1 MANNA to Israel well supplied
The want of other bread;
While God is able to provide,
His people shall be fed.
2 (Thus, though the corn and wine should fail,
And creature-streams be dry,
The prayer of faith will still prevail,
For blessings from on high.)
3 Of his kind care how sweet a proof;
It suited every taste:
Who gather'd most, had just enough ;
Enough, who gather'd least.
4 Tis thus our gracious Lord provides
Our comforts and our cares;
His own unerring hand divides,
And gives us each our shares.
5 He knows how much the weak can bear,
And helps them when they cry;
The strongest have no strength to spare,
For such He'll strongly try.
6 Daily they saw the Manna come,
And cover all the ground;
But what they tried to keep at home,
Corrupted soon was found.
7 Vain their attempt to store it up,
This was to tempt the Lord:
Israel must live by faith and hope,
And not upon a hoard.
Manna hoarded.-Exod. xvi. 20.
1 THE Manna, favour'd Israel's meat,
Was gather'd day by day;
When all the host was served, the heat
Melted the rest away.
2 In vain to hoard it up they tried,
Against to-morrow came;
It then bred worms and putrified,
And proved their sin and shame.
3 'Twas daily bread, and would not keep,
But must be still renew'd;
Faith should not want a hoard or heap,
But trust the Lord for food.
4 The truths by which the soul is fed
Must thus be had afresh ;
For notions resting in the head
Will only feed the flesh.
5 However true, they have no life
Or unction to impart ;
They breed the worms of pride and strife,
But cannot cheer the heart.
6 Nor can the best experience past,
The life of faith maintain;
The brightest hope will faint at last,
Unless supplied again.
7 Dear Lord, while we in prayer are found, Do Thou the Manna give;
Oh let it fall on all around,
That we may eat and live
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