"i ?? IS -*$J' THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES FREDERIC THOMAS BLANCHARD ENDOWMENT FUND EXPERIMENTAL ESSAYS O N DIVINE- SUBJECTS. [Price is. 6d,] EXPERIMENTAL ESSAYS N DIVINE SUBJECTS, 1 N VERSE AND PROSE: AND HYMNS FOR SOCIAL WORSHIP. Bt JOSEPH SWAIN, AUTHOR OF REDEMPTION, A POEM. Slug Praifes unto our God, for it is pkafant j and Praifc is comely. Let the Children of Zion be joyful in their Kino-. They fliall abundantly utter the Memory of thy great Goodnefs, and fhaU fing of thy Righteoulnefs. All thy Works Ihall prailc thee, O Jehovah, and thy Saints ftiall blefs thee. p <; a t m « LONDON. PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR: SOLD BY J. MATHEWS, N* l8, STRAND. MDCCXCI. 3^1 PREFACE. MUSIC is harmony of found j Poetry is mental mufic, or the expreffion of ideas in an harmonious, beautiful, and flriking manner : but thofe ideas muil be firft conceived in the mind by a natural gift, which none but God can beilow, or they can never be fo exprefled as to delight the ear and heart at once. Strength and clearnefs of thotjght, with apt- nefs of expreflion, muft all unite in order to produce true Poetry. Almoft any man of common fenih may acquire, by application of mind^ fome tafte for Poetry, as far as reading it with pleafure, and forming a tolerable judgment of its qualities, extend : but a poet, made by rules which men have laid down, who, though they might be genuine poets, never made themfelves fo, is as likely to be ufefai and happy in the exerclfe of his talents, as an artift who fliould choofe to em- 7644di Ti PREFACE. ploy himfelf in painting dainty and curious diflies for the entertainment of a number of hungry men returning from labour. AlmolT: all the prophets in the Old Teilament were poets ; and in the poetical flyle a great part of the Scriptures weie originally written, as we are informed by our moft learned Hebrasans, particularly Dr. Lowth, the late bifhop of London, who has given us an excellent tranflation of ■Jfuiah's prophecies in irregular blank verfe. But, even without the alTiftance of a metrical tranflation, ourEnglifli Bible abounds with inilances of the moil llriking and beautiful poetry. The Song of Mofes is a mailer-piece of fublimity in this way ; and there are thoughts in the Song of Deborah, Hannah, Da- vid's Elegy over Saul and Jonathan, the Pfalms, and all the Prophecies, as far exceeding the bell of our modern poets as the flight of an eagle exceeds tlie flattering of a fparrow. If poetry had not been a proper channel for the conveyance of divine truth into the heart of man, the divine Former of the heart of man, and Author of language, would not have made choice of it for that purpofe, as he certainly has done. Harmony is one of the laws of univerfal nature j the anfwering of all fi:ringed inilruments of nuiflc to the key-notes of each other is a llriking inftance of this truth j and the confufion which reigns in the minds of moft men, and too frequently rages in The minds of all, is as aftualiy the fruit of fm as 2 ficknefs^ PREFACE. yii ficknefs, forrow, or even death itfelf; for it is cer- tain, were the mind perfe<5lly holy, it would always think with perfedl harmony and order. Thefe ob- fervations may perhaps be fufficient to remove the vmjuft idea which fome ferious, and otherwife fenfibic perfons have imbibed refpefting poetry, who fup- pofe it is not folemn enough for the moft fpiritual and facred fubjefts. As for the obfervations of learned and great men, who have, with all their learning and greatnefs, been, fti'angers to real experimental religion, and who have therefore alTerted that divine and fpiritual truth is not a fubjeft fruitful enough to employ the talents of a genuine poet, their ignorance is lb prominent on the face of their aflertions, that it is always the firft feature in their charafter which prefents itfelf to an eye enlightened by the Spirit of truth. The holy fcriptures are an everlafting and irrefragable refuta- tion of all fuch worldly wife men's opinions on the fubjea. The following fhort Eflays in verfe and profe, com- pofed on different branches of divine truth, it is hoped may fuit the circumftances of plain Chriftians, who, though they have few opportunities of reading long treatifes, can fpare five minutes now and then to viil PREFACE. to catch a thought on what they love befl, and go on their way rejoicing. The Hymns for focial worfhip were written for a weekly meeting of that kind ; and were, for the mod part, occafioned by the friendly meeting for the ufe of which they were defigned. CONTENTS, CONTENTS. Page CONVERSION and Death of Poor Jofeph x Comfort under Affliction - - - 6 Defcription of Chrift ... - S Seeking an abfent God - - - J x A Hymn ^^- x3 Sudden Thought in a fweet Frame of Mind 15 On Time and Eternit)^— For New- Year's Day 1 7 The Flower - . - - . ao On Pfalm xxiv. - - - - . - a» Chrift the Way to God - - - 24, On Faith - . - - - - 26 On Hope - - - . - - 31 The Wells of Salvation - - - 36 What mull we do to be joyful ? - - 38 Praife for Salvation - - _ - 40 Praife for a complete Saviour - - 41 A Profpeft of the Laft Day - - , 42 Admiration and joyful Expeflation - 43 The Coming of Chriil to Judgment - 44 Communion with Saints above - - 45 A Pro- CONTENTS. A Prorpe<5l of the Refurre6lion - - 47 Chriflian Encouragement - - - ij-S Praife for Redeeming Love - - - 49 A Refponfive Hymn - - _ . 51 The Grace of Chriftlan Love - , ^a Chriilthe only Refuge for loft Sinners - 53 A Soul melted with Redeeming Love - 54 Second Part - _ - _ „ ^5 The Chrifdan's Company and Employment $6 The Converfion of a Sinner - _ - 57 An encouraging Profpeft for Believers 58 The Soul refifting Temptations - - 59 Holy Confidence - - _ > 60 The Coming of Chrift anticipated - 61 New Covenant Joy - - - - 6 a The Courage of Faith _ - - . C6 The Gift of divine Peace - - - 67 Heaven will make Amends for all - - ibid. The Fruits of pardoning Grace - - 6S The dying Love of Chrift - - - 69 The Aflurance of Faith - - - ' 71 The Pilgrims' Song - • - jz Mutual Encouragement - - - 73 The Wa> , Hope, and End, of a Chriftian 74 After Prayer - - - - - 75 The Triumph of Faith - - - 77 Chriftian Travellers - - - - 78 Faith feeding on redeeming Love - - 79 Admiration CONTENTS. Admiration and Confidence - - go Adoration of the Redeemer - - 8i Praife to the King of Zion - - - 8z The Privileges of a Citizen of Zion - 83 Chrift's unparalleled Love • - - 85 The fame ^7 The Garden of Grace - - - 90 Help againft the Fear of Death - - * 91 The Harmony of Creation and Redemption 9* Chriftians have Reafon to fing - - 95 A Chriftian Welcome - - - 56 On the Birth of Emmanuel . - _ 97 Chriftians, look homeward - - - 98 A Day of Chriftian Hope - - - 99 A Day of Chriftian Confli6l - ♦- 100 An Anfwer to one inquiring— What is harmlefs ? loz Elegiac Thoughts on the Death of Mr. and Mifs Dawfon _ - - _ J03 A Sinner's Converfion - - - 105 PRACTICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL ESSAYS, ON DIFFERENT SUBJECTS, IN PROS*. On Divine Truth - - - - 107 On Divine Zeal - - - - 119 Qn Chriftian Watclxfulnefs - - lai On CONTENTS. On Communion with God - . ,j,g A Remark or two on the Scripture Doflrine of Election - - . - 12S On the Evidence of Divine Grace - i ^,5 A few Thoughts on fecial Religion . J35 Sentences and Obfervations on Chriftian Ex- perience and Praftice - . _ 14^ On Wifdom ----- i6< On common Life - - . - iCf EXPERIMENTAL EXPERIMENTAL ESSAYS. CONVERSION AND DEATH o F POOR JOSEPH. ^^'^A S it a chance ; or the unerring hand. Which (holding all things at fupreme command) Gives the bright fun to cheer a world with light, And clothes in black'ning fliades the dreary night ; That bid th' event recorded here revolve ? Chrillian — thy heart can foon this query foive ! A poor man cloth'd in rags, and fhort of wit. Was one day ftrolling carelefs through the Itreet : A knot of yarn acrols his (liouiders liung. And traird behind him as he walked along; Little he thought that he pofTefs'd a ioul. Or '^'hok the power that bids the feafons roll ; When fent on fun pie errands he could go ; Nf MC'ln elfe he knew, or aught defuM to know; B Alike [ ^ ] Afike of things in hcav'n, or things on earth. Of what begets events, or gives them birth, Lilllefs, he trudged along till, with the found Of mufic rous'd, he ftarts, and gazes round— Wliere he perceives a full aflembled place. And enters, gaping with unineaning face. (O Lord of holls, how wond'rous are thy ways !— ~^^ Sucklings and babes fhall celebrate thy praife, ^Vhile men of honour and of wifdom lie Bury'd by fm in endleis mifcrj- ! Well did the great apoflle truly fay. Not many rich or mighty- love the way ; The wifdom of the Lord is foolifhnefs To thofe who proudly fcorn the way of peace : So is their wifdom to the foul that knows That peace which from a wounded Saviour flows.) . Above the reft, a fervant of the Lord Stood to proclaim the everlafting word ; Who, with a paufe, open'd the facred book j Then, with a voice profound and fpeaking look, PronouncM that faithful word — that Chrift came down From heavYi's bright manflons and his Father's throne. And put on mortal flefh, that he might fave A finking world from an eternal grave j Yea, how he for the chief of finners dyM, And ev'ry claim of juftice fatisfy'd *. * I Tim. j. 15. Poor t 3 3 Poor Jofeph trembled, while he heard him fpeak Of wrath to come, as if his heart would break : Till through his foul he felt the filver found Of fweet falvation and a ranfom found. Struck with aftonifhment, he fix'd his eyes Full on the preacher j and with glad furprize Drank down the joyful news with greedy ears, Which reached his heart, and fiird his eyes with tears. The fervice ended, Jofeph trudg'd away. And thus within himfelf was heard to fay: *' Jofeph was never told of this before ! Did Jefus Chrift, the mighty God, whofe pow'r Made heav'n and earth and all things, come and die To iave poor helplefs finners, fuch as I ? Why this is brave ! And, if all this be ti-ue, Who knows but Jefus dy'd for Jofeph too ?" Soon after this a meiTage from on high Was fent to warn poor Jofeph he mufl die : A. burning fever rag'd thro'^all his veins, nd racked his body with a thoufand pains. Xc who delight the paths of fin to tread Attend poor Jofeph to his dying bed, :\d liften to the language of his heart, vv hen foul and body were about to part. No rich variety of fpeech he knew, Heart-fprung and fimple were his words, tiK)' few; iefas, and Jefu's love, was all his theme — rTJcient proof that Jefus had lov^d him I B 7 And, [ 4 J And, while with pain from fide to fide he roU'd, Ke thefe great things in little accents told : ** Jofeph's fo vile, there cannot be a worfe,— Joleph deferves God's everlafting curfej The chief of finners Jofeph is indeed j But did not Jefus for fuch finners bleed ? I heard one fay that Jefus w:as a friend To poor loft finners, whom he would defend From God's juft vengeance and the pit of hell : And, if a friend of fmner?, who can tell But Jofeph may be one whom Jefus loves ?■■* But, while poor Jofeph thus his intereft proves. One ftanding by, with cautious tone, replies : " But, Jofeph, we are told by one that's wife. That nothing's fo deceitful as the heart,— How do you find yourfelf about that part ? v ' Remember what the word is to all men, None can be fav'd but who are born again : Have you no token thereabout for good ? No relifn, no defire, for heavenly food ? Have you no inw^ard evidence, to prove That you arc lov'd with everlafting love ? 'Tis a great thing to be an heir of heav'n,— To fee your fms, and fee them all forgiv'n; To have your foul redeem'd with precious blood, And as a pilgrim walk the heav'nly road j To tread the path of holinefs below, And drink the ftreams from Zion's rock that flow ; 7 To [ s 3 To live by faith upon the Son of God, To own his fceptre and to kifs his rod ; To die to lin and live to righteoufnefs j To be pOiTefs'd of covenanted peace ; To truft for life in Chriil, and Chrill alone : And none but fuch fnall fing around his throne,'* Poor Jofeph liften'd, and v/ith artlefs tongue Refurn'd the burden of his former fong : *' Jofeph has nothing for himfelf to fay,— Ke's deep in debt, and nothing has to pay : Jofeph's a fmner, — Jefus came from heav'n. And ihed his blood, that fins might be forgiv'n*. Jefus did die to fet poor finners free — And who can tell but Jefas dy'd for me ? Jofeph def res to love him for this love, — And why not Jofeph fing his praife above ?" Thus he went on, till, almoft funk beneath Kis burning pains, he ftopp'd to gafp for breath. Now each one thought — 'Tis done ; poor Jofeph dies ! Groaning he clos'd, or feem'd to clofe his eyes. His pulfes languid, and his ftruggles few, Eternity v/as all he had in view. Mean while, in came that fervant of the Lord Who firft in Jofeph's ears proclaim'd the word j Ghaftly and pale, between the jaws of death, Juft ready to refign his feeble breath, Upwards he looked— and, trembling with furprife, The briny moifture ftarting in his eyes, B 3 *' Sir, [ 6 ] *' Sir, is it you r" with quivering lips, he cryW j •* 'Twas you that told me firft how Jefus dy'd For fmners fuch as Jofeph, weak and poor. That feek the bread of life at mercy's door j Oh pray for Jofeph to that loving Lord I Tell him that Jofeph trufts his faithful word j And loves him as the fmner's only friend, Who dy'd his chofen people to defend." He pray'd : poor Jofeph held his hand the while, Prefs'd it, and thank'd him with a peaceful fmile ; Then from his pillow took a purfe of gold : *' This was (faid he) to keep me when grown old j Which for the poor belov'd of Jefus take, And tell 'era Jofeph lov'd them for his fake." Th.en calmly met th' uplifted hand of death, Blefs'd the kind Saviour with his fleeting breath, And dy'd ! — With tears the preacher left the place, And Jofeph's gone to fnig redeeming grace ! COMFORT UNDER AFFLICTION. HOW light (while fupported by grace) Are all the afflictions I fee, To thofe the dear Lord of my peace, My Jefus, has fufler'd for me ! To him ev'ry comfort I owe. Above what the flends have in hell j And fnall I not fmg as I go. That Jefus does ev'ry thing well ? That [ 7 3 That JefuSj-who ftoop'd from his throne To pluck fuch a brand from the fii'e j A wretch that had nought of his own, Not even a holy defire ! My only inheritance (in, A (lave to rebellion and lull ; Polluted without and within, A child of corruption and duft. Such was I when Jefus lock'd down. When none but himfelf could relieve s What could I expeft but a frown ? But he gracioufly fmil'd, and faid, *' Live !' And fliall I impatiently fret And murmur beneath his kind rod ? His love and his favour forget. And fly in the face of my God ? Oh no J in the ftrength he ha$ giv'n. And pledged his own word to bellow, I'll fight thro' my palTage to heav'n. And fmg of his love as I go ! He'll purge away nought but my drofs : Then let him afflidt j I'll adore, And cheerfully bear up, the crofs My Mailer has carry'd before I B 4 A DE- £ 8 3 A DESCRIPTION OF CHRIST, BY HIS GRACES AND POWER. FROM Solomon's song. C TKOU ill whofe prefence my foul tajces delight. On v/hom in aifiiclioa I call j My Comfort by day, and my Song in the night, My Hone, m.y Sah'ation, my All ! W here doft thou at noon-tide refort with thy fiieep^ To feed on the pafture of love ? For why in the valley cf death fhould I weep, Or alone through the wildemefs rove ? O why fhould I winder an alien from thee. And cry in the defert for bread? Thy foes v^iil rejoice when my forrows they fee. And fmile at the tears t have ihed. Ye daughters of Zion, declare, have ye feen The Star that on Ifrael ihone ? Say if in your tents my Beloved has been, And where with his fiocks he is gone f This is my Beloved, his form is divine. His veftments Ihed odours around ; The locks of his head are as grapes on the vine, When autumn with plenty is crov/n'd. The [ 9 1 The rofes of Sharon, the lilies that grow In the vales on the banks of the ftreams. On his cheeks in tlie beauty of excellence blow ; His eyes are as quivers of beams ! His voice, as the found of the dulcimer fvi^eet. Is heard through the fliadows of death i The cedars on Lebanon bow at his feet j The air is perfum'd v/ith his breath. His lips as a fountain of righteoufnefs flovi''. That waters the garden of grace ; From which their falvation the Gentiles fliall know. And bafk in the fmiles of his face. Love fits in his eyelids, and fcatters delight • Through all the bright manfions on high ; Their faces the cherubims veil in his fight. And tremble with fulnefs of joy. He looks, and ten thoufands of angels rejoice. While miriads wait for his word j He fpeaks — and eternity, fiU'd with his voice, Re-echo's the praife of her Lord. His Veftment of righteoufnefs who fhall defcribe ! Its purity v/ords would defile ; The heav'ns from his prefence freih beauties imbibe. And earth is made rich by his fmile. Such is my Beloved. — In excellence bright, V/hen pleas'd, he looks down from above. Like the morn , when he breaks from the chambers of liglit, And comforts his people with love. B 5 But [ 10 3 But when, arin'd with vengeance, in terror he ComeSy The nations rebellious to tame j The reigns of omnipotent pow'r he aflumes. And rides in a cliariot of flame. A two-edged fword from his mouth iflues forth. Bright quivers of fii'e are his eyes j He fpeaks — the black tempefts are feen in the north. And ftorms from their caverns arife. Ten thoufand deil:ru6lions, that wait for his word, And ride on the wings of his breath. Fly fwjft as the winds at the nod of their Lord, And deal out his arrows of death. His cloud-burfting thunders their voices refound Through all the vaft regions on high j Till from the deep center loud echo's rebound. And meet the quick flames in the fxy. The portals of heav'n at his bidding obey. And expand ere his banners appear ; Eaith trembles beneath, till her moimtains give way j And hell fhakes her fetters with fear. When he treads on the clouds as the duft of his feet, And grafps the big florm.s in his hand, What eye the fierce glance of his anger Urall meet, Qr who in his orefence fhall Itand ! SEEKING [ " 1 SEEKING AN ABSENT GOD, WHERE flial! a roving creature find A center for a reftlefs mind ? Shall nature open all her ftores ; With all the treafures of the feas and ihores My heart, my wifhes bind ? The rolling feas, the bending fkles. The lively birds that warble thro' the air Convey no pleafure to my eyes, Into my ears no heav'nly mufic bear : In thefe I feek, but cannot find , A balm to heal a wounded mind. The fmiling hills, the fruitful vales. The flovv'ry garden, whence exales A thoufand fweet perfumes, 111 vain their vai'ied ftores unfold ; My eyes in tliefe no charms behold ; The rofe unnotic'd blooms : In thefe I feek, but cannot find, A balfam for a wounded mind. To fecial converfe next my thoughts I bend. And feek for confolation there j Bat In the face of ev'ry faithful friend Read, ** Comfort dwells not here :"" Then to the living works of thofe Ion j dead I fly, and thefe amufe my head j E 6 Eat [ J^ I But ftjll, alas t my heart Is cold i ;My eager eyes I roll from page to page | The ihining poet, and the learned fage ; But ttrangely all their aid withhold ; In thefe I feek, but cannot find, A balfani for a wounded mind. At length I trace the beav'nly road, And turn my thoughts from earth to God ; And, to extrafl the galling fting of care, Attempt the pcw'r of fervent pray'r. Here, to a dying Saviour's flowing veins (Drawn by the Spirit's heav'nly ai't) I fly, and in contrition's humble Rrains Povir out the forrows of my heart. 'Tis here my weary foul is bleft With fweet uninterrupted reft : 'Tis here I lay my burthen down j Here, thro' the crofs., behold the crown ; And from Emmanuels furrow's fee Eternal pleafures fpring for me. 'Tis from His bleeding wounds and dying groans I feel That love diiTolves a heart of fteel ; And all tlie fweets of peace and pardon prove From the bright wonders of redeeming love j 'Tis here I feek, and here alone I find, A healing balfam for a wounded mind. Here t '3 I Here T can look, and look aga^rt, Till, fwimming in a fea of blifs, I lofe the fenfe of pain ^ Here, with enlightened eyes, for ever gaze, 'Till wonder's loft in brighter wonder's blaze ; 'Tis in this book of life and love In crimfon lines I read my name ; And what they feel, and what they Cmg above, I know I foon iliall feel — I foon fliall fing the fame* Now In the rolling Teas and bending fides A thonfand un feen beauties rife, And fpeak their great Creator's pow'r : The lively birds, that warble thro' the air<» In ail their varied notes declare His goodnefs every hour ; Nature, in all her forms, his love difplays, And witli ten thoufand difterent tongues proclaims hl§ bouiidlefs pralfe. A HYMN, ON the wings of faith uprifing, Jefus crucify 'd I fee j While his love, my foul furprifing, Cries, I fuffer'd all for thee ! Then, beneath the crofs adoring, Sin does hke itfelf appear j When, the wounds of Chrifl exploring, I c*.n read my pardon there. Here [ 14 1 Here I'd feail my eyes for ever j While this balm of life I prove, Every wound appears a river Flowing with eternal love I As the fea, in reftitution. Renders filthy waters clear j Wafti'd in this from deep pollution, Sinners whitens angels are. Here, the (hades of guilt controlling, Morning dawns from blacked night ^ Jefu's eyes, in darknefs rolling. Beam with everlalling light ! Sorrow proves the fpring of pleafure. War becomes the feed of peace, Poverty the fource of treafure, Anguifli teams with boundlefs blifs ! Angels here may gaze and wonder What the God of love could mean- When he tore the heart afunder Never once defil'd with fm ! Who can tlunk without admiring ? Who can hear and nothing feel ? See the Lord of life expiring, Yet retain a heart of fleel ? A SUD- A SUDDEN THOUGHT IN A SWEET FRAME OP MIND, MY foul, whene'er thou (halt arrive On thofe bright hills where angels live. What objeft firft will draw thine eyes ? And where wilt thou begin thy joys ? Methinks when I (released from fin) My everlafting work begin. When on my new-fledg'd wings I rife. And tread the {hores beyond the ikies j I'll nm through every golden ftreet. And afk each happy foul I meet *< Where is the Lord whofe praife you fing ?— ■ Direft a ftranger to the King." I'll fearch the blifsful manfions round. Nor reft till I my Lord have found, Till on his wounded fide I gaze. And fee my Saviour f-xce to face. There will I fix my wond"ring eyes 5 There I'll begin eternal joys ; And look and love away my foul. While evei lafting ages roll I BLESSED S1ISS2D ARE THE DEAD THAT DIE IN THE LORD.^ Rev, xiv. ij. WHAT is k for a faint to die, That we the thought (liould fear ? *Tis but to pafs the hcav'nly iky, And leave pollution here. True, Jordan's ftream is wond'rous deep. And Canaan's walls are high j But he, that guards us while we deep. Can guide us when we die. A pai'ting world, a gaping tomb. Corruption and difeafe, Are thorny paths to heav'n our home, And doors to endlefs blifs ! Eternal glory juft before. And jefus waiting there, A heav'nly gale to waft us o'er— What have the faints to fear ? Why fhould we fhrink at Jordan's flood. Or dread the unknown way ? See, yonder rolls a ftream of blood That bears the curfe away ! Death loft his fting when Jefus bled j When Jefus left tiie ground, Pifarm'd, the king of terrors fled, And felt u mortal wound ! And [ '7 T And now his otRce Is to wait Between the faints and fm, A porter, near the heav'nly gate. To let the pilgrims in. And, though his pale and ghaftly face May feem to frown the while. We foon fliall fee the King of grace^ And he'll for ever fniile ! ON TIME AND ETERNITY, TOR new-year's-day. HARK ! In the ear of reafon, what deep foun<3 So folemnly to recolle6iion calls ? It is the voice of time, whofe rufning wings Call to attention, as he palfes by, And wake the (luggard, as he lies fuplne On hir foft pillow : Nor do ev'n the wile And diligent efcape reproof from him. Who never varies in his Heady courfe. // Time gone by P yes, ^A'elve fucceeding months^ Iraprov'd or unlmprovd, are all revolv'd Since the laft year clo^'i its account in fliades. Fellow Immortals, up ! and overtake The univerfal warner, left he turn — Whet his broad fcythe j and, by divine command. Mow C x8 } Mow down your hopes, unripe ; and, unprepar'd. Summon you fudden to the awful bar Where Jupce fits, who will not take a bribe ; But, with impartial hand and heart unmov'd. To holy faints or hardened infidels Deals life eternal, or eternal death ! "We live but moments ; and a moment foon Will cut the firings' that by appointment hold Th"" imprifon'd foul in its corporeal cage. Then Ihould experience be a living clock. And ev'ry breath a moving dial's hand> To point us to the hour when we muft die ; While every blefling we through time receive Should, as a nimble finger, lead tlie mind Up to its author God — of good the fource. But nvhence is Time ? and what his errand here, That his Inceflant voice attention claims ? From God he comes, the fov'reign Lord of all, To meafure man's exiftence here on earth. And waft him from the cradle to the grave. Swift, on his wings, he bears us through the maze Of life's fhort race, its pleafures and its pains \ Till our appointed moment to depart \ Then drops us deep into eternitj^ y And what's eternity ? 'tis all the paft And all the future, feeming to unite Arid render no\? a point uiifeen by mail. And [ t9 1 And yet this jtoiv's the hour in which we drcls. That we may fland before the awful Judge Of quick and dead, in robes of heav'nly dye j Fit to attend the marriage of the Lamb ; Or, in polluted rags, for heav'n unfit. To fink into the difmal (hades of hell I Where's then the fpotlefs robe in which, array \t. The happy foul may from the righteous Judge Meet an eternal fmile, and fit approved In that augufl: affembly, where the man In all the Godhead clotli'd prefides fupreme ? Not that felf-nvroughti by Phainfees of old Held in fuch high efteem — the piercing eye Of Him who fits on his eternal throne Thro' the appearance fearches to the heart. And, fliort of what fprings thence in genuine ftreamjp Of pure affe6lion, and obedience pure. No works can in his fight acceptance find : Eut human nature and perfeftion now Meet not on earth — heav'n is their meeting-placCj And ChriJ} their Centre — from his fulnefs flow* All that can render human nature fair In God's all-fearching eye. On earth he wrought A robe of righteoufnefs, which covers all The fins of his ekft \ and' now in heav'n He fits an Advocate to plead their caufe! His merit and his fufFerings of their hope Arc all the ground, the firm foundation, where The The heav'n-taught-wife build for eternity. This is the robe in which the faints fliaU Hand Before the great tribunal, from the law, With all its threat'nings, freely juilifyM, When rolling years, and months, and weeks, and days. And cold, and heat, and changing light and ftiade. With all the marks and meafureraents of time. Give place to one eternal blaze of day ! THE FLOWER. LOVE is the fweeteft bud tliat blows. Its beauty never dies j Cii earth among the faints it grows. And ripens in the fkies. Pure, glowing, red, and fpotlefs white. Its perfeft colours are j In Jefus all its fweets unite. And look divinely fair. The finefl flov/'r tjiat ever blow'd OpenM on Calv'ry's tree When Jefu's blood iii rivers flow'd For love of vvorthlefs me ! Its deepeft hue, its richeft fmell. No mortal fenfe can bear ; Kor can the tongue of angels tell How bright the colours are. Earth r ^1 1 Earth could not hold fo rich a fiow'r. Nor half its beauties fliew j Nor could the world and fatan's povv'r Confine its fweets below. On Canaan's banks, fupremely fair. This fiow'r of wonders blooms j Tranfplanted to its native air. And all the iliores perfumes. But, not to Canaan's (hores confin'd. The feeds which from it blow Take root within the human mind. And fcent the church below. And foon on yonder banks above Shall every blolTom here Appear a full-ripe flow'r of love. Like Him, tranfplanted there. Oh what a garden will be feen When all the flow'rs of grace Appear in everlafting green Before the Planter's face ! No more expos'd to burning fkles, Or winter's piercing cold j What never-dying fweets will rife From tNtry opening fold I No [ " 1 No want of fun or fliow'rs above To make the flow'rs decline j Fountains of life and beams of love For ever fpring and fhine. No more they need ihe quick'ning air. Or gency ri/ing dew j Urlp'xable their beauties are, /uid yet for ever new, Cnni\ is their fhade, and Chrift their fun j Among them walks the King j Whofe pre fence is eternal noon. His fmiles eternal spring. ON PSALM XXIV. LIFT up your heads, ye gates. Your golden hinges move j The King of gloiy waits — Admit the God of love ? Your everlafting arches raife, And, as he enters, fliout his praife. Who is this glorious King, Who at the portal ftands ? What title does he bring, That he accefs demands ? Jehovah's name, in battle ftrong, Demands accefs, inspires the fong. LVit 1 *3 ] jLitt up your heads, ye gates ; Ye heav'ns, expand your doors 5 The Kmg of glory waits 1 o fprcad yo'ir golJf .: floors With I'^^oils r^r-)' deat - midarknefs borne> With trophies from deitradlior. "^ - Who is this glorious King ? The Lord that built the kies : His praife the feraphs fmg, The holy, jull, and wife : Creation rofe at his command. Redemption owns his fov'reign hand* The pa.v'rs of hell oppos'd, While he in conflift bled ; And death's ftrong bars were clos'd Round his expiring head : But death and hell polTefl no pow'r To hold him palt th' appointed hour. The hoar appoint-ed came, The God put off the clay 5 •. And, like a rapid flame, Burft through them all his way •, A way fo wide, fo unconfin'd, That ail his church might march behind. vs C ^4 ] X/ift your immortal heads, Your Lord's from conqueft come j On death and fin he tread sj Let heav'n prepare him room : /^ fheaf of glory's harveft-ears * The Viftor in his chariot bears ! CHRIST THE WAY TO GOD, JESUS, how heav'nly is the place Where thy dear people wait for thee ! Where the rich fountain of thy grace Stands ever open, full and free. Hungry, and poor, and lame, and blind. Hither thy blood-bought children fly j Jn thy deep wounds a balfam find, And live, while they behold thee die. Here they forget their doubts and fears, While thy fliarp forrows meet their eyes ; And blefs tlie hand that dries their tears. And with his own their grief fupplies. Oh, the vail myllYies of thy love \ How high, how deep, how wide, it rfllls ! Its fountain fprings in heav'n above. Its ftreams revive our drooping fouls ! * Alluding to the faints which came out of their graves after his refurre^tion. Great [ *s 3 Great was the price to juftice due When Jefus would redeem his bride ; Nothing but precious blood would do. And that mull flow from his own fide. Yet from the heights of bUfs he fled On wings of everlafting love. And groan'd, and figh'd, and wept, and bled, The mountains of our guilt to move. How glorious was the work he wrought While dwelling in this earthly globe, When each good deed and each pure thought A fhuttle prov'd to weave our robe ! Drefs'd in this robe, wafh'd in this blood. And ranfom'd from the pow'r of hell. We now have free accefs to God, And juftice likes the payment well. Thus Jefus vvTOught our righteoufnefs. Our guilt fultainM, our forrows bore j SecurM our everlafting peace, And triumphed o'er the ferpent's powV, And now in heav'n he lives to plead Before his holy Father's throne What he has fuffer'd in our ftead j And fends us gifts and gi'aces down. And E i^ ] And Toon ^vIll tliis dear Saviour come, 111 m.ijefty and glory dreft. And take his ranfom'd children home To feats of everlalling reft, ON FAITH. LEAST underftood of all the human mind Has ever exercisM, and leaft pofleft Of all the graces which adorn the foul- Bright Faith, I fmg of thee.— So little known Are thy rare beauties, that wife men have thought (As this world counts of wif lorn) thou haft none. For they thy name have heard, and wandered far To feek thee out, through all the winding ways That human reafon teaches, but in vain j For thou art from above, they from beneath ; God is thy centre — fmful felf is theirs j Love is thy element, and heav'n the prize At which thy aftive hand and piercing eye Inceflant aim. — The world and its delights (From heaven abftrafted) with magnftic pow'r Draw them away fo far from thy abode, That they can never meet thee, till their hearts, Chang'd by almighty grace^ admit thy rays. Thy charms difcover, and by thee afctnd To God, whom they without thee cannot pleafe. By grace divine, the grand efficient caufe, Z Through I ^7 ] Tliroiigh faith, the adlive principle of grace, Are helplefs finners fav'd. Faith is a plant Which never grows in nature's barren foil j Its precious feed from Paradife defcends On the propitious gale of fov'reign love : Nor is it fown by man — bleffings divine Divinity alone communicates. Faith comes by hearing, hearing by the word ; Man may difpenfe the vt-ord of God abroad. But God himfelf directs it where to fail, And by his mighty pow'r the heart prepares Firfl to receive, and then the gift employ. Faith fees the danger of the human (late. Expos" d by fm to the tremendous curfe Of an infringed law j and Faith perceives. By revelation's light, the remedy Of God's appointment in the blood of Chriil. Faith has an eye to pierce the deep obfcure Which rolls between eternity and time, While yet on fhore of time. — Down the fteep cliffs Which overhang that ocean Faith can look With fledfaft eye, nor ihudder at the fight. That awful day, when all the works of man, Brought to the fcale of equity fupreme, Mull meet their due from an unerring Judge, Is ever prefent in the eye of Faith j Nor are the gates of glory fliut fo clofe ^ From her approach, but fne can fometimes look C z Thro' [ i8 ] Thro' the bright avenues of truth divine, Behold what pafles there, and join on earth The ihouts of its divine inhabitants ! Faith has an ear to Jiear the ftill fmall voice Of God the Spirit, -which the world around, Inconfcious of, deny : nor only hears, But on the wings of fwift obedience flies To duty, and in duty finds delight. Be this, ye faints, your wjrk. as ye go oa To your inheritance beyond the grave — With a6live underftanding to explore, And with delight your Father^s will perform. Faith feeks no witnefs to the word of God, But God the Holy Spirit's fealing pow'r. The rcind, thereon reclining, faftly fleeps. And wakes ferenely confident in God : Thereon depending, all the active foul Ag^'iinil the menace of oppofing holts Undaunted dares advance. What enemy Can, by furprife or ftorm, the foul overcome Waird by Omnipotence ? No courage Hands In conflict like the courage built by Faith On God's immutable eternal love. Faith in all ages has done wondrous things.— Abel by Faith excell'd his brother Cain, When each his offering to Jehovah brought: By Faith old Enoch Ical'd the walls of death. And cnter'd heav'n co^ujplete, without a wound From [ ^-9 ] From his deftru(51:ive arrows ; entered heav'n Triumphant in his great Redeemer's name I Noah by Faith prepared himlelf an ark, And weather'd out the ftorm which funk a world : The friend of God, and father of the faints, Exceird all others by fuperior Faith j And left his name, thus honoured, on the page Of Fame's belt records to adorn the world ; By Faith the patriarchs thro"" this wildernefs Each other foUow'd where Jehovah calPd j Obtain'd at length the Canaan they defir'd. And won fuch laurels as will never fade : By Faith the righteous kings of Ifraei Went forth to certain conqueft, and return'd. Laden with fpoils from fiaughter'd enemies, Afcribing viftory to God alone : One chas'd a thoufand, and ten thoufand fled Before two heroes ann'd with Faith divine * 1 By Faith the martyrs calmly met the flames On wliich to heav-n they rode j unfhaken faw The cruel racks their perfecutors brought, And pray'd for thofe who us'd them, while they bore The fharpefl; torments malice could invent ; Thus arm'd, they fmli'd at Perfecution's frown. And wore thofe laurels with triumphal fhouts Which fprung from ground they water'd with their blood I * I Sam. xiv. 6, &c. C 3 Womaa, I 30 3 Women, by Faith in Jefus, undifmay'd, Stood firm againll the rage of earth and hell United, and with placid patience bore The worfl extremes of torture and difgrace. Nor is Faith barren or inaftive cow, Tho' now no more the dreadful roar we hear Of Perfecution raging thro' our ftreets ; 7^1ie worl.l and Satnn ftill find v/ork to do Fnr thofe whofe hearts on heavenly things are fet : >Viihorit are fnaies, within depravity, ^V'uch makes the Chriftian figh when he would ling ; J>ut, while the conflict lafts, with Ikiii divine " And with divine activity infpir'd, Faith, like a bee, through all the facred word From one fweet promife to another flies. And fucks froai each immortal nourilhment; Till on the rofe of Sharon it alights, (That glorious flow'r which bloom'd on Calvary; A flow'r whofe fragrance fill'd the courts of heav'a With everlalting fweets, and fcented earth With odours which attraft celeftial feet) : Then all the pailions, overwhelm" d in fweets. And ftruck with beauties infinite, diffolve Into delight ferene and rapture ftrong. And love and adoration fill the foul ! This was the fight which angels long'd to fee, Which Heav'n looked down with wonder to behold ! Jehovah's attributes in harmony, The [ 31 1 The dreadful and the kind, were here difplsyM ; The Power, the Truth, the Juftice, and the Love >. And Tinners' names were thro' the fcene infcnb'd, Without their nns annex'd. A fpotlefs hoft, Cleans'd from defilement, and fi'om guilt fet free. Were in this rriirror of perfeftion Teen. Here towering Faith and her twin-filter Hope Are born at once, and hand in hand go on. Believing and expelling, till in heaven The bud becomes a fiow'r, the dawn full day, And both are fwaliow'd up of perfe<5l LOve 1 ON HOPE. TIR"'D with the retrofpeft of pleafures pafl. And fearing prefent pleafures may not laft, I call an heav'n-born beauty to my aid. And court acquaintance with the virtuous maid j Hope is her name. — In ever-green array She walks the day, and waits the night away ; Heav'n is her birth-place, but on earth fhe lives. And, byherfmiles, the aching heart relieves. How much may be fuiiain'd of prefent ill. While future profpe6ls keep the paffions Hill ! Hope, from the prifon of diftrefs, may fee The manfions of triumphant liberty j And point the foul, that fits in forrow's cave. To pleafures which furvive the threat'ning grave ; C 4 Alleviating r 3* ] Alleviating thus it's prefent pain By the rich profpecl of eternal gain ! Cajm in the midft of the flirrounding ftorm, And in the calmeft fcene devoutly warm, Hope, on her anchor leaning, Hands lecure j Her ground immutable, her harvell fure ! Siich is the ChiiAian's hope ; — but hopes there arc Which lead to difappointment and defpair; Founded on quickfands which muft foon give way, And iink the foul that truils them in difmay. Bfholu yon fhip '-y dreadful tempefts hurld. From wave to wave, along the wat'ry world j Now deep beneath the fwelling furge it lies. And now the billows lift it to the fkies ; The failors ply their utmoil fkill and flrength. And ftruggle with deftruftion — till at length, Worn out with fruitlefs toil, the helplefs crew Sink in defpair, with only death in vievs^! Now o'er their hcvids the parting clouds difplay A fpeck of azure, and a glimpfe of day ; Swift, as that light darts thro' the gloomy air, Fair Hope defcends, and banifhcs defpair. To men like thefe, how welcome fuch a fight ! Their eyes how glad to meet long abfenl light » Flow does the cheering palTion kindle round, And thankful (houts along the deep relound ! But fee a foul, on feas of guilty fear, From Hope's green fhores fall failing for defpair ! Unwilling [ 33 ] Unwilling to advance, yet forc'd away By the ilrong gale of God's flrift equity ! . A broken law demands the finner's blood 5 Jiiftice ftands plaintiff for an injured God j Confcience, fubpcena'd to the awful bar. Turns evidence, and leaves him to defpair ! Condemned already, ere his caufe is tryM, Unable Truth's bright prefence to abide. Away he flies ! — But whither can he go— Juftice behind, before hiin endlefs woe ? Fall to the deep he fpeeds that leads to hell, And quits the ihores where Hope and Mercy dwell : Hide me, he cries, from that tremendous frown ! Ye gloomy pow^s of darknefs, drag me down j And in your clofeft caverns let me lie Conceal'd awhile from that all-fearching eye ! Now on the verge of time behold him ftand, Behind purfu'd, befet on either hand j The fhorelefs ocean of eternity, As he advances, gaining on his eye : Billow^s of endlefs fire around him roll, And burfting thunders fliake his guilty foul ! Now where is Hope ? Can God or Juflice change ? Can hell be quench'd, or fouls immortal range A circuit wider than Jehovah's eye. And thus avoid eternal mifery? No ! — God's immutable, — and Juflice hears No fuppliant's cry, is melted by no tears j . C 5 Not C 34 I Not penitence itfelf has pow'r to ward The guilty foul from his avenging fword j Nor can a creature from Jehovah's eye Ee hid one moment of eternity ! Yet, lo, fuperior to this tenfold night, Fair Hope appears in robes of heavenly light ! From her bright lamp almighty Mercy beams I Where fliines this prodigy ? From Sinai's fiaracs And hell's deep caverns turn away thine eyes. And fee on Calvary the Day-ilar rife ! Jefus the Saviour has atonement made! Jefus the Surety all the debt has paid ! Jefus the Man rellores tlie broken law \ J uftice from finners may his hand withdraw ; Jefus the God gives fanftion to the deed, And Truth herfelf proclaims the fmner freed ! Tills is the ground where Hope of Glory Hands, And boundlefs profpe^ls of delight commands 5 This is the way, and this the only road. From fm and death to holinefs and God : All other paths to hopelefs ruin tend, And muil at length in hopelefs ruin end. Jehovali's name in Jesus is reveal'd j Behind his common works it lies conceal'd. Search Nature's volume through, and thou Ihalt fee In ev'ry flower, and plant, and bufli, and tree. The C 35 J The footfteps of a God are left behind ; But God himfelf in thefe thou canft not find. i^ Or lift thine eyes, and thro' the tracklefs air Inquire his name of ev'ry rolling liar j Alk them who gave their lucid fubllance birth, And taught their wondrous influence on the earth : They'll tell thee all, as in their fpheres they fhine. Their luftre's borrowed from a boundlefs mine j God they proclaim to all the creatures round. From Albion's fliores to earth's remoteft bound 5 But what his name, his nature, or his will. Their filent beams in darknefs leave thee ftill. His name's a fecret thou canft never know From ought above the ftars or ought below, Till through thy heart he makes each letter Ihine In crimfon chara6lers of blood divine. God is the ocean of delight unknown. That fills the happy myriads round his throne ! Grace from this ocean like a river role. And back to God with ceafelefs motion flows. Mercy's fair veflel on this river fails Safe to the port of heav'n, nor ever fails. No ftorms can fink the foul that ventures here. This Hope was never conquer"d by defpair ; This is the ttable anchor of the foul, That fix'd abides while tempefts round it roll j Long is the cable, but it's hold is fure, The faints ftiall triumph, but they muft endure. C 6 . THE [ 36 I THE WELLS OF SALVATION. "WHAT joys unfpeakable are felt and fung When Chriftians round Salvation's living wells Exalting Hand, and wonder at the love Which burft the fountains open ! Love immenfe— An ocean without bounds ! Jehovah's love, Unfougbt by Tinners, yet to fmners flows Free as the air they breathe into their lips I How does a drop increafe into a ftream In every heart that feels it, and a ftream As faft into a flowing river rife ! Where ftands this fountain ? Calvary's the fpot.— - Not that which pilgrhns vifit in the land Which once was holy, where Emmanuel dy'd 5 Unholy feet may climb that horrid fteep, And walk unholy down : no virtue there To cleanfe or to refrefli was ever found. This facred hill, whence life's eternal fpring Inceflant flows, is holy, heav'nly ground j And Faith alone the fteep afcent can climb. \"(Si fuch the virtue of this fountain is, That only Faith can tafte it — living faith In a once dead Redeemer — living faith In him who dy'd, but now for ever lives j And lives to the fame end for which ne dy'd ! Faith of old time turn'd rivers into blood. And [ 37 ] And thus evincM its origin divine j And thus the King of kings was glorify'd In the deftruftion of a rebel lealm. Now faith divine, with Ikill divinely taught, Draws living water from redeeming blood }— That well without a bottom, ftill fupply'd From the vail fea of everlafting love. Pure is this water, and the foul that drinks Is by it purify'd ; nothing unclean. Approaching it, returns unclean away. Here, fmner, thy polluted foul immerfe : And, though the guilt of fm original. And fms committed, fmk thee down to hell In expeftation. On the wings of faith To heav'n from this pure fountain thou (halt rifJ And find admittance there j the op'ning gates Shall found thy welcome, as their leaves expand i The facred bofom of redeeming Love Shall give thee entrance into reft fupreme j While fov'reign Mercy's everlafting arms Clafp thee with love parental, and proclaira Thy fonfliip to the bleft inhabitants : The bleft inhabitants, with fhouts fublime. Shall fmg of thy falvation, till the fhouts Fly over all the everlafting hills, And vaft eternity replies, Amen. This fountain, when the weary traveller. On pilgrimage to Zion, faint with thirft. Approaches [ 38 1 Approaches for refrefliment, yields him ftrength Immediate, and his weary foul renews So fudden, that he foon, if walking, runs j And, if he ran before, takes wing and flies Like a young eagle * to the gates of heav'n. WHAT MUST WE DO TO BE JOYFUL? REJOICE in God, the word commands. And feign would I obey j Yet (till my lingering fpirit ftands And trembles with delay. How can my foul exult for joy Which feels this load of fm ? How can fweet praife my tongue employ While darknefs reigns within ? Whence fhould my lips give rapture birth. When I no rapture feel ? Or how (hould notes of heav'nly mirth Sound from an heart of Iteel ? If falling tears and rifmg fighs In triumph {hare a part ; Then, Lord, behold thefe ftreaming eyes, And fearch this bleeding heart. * Ifaiah xl. 31. My [ 39 3 My foul forgets t«^ufe her wings j My harp neglefted lies j For fin has broken all its firings. And guilt fhuts out my joys. In vain I fearch the creatures round ; Their ev'ry anfwer this — ** No pleafure can in us be found If God is not your blifs." At length I hear a gentle voice Salute my ravifh'd ears — ^ ** Rejoice, thou ranfom'd foul, rejoice. And dry thofe fLilling tears ! Amaz'd, I turn, grown ftrangely bold. This wond'rous thing to fee ; And there my dying Lord behold, Stretch'd on the bloody tree ! " Sinner," he cries, ** behold the head This thorny wreath entwines j Look on thefe wounded hands, and read Thy name in crimfon lines : Thefe wounds I bear, thefe pains I feel, This anguifh rends my breaft. That I may fave thy foul from hell, And give thee endlipfs reft," The C 40 T The pow'r, the fweetnefs, of that voics My llony heart can move, Make me in Chrift my Lord rejoice. And melt my foul to love. No more my harp neglefted lies With filent, broken firings j From earth my foul has learn'd to rife. And mounts on eagles' wings. My dying Saviour's wond'rous love On earth employs my tongue j And when. I walk in white above That love fliall be my fong. PRAISE FOR SALVA_TION> FATHER, our hearts would now afpire. On wings of faith and ftrong defire. To thy celellial courts above. Where all is glory, peace, and love. We praife thee for the boundlefs grace Extended to our fallen race, When we, in our firtt parents, fell From Eden to the gates of hell. We praife the Son, who freely came From heav'n to bear our fm and fliame ; Who fought, who conquerd, all our foes. And bore the weight of all our woes. Wa [ 41 ] We blefs the Spirit's facred namr. Who kindled that internal flame Of holy faith, and holy love. Which draws and keeps our hearts above. PRAISE FOR A COMPLETE SAVIOUR. WE long for that fair morning's light. When we, in robes of fpotlefs white. Shall join the bright redeemed throng To fmg that new and endiefs fong— • To him that lov'd us when we lay Conceal'd in uncreated clay ; To him that lov'd us, though we fell, And fav'd us from the pains of hell- To h'm that found us dead in fin, And planted holy life within j To him that taught our feet the way From endiefs night to endiefs day— To him that wrought our righteoufners, And fan(51ify"d us by his grace j To him that brought us back to God,^ Thro' the red fea of his own blood- To him that fits upon the throne, The great, eternal I hree in One— To him let faints and angels raife An everlalting fong of praife ! A PRO. [ 4i ] A PROSPECT OF THE LAST DAY. I KNOW that my Redeemer lives : And that bright morning will appear When every Ibul that now believes Shall rife and meet him in the air. Soon fliall the op'ning clouds difclofe. The terrors of the Judge's frown To all his now prefumptuous foes. And thunder fwift deIlru(5lion down^ The awful trumpet's folemn found Shall foon his near approach declare, And all that fleep beneath, the ground His life-relloring voice fhall hear. What wond'rous grandeur, pow'r, ar^d love. Will our Redeemer then difplay. While earth beneath and heav'n above At once his potent call obey ! But the fame voice that rends the fkies^ And hurls the wicked down to hell. Shall bid the happy faints arife. And with their Lord in glory dwelU Triumphant over fm and death , Thefe bodies into life Ihall fpring ; And tune their firft celeftial breath A bleeding Saviour's love to fmg. AD. r 43 ] ADMIRATION AND JOYFUL EXPECTATION. AND am I bkfl with Jefu's love ? And fliall I dwell with him above ? And will the joyful period come When I fhall call the heav'ns my home ? Think, O my foul, v;hat muft: it be A world of glorious minds to fee, Drink at the fountain head of peace. And bathe in everlalling blifs 1 To hear them all at once proclaim Eternal glories to the Lamb j And join, with joyful heart and tongue. That new, that never-ending fong I And does the happy hour draw near. When Chrift will in the clouds appear j And I without a vail Ihall fee The Man, the God that bled for me 1 If in my foul fuch joy abounds While weeping faith explores his wounds, How glorious will thofe fears appear When perfeft blils forbids a tear ! Think, O my foul, if 'tis fo fweet On earth to fit at Jefu's feet, What muft it be to wear i crown. And fit with Jefus on his throne ! THE [ 44 1 THE COMING OF CHRIST TO JUDGMENT. LO, he comes, array 'd in vengeance. Riding down the heav'nly road j Floods of fury roil before him.— Who can meet an angry God ? Tremble fmners, Who can Hand before his rod ! Lo he comes, in glorj' fliining ; Saint?, arife and meet your King ! ** Glorious Captain of falvation, Welcome ! welcome 1" hear them Cmg f Shouts of triumph, Make the heav'ns with echoes ring. Now, defpifers, look and wonder I Hear the dreadful found *' Depart," Ratrllng, like a peal of thunder, Thro* each guilty rebel's heart I Loft for ever, Hope and fmners here muft part 1 Still they h-ear the awful fentence j Hell refounds the dreadful roar, While their heart-firings twinge with anguifh, Trembling on the burning (liore ! Juftice feals it- Down they fmk, to rife no more t How E 45 3 How they ihrink, with horror viewing Hell's deep caverns op'ning wide! Guilty thoughts, like ghofls purfuing, Plunge them aown the rolling tide I Now confider, Ye who fcorn the Lamb that dy'd ! Hark J ten thoufend harps refounding ! Form'd in bright and graild array, See the glorious armies rifmg, While their Captain leads the way ! Heav'n before them Opens an eternal day ! COMMUNION WITH SAINTS ABOVE. "TIS good to wait upon the Lord When Chrift himfelf draws near, And ev'j y heart with one accord Akends in folemn prayer. While thus we feel the Saviour's love In heav'nly ihow'rs defcend. Our foul. con?rfiune with faints above In biifs that knows no end. We tafte the precious ftreams of grace j The fountain makes them fmg : We travel thro' the wildernefs j They fit before the King. Wc C 46 ] We pv^y for grace to hold out well The conflict but begun ; They of their paft engagements tell, And fing the conquefts won. We fight the battles of the Lord, And are fometimes call down ; They wield no more the warrior's fword. But wear the conqueror's crown.' The faints above, in fpotlefs white, For ever fing and fliine 5 Our clothing oft abhors the light. And we in darknefs pine. Yet we all eat one living bread. And fhare one noble birth j Tho' they in heav*n are richly fed. And we fupply'd on earth. They all were once as vile as we. And wore the chains of fin j Like us they itruggled to be free. And mourn'd the plague within. And foon fhall we, as bright as they, In lobes of honour fhine, And fpend with them an endlefs day, In pleafures all divine. Then C 47 1 Then ftiall we all begin at home One everlafting fong : Till then, dear Lord, thy kingdom come ) Nor let the time be long. A PROSPECT OF THE RESURRECTION, \^HAT joys will crown that happy hour, When in the air the Lord we meet. And triumph o'er infernal pow'r. With Satan bruis'd beneath our feet ! ' When waking millions burft their way. Inverted with immortal white, And freed from chains of mouldVing clay. Thro' death's ftrong bars to op'ning light I When happy myriads with their Lord Defcend betwixt the op'ning fkies. And fly, at his almighty word. To meet their bodies as they rife. Then we, who feel g ult's barbed fling. And fm s pernicious influence prove. Shall, with the rifmg armies, fing The wonders of redeeming love ! Then fliall the broken wheels of time To vaft eternity give way j While we afcend the heav'nly clime. To fpend an everlafting day. lii> f 48 ] No fin fliall in our hearts abide ; No pii^ing wifti, no anxious care. No fecret lull, no fwelling pride. No thought but love, (hall harbour there. In that bright world no cloud fhall rife To wrap the heav'nly fcenes in night j No darknefs vail th' eternal fkies, Or fliade their everlaltin^ light. CHRISTIAN ENCOURAGEMENT. TEMPTED fouls, arife and fmg j Conquell foon your heads fhall crown, Jefus, our viftorious King, Soon fhuU tread the tempter down. Soon before your joyful eyes Satan fhall in chains appear, Sentenc d (never more to rife) To the realms of dark defpair. Weeping faints, a little wliile BanlHi'd frc.n the light of day. Soon before your Saviour's fmile Every fhade will fly away. Clouds m?.y thro' the night endure. But the morning foon will come, When, from future clouds fecure, Zion's fun fhall %ht you home. Happy C 49 ] Happy fouls, who read your names In your Saviour's bleeding wounds. While your love afcends in flames, While your faith and hope abounds. Shout his praifes more and more j Tell the world a Saviour's love. Till that Saviour you adore In the happy world above ! PRAISE FOR REDEEMING LOVE, HOS ANNA to the God of love. Who condefcended from above To bring falvation down ! We blefs his name, who ftoop'd fo low To fave us from eternal woe. And raife us to a crown. Wlien we, in our firft parents, fell From Eden to the gates of hell. And lay like captives there. Then Jefus call a pitying eye On wretches dooni'd for fni to lie For ever in defpair. His bowels, where compafTion rolls. Then yearning o'er our guilty fouls, D Did C 50 \ Did firft for fmners move. Kis opening heart difplay'd our names. And ifm'd forth in quenchlels flames Of everlafling love. His majefty he laid afide. Obedient liv'd, fubmiifive dy'd. Our ruin'd fouk to fave. The pow'rs of hell he trampled down. But funk, beneath his Father's frown. From Calv'ry to the grave. How vaft the fufFerings who can tell. When Jefus fought fm, death, and hell, And was in battle flain ? How great the triumph who can fing, When from the grave th' immortal King Triumphant rofe again ? Yet we'll attempt his name to blefs While we pafs thro' the wildernefs To Canaan's happy fliore. But when we reach the plains above. And every breath we draw is love^ We'll fmg lus glories more. A RE. [ 51 1 A RESPONSIVE HYMN. MEK. LIFT up your hearts in folemn lays. Ye daughters of the heav'nly King. WOMEN. Our hearts we lift, our fongs we raife ; And Jefus is the theme we fing ! MEN. Jefus ! the glorious name revives Our drooping hearts when troubles rife, WOMEN. In him the ftrength of Zion lives 5 By him the pow'r of Satan dies» MEN. 'Twas he who hung upon the tree With pierced hands and wounded fide. WOMEN. Believing foul, he bled for thee ; For thee the King of glory dy'd '. MEN. For us he dy'd, for us he rofe ; To us, in him, are all things giv'n : WOMEN. His own right-arm fubdu'd our foes ; And now he reigns for us in heav'n, D % BOTH. [ 5x ] BOTH, Jlis bofom is the fountain head. Which flows with everlalling love. Join every tongue his praile to ipread. Whole praife employs the holls above. THE GRACE OF CHRISTIAN LOVE. HOW fweet, hew heav'nly is tlie fight. When thole that love the Lord In one another's peace delight. And lb fulfil his word. When each can feel his brother figh. And with him bear a part ; When forrow flows from eye to eye, And joy from heart to heart. When, free from envy, fcorn, and pride, Our wiflies all above, Each can his brother's failings hide. And fliew a brother's love. When love, in one delightful fl:ream. Thro' every bofom flows ; When union fweet, and dear elleem. In every adlion glows. Love is the golden chain that binds The happy fouls above ; And he's an heir of heav'n that finds His bofom glow with love. CHRIST [ 53 ] CHRIST THE ONLY REFUGE FOR LOST SINNERS. SINNERS, away from Sinai fly ! To Calv'ry's bloody fcene repair j Behold the Prince of glory die. And read your dear-bought pardon there ! Search into every open wound ; Trace the ftiarp fcourge, the nails, the fpear j And thy falvation will be found In golden letters written there. No works of man, to raife the fum Or pay the ranfom, muil be brought j Helplefs and poor to Jefus come. Nor ftrive to bring a peife6l thought. Your faith, your hope, and righteoufnefs. Are treafur'd up in him alone ; Your rich fupplies of grace and peace Spring from the works your Lord has done. Hell opens her ten thoufand graves To fwallow thofe that die in fin j But all the great Emmanuel faves Heav'ns open gates ihall welcome in. There Ihall the blood-wafh'd armies go That truft the great Redeemer here j The plant that buds with grace below Shall ripen into glory there ! D 3 A SOUL r 54 ] A SOUL MELTED WITH REDEEMING LOVE, WHEN on my beloved I gaze. So dazzling his beauties appear. His charms fo tranfcendantly blaze. The fight is too melting; to bear ! When from my own vilenefs I turn To Jefus, exposed on the tree, With Hiame and v/ith wonder I burn. To think what he fuffer'd for me. My fms, oh how black they appear. When in that dear bofom they meet ! Thofe fms were the nails and the fpear That wounded his hands and his feet. 'Twas Juftice that wreath'd for his head The thorns that encircled it round. Thy temples, Emmanuel, bled, That mine might v/ith glory be crowned I The wonderful love of his heart. Where he has recorded my name. On earth can be known but in part. Heaven only can bear the full flame. In rivers of fcrrow it flow'd, And flowM in thofe rivers for me j ^ My fins are all drown'd in his blood j My foul is both happy and free. SECOND SECOND PART. HOW willing was Jefus to die. That we, fellow finners, might live ! The life they could not take away How ready was Jefus to give ! They pierced his hands and his feet } His hands and his feet he refign'd j The pangs of his body were great. But greater the pangs of his mind. That wrath would have kindled a hell Of never- abating defpair In millions of creatures, which fell On Jefus, and fpent itfelf there. Divinity burft in a blaze Of vengeance on Jefus our head j Divinity's indwelling rays Suftain'd him till nature was dead. Divinity back to his frame The life he had yielded reftor'd. And Jefus, entomb'd, was the fame With Jefus in glory ador'd. No nearer we venture than this. To gaze on a deep fo profound j But tread, while we tafte of the blifs. With reverence the hallowed ground. D4 [ 55 3 THE CHRISTIAN'S COMPANY AND EMPLOYMENT. JESUS, away from earth I fly. And with thy church unite ; Thy faints fhall be my company. Thy prefence my deJight. Thy name fnall dwell upon my tongue, Thro"" all the heavenly road ; Thy truth and grace fliall be my fong Till I get home to God. The wonders of thy bleeding love For one fo vile as I Shall often drr.w my heart above. And fix my thoughts on high. Yes, in thy name I will rejoice. And triumph in thy word j In echo to ray heart, my voice Sliall magnify the Lord. And may I never ceafe to tell The wonders of his love, Till heav'nly notes my bofom fwell In yonder courts above : Till I, with.Gut a jarring found, Thy fiee falvation fmg, And make thofe chryflal walls refound The glories of my King. THE [ 57 3 THE CONVERSION OF A SINNER. ON the brink of fiery ruin Juftice, with a flaming fword, Was my guilty foul purfuing, When I firft beheld my Lord. Terrify'd with Sinai's thunder. Straight I flew to Calvary j Where I faw with love and wonder Him, by faith, who dy'd for me. ** Sinner," he exclaim'd, " Tve lovM thee With an everlaft:ing love j Juflice has in me approved thee. Thou flialt dwell with me above," Sweet as angels' notes in heav'n. When to golden harps they found, Is the voice of lins forgiv'n To the foul by Satan bound : Sweet as angels' harps in glory Was that heav'nly voice to me. When I faw my Lord, before me. Bleed and die to fet me free ! Saints, attend with holy wonder ! Sinners, hear and fmg his praife ! 'Tis the God that holds the thunder Shews himfelf the God of grace ! D 5 AM [ 58 3 AN EKCOURAGING PROSPECT FOR BELIEVERS, EXALT, ye faints, the Lord your King, While time inceflant moves : Chriflians of grace ftiould ahvays fing. For Jefus always loves. Swift as the winged moments roll Our feet to Canaan move ; And foon Ihall each enraptur'd foul Be fwailow'd up in love. Soon fnalj the heav'nly gates unfold To us their pearly leaves, And we fhall with thefe eyes behold What now our faith believes. Tliere (hall our difembody'd fouls With all they feek be blefs'd j And bathe, till time no longer rolls, In undiilurbed reft : Then with our glorious Lord defeend Betv/ixt the opening fkies, And hear his voice the mountains rend. And fee the dead arife. And (while in flames the wicked burn) With bodies heavenly fair. Home with our Jefus we'll ret^lTn, And fmg his praifes there. THE £ 59 a THE SOUL RESISTING TEMPTATIONS. LORD, at thy feet in duft I lie. Nor can from thence remove j If I muft perifti— here I'll die, Depending on thy love. Ill fmg redeeming grace in hell. If ever I go there ; Of Jefu's wounds and pafTion tell. While devils howl defpair. I plead no merits of my own, I've trampled on thy laws j Thy Juftice, Lord, might ilrike me dead. But Jefus pleads ray caufe. On him I calt my helplefs foul^ Nor Satan's malice fear j Tho"" hell's black waves againft me roll, I'll feek my refuge there. I'll look into his wounded fide. Whence all my comforts flow j Nor Ihall my foul be fatisfy'd Till I my int'rell know. I'll plead and pray, and never ceafe While Jefus lives in heav'n. Till he {hall bid me go in peace. And fliew my fms forgiv'n. D 6 Then, C 60 } Then, in the face of hell and death, In weaknefs more than ftrong, Salvation fliall employ my breath. And grace be all my long. Yea, tho' ten thoufand foes I meet, Onward I Hill will go ; His love fhall make my trials fweet. His grace fhall bring me through : Till I arrive on Canaan's fhore. With all the faints above. Never to fm or forrow more, But fing, and praife, and love., HOLY CONFIDENCE. WHEN firm I ftand on Zion's hill. And view my ilarry crown. No pow'r on earth my hope can fhake^ Nor hell can pluck me down. The lofty hills and ftately tow'rs. That lift their heads fo high. Shall all be levelPd in the duft ; Their very names fhall die. The vatilted heav'ns fhall melt away. Built by Jehovah's hands ; But firmer than the heav'ns the rock Of my falvation ftands. THE [ 6I ] THE COMING OF CHRIST ANTICIPATED. COME, lift your joyous eyes To yonder heav'nly place, Where, freed from fin, your fouls fliall rife> And fing redeeming grace. Tho' death and hell may frown. And charge the faints with guilt j Yet death and hell fhall ne'er pull down The church which Chrift has buHt. To S ion's blifsful fhore. As on our way we go, "While hallelujahs found before, 'Tis heav'n begun below. Then call your willows down ; Lift up your hearts and fmg, Till Chrift your heads with glory crown. And make each faint a king. In expeftation fweet We'll wait, and fmg, and pray. Till his triumphal car we meet. And fee an endlefs day. He comes ! he comes ! behold His prefence melts the fky ! Celertial armies, clad in gold, Around his chariot fly. He C 6i ] He comes ! the conqu'ror comes ! Death falls beneath his fword j The joyful prisoners burft the tombs, And rife to meet their Lord ! The trumpet founds, " Awake !— Ye dead, to judgment come P' The pillars of creation lliake While hell receives her doom. Thi ice happy morn for thofe Who love the ways of peace ; Ko night of forrow e'er fliall clofe. Or iliade, their perfecSt blifs. NEW COVENANT JOY. REJOICE, ye faints of God, Whofe undiverted feet Still travel Zion's road Your gracious Lord to meet j Whofe bofoms glow with holy love, Whofe hearts and hopes are iix'd above* We are not come to gaze On Sinai's mount with awe, Or meet the angry blaze Of God's indignant law, While round us flames of wrath divine In all their dreadful glories fhine ; We C 63 ] We are not come to hear The thunder of that word That fills the foul with fear. And leaves the heart ftill hard ; That fends the trembling wretch away Without a glimpfe of heav'nly day. But we are come to hear The found of gofpel peace, That fcatters llavifh fear. And kindles hopes of blifs j That fhews our wandering feet the way From darknefs to eternal day : Eut we are come to meet The fmiles of love divine. From oft the mercy's feat. Where mxilder glories fhine j Where God the Father waits to hear The vileft finner's humble pray'r : Where Jefus, our high-prieft, A mediator ftands, And wears the facred vefl ; And fills his holy hands With his vicarious facrifice. Thro"" which our pray'rs accepted rife, [ 64 ] Tlience he the Spirit fends Like a celeftial dove, To crown his earthly friends With honours from above; To teach the finners how to pray. And guide the faints in Zion's way. Yes, we are come to join The bright aflembled throng That, wafh'd in blood divine. Exalt th' angelic fong j That gloiy in the Saviour's name, And fing the fm-atoningLamb. On eai'th the fong begins, In heav'n more fweet and loud, To him that drowns our fins In his atoning blood j To him they cry, in raptYous ftrain, •< Be honour, praife, and pov/'r. Amen !' Ye faints, on earth, repeat What heav'n with rapture owns j And while before his feet The elders caft their crowns, Go imitate the choirs above, And tell the world your Saviour's love, Sing [ 65 ] Sing as ye pals along. With joy and wonder fing. Till finners catch the long, And own your Lord their King 5 Till converts join you as ye go. And make a growing heav'n below. Inform the liU'ning world How Jefus, when he fell. The pow'rs of darknefs hurl'd Down to the deeps of hell ; And, rifmg, bore the refcu'd prize. His church, in triumph thro' the Ikies, Alone he took the field. Alone the battle fought ; With his own fword and fhield The mighty work he wrought. The mighty work was all his own. And let him ever wear the crown. From heav'n, on wings of love, The kind DelivYer came, And left the joys above To bear our fin and (hame. No hand but thine fuch work could do ! No heait but thine fuch love could ihew ! How [ 66 3 ilow bright thy glories fhinc. Redeemer of our race ; Thy honours are divine, Divine thy ibv'reign grace ! The grace that tunes our mortal tongues To found the notes which heav'n prolongs I Our feeble minds ai"e loft Beneath the lofty ftrain ; But, Jordan's billows croft. We'll catch the found again j In praife aiTift th' angelic choir. Nor ever ft op, nor ever tire. THE COURAGE OF FAITH. MY foul, unfetter'd by the fkies. Or oii.ght the fruitful earth conceals. On faith's broad wings to heaven would rife> The heav'n where my Redeemer dwells. There, while the Godhead he difplays Thro' human beauty, void of fear, I'd give my bofom to the blaze Of every grace that centers there ! Yes, I would call my Jefus mine. While feraphs " Holy, holy," cry j And meet the fmile of love divine, Tho' cloth'd in peerlefs majefty. THE [ «7 1 THE GIFT OF DIVINE PEACJ^ TPIE peace which thro" the ilorm Of time unftiaken lives, To us unworthy worms The King of Sion gives ; His princely hand the gift bellows Not as the world — but on his foes I By purchafe and by pow'r He bought and took the prize In one tremendous hour, And bore it thro' the Ikies j And now he fends it freely down On all who afk the precious boon. He makes his foes his friends. He conquers them by love j And, with their pardon, fends His Spirit from above j Their peace and pardon feal'd with blood, They run with joy the heav'nly road. HEAVEN WILL MAKE AMENDS FOR ALU WHILE pilgrims on this earthly ball. Our fweeteil joys are ting'd with gall j The diftant things, which promife reft, Prove lefs than nothing when poiTell, Pleafure, [ 68 1 Pleafure, while we purfue it, flies. And fancy'd blifs deludes our eyes j While grace bedews with many a tear The ground which fin has fown with care. But in the glorious worlds on high No Ibrrows I'pring, no comforts die j Immortal pleafures feail the foul, And joys in endlefs rivers roll. No more the cheek turn'd pale with fear, The rifing figh, the falling tear j The plaintive foul immers'd no more In feas of grief without a (liore. Guilt's barbed fting, with piercing fraart, No more fhall wound the trembling heart j Waih'd from our fms in Jefu's )>lood, We then fliall know the peace of God, THE FRUITS OF PARDONING GRACE. LORD, my very heart would bleed. While for pard'ning love I plead j When I think what various ways t've abus'd thy wond'rous grace : Still I fly to Jefu's veins ; There I wafti my guilty llains j There, from my polluted foul. All my fms like mountains roll. tow C 69 3 Low beneath thy feet I lie j Let me live, or bid me die } But, if thou my days prolong, Shew thyfelf in weaknefs ftrong. O may ev'ry hour to come Bring me near my heavenly home j Near in life, and near in heart, Till my foul and fm fhall part ! May I, all along the road. Follow my Redeemer, God j Ever rifmg let me be Till I rife to dwell with thee. THE DYING LOVE OF CHRIST. WHEN 1 by faith my Saviour fee. And think what he has done for me, It ftrikes my foul with fweet furprize, And fills with tears my wondering eyes !• His blood was (hed to fet me free From everlafting mifery ! On all his beauties while I gaze, And fee them in his fuiTrings blaze, My heart, like wax before the fire. Melts into love and ftrong defire. — His blood was (hed to fet me free From everlalling mifery ! Was C 70 ] Was it for me thofe hands were torn ? For me he fuffer'd fhame and fcorn ? Was it my name wliich, written there. Drew to his heart the bloody fpear ?— Was his blood fhed to fet me free From everlafting miferj' ? Did Jefus hide me in his veins ? And did my fnis awake thofe pains Which, like a fire, thro' all his frame Ravaged in one devouring flame ?— Was his blood fhed to fet me free From everlafling mifery ? Why did the Lord in anger frown ? Why did his Father's wrath come down In florms, to fiiake his fpotlefs foul. And through his heart like waters roll ?— Why, but to fet poor fmners free From everlafling mifery ? Yes, Jefus did refign his breath, And fuffer'd all the pangs of death. That we might fee his Father's face, And tafte the fweets of pard'ning grace :— His blood was fhed to fet us free From everlafting mifery ! With fuch a Saviour, fuch a King, Who can but love I who can but fmg ! [ 71 ] An IntercefTor fo divine Makes.ev'ry face with gladnefs fhine j—J Whofe blood was fhed to fet us free From everlailing miferyl THE ASSURANCE OF FAITH, THE Lord, whofe throne is fix'd on high. The God of glory and of love. That treads the clouds beneath his feet, And rules the wond'rous worlds above : The God that built the ftarry roof That over-hangs this fpacious earth. That laid the floors of heav'n with gold. And gave the whole creation birth : — This God is mine, and I am his— Eternal glory to his name ! Tho' time and nature Hop their courfe^ My God and Saviour is the fame. Tho' hell and fm, with all then: holls United, rife my faith to move, Fix'd on this rock I ftand fecure. And triumph in redeeming love. When earth and heav'n fhall roll away. My foul, beyond the reach of fear, In a new heav'n Ihall meet her Lord, And reign for ever with him there. THE [ 72 3 THE riLGRIMS' SONG. TO Zion we go, the feat of our King, And yet while below we cannot but fnig. Tho' few here efteem us, the God we adore Has dy\i to redeem us — what could he do more ? What Jefus has done to fave us from hell j What conquefts he won when he himfelf fell ; The depths of his forrow, the heights of his love. Will never be known till we {mg them above. Then truft in his name, and reft on his v/ordj He's always the fame unchangable Lord j His wifdom's omnifcicnt, his pow'r is fupreme, His grace is fufficient his flock to redeem. Tho' foes in the way we oftentimes meet. And Satan will lay frefh fnares for our feet. Our journey to Zion we (till will purfue j The God we rely on is faithful and true, Tho' ^ve may feem fmall to thofe whom we fear. Yet what are they all when Jefus is near ? His grace and his Spirit for us are employed j His blood and his merit are both on our fide. Then what Ihall we fear ? In life and in death His Spirit can cheer our hope and our faith : In fweet expectation we'll wait till he come j The Lord our falvation will foon fetch us home. MUTUAL [ 73 3 MUTUAL ENCOURAGEMENT. BRETHREN, while we fojourn here. Fight we muft, but fhould not fear j Foes we have, but we've a friend. One that loves us to the end. Forward then with courage go. Long we fhall not dwell below ; Soon the joj^ful news will come, " Child, your Father calls—Come home i"' In the way a thoufand fnares Lie, to take us unawares j Satan, with malicious art. Watches each unguarded part : But, from Satan's malice free, Saints fhall foon victorious be j Soon the joyful news will come, *' Child, your Father calls — Come home !" But, of all the foes vv-e meet. None fo oft miilead our feefe. None betray us into fin. Like the foes that dwell within. Yet let notliing fpoil your peace, Chrifl will alfo conquer thefe j Then the joyful news will come, " Child, your Father calls— Come home !*■' THE [ 74 I THE WAY, HOPE, AND END, OF THE CHRISTIAN. THUS far on our way to Z'lon We thro' grace divine are come j And the Friend whom we rely on Soon will bid us welcome home, Grace and trutli our fteps attending, Safe we ftill Ihall walk along, Till, our dellin'd journey ending. Truth and grace fliall be our fong. Then thefe eyes, which now with fadnefs Oft in tranfcient clouds appear. Shall be decked with beams of gladnefs, Never more to flied a tear. Then thefe hearts, which now fo often Not the lliarpeft threats can mov«. Nor the fweeteil words can foften. Shall be all diflblv'd in love. Tho' we're ftill with foes fiirrounded. Foes that often da.np our joy, Chrift, who has fo often wounded. Soon will ev'ry foe deftroy. He who doth will yet deliver. Till we reach the happy Ihore, Till we pafs the gloonny river. Till we figli and weep no more. Theii r 75 ] Then the mind, whofe chief employment Is to watch and conflift now, Favoured with complete enjoyment, Siiall with endleis rapture glow ! Soliii hopes like thefe pofieffing. Let us march with courage on, Bold thro' fears and dangers prefilng, Till we wear the conqu'roi *s crown : Till we wave our palms in glory Thro' the blifsful plains above ; Till we found the wond'rous ftory Of the GRE.iT Redeemer's love ! AFTER PRAYER. HOW fweet to wait upon the Lord While he fulfils his gracious word ; To feek his face, and not in vain j To be belov'd and love again ! To fee, while proftrate at his feet, Jehovah on the mercy feat j And Jefus, at the Lord's right hand, With his divine atonement Hand ! " Father," he cries, «' I will that thefe, Before thee on their bended knees. For whom my life I once laid down, Be with me foQn on this ray throne !" Ah [ 76 ] Amen, our hearts with rapture cry. May we with reverence look fo high ! Afcended Saviour, fix cur eyes By faith upon this glorious prize ! ^Vith this delightful profpe6l fir'd, We'll run, nor in thy ways be tir'd j And all the trials here we fee Will make us long to reign w 1th thee. And as we pafs along we'll fmg The grace of our afcended King j Thy fceptre with delight obey, While with thy fword we fight our way, And when thy fweet, thy awful voice, In death invites us to rejoice, Thyfelf, O Saviour, ftrike the blow That flays our lait, our flrongeft foe j Thou didft thyfelf perfume the grave. From fear of death thy faints to fave j Thyfelf thro' Jordan's billows guide Our fouls, and ilem the rolling tide I Thyfelf condufl us to the land Where trees of life in order Hand ; Where blifs, a fea without a fhore. Forbids the bleft to wifli for more ! [ 77 ] THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH. YE faints, that bow at Jefu's feet. In heart and tongue tlie fame, Hofannahs fing, in concord fweet, To our atoning Lamb ! Aloft, beyond th' etherial dome That clips this pond'rous ball, Let praife afcend, till Jefus come. And heav'n's bright curtains fall. Yet, when each orb in yon blue Ikies Shall fet to rife no more, More loud and fweet our fcngs fnall rife To him we now adore. When the bright heav'ns, in liquid fire. Shall melt and burn to drofs. O'er all their ruins ihall afpire The ftandard of the crofs. There Ihall the radiant armies flock V/hom Jefus calls his own. Nor tremble at the mighty fhock That hurls creation down. Firm as the everlafting hills Remains the fmner's friend ; The fiiith which now our boibm fills Shall there in glory end. E 3 When [ 7S ] When angels fliout— *' To judgment corae T^ And God's jull Avrath proclaim, The bloody fign fiiall wave us home To our Jerufalcm. CHRISTIAN TRAVELLERS. PILGRIMS we are, to Canaan bound. Our journey lies along this road j This wildernefs we travel round To reach the city of our God. And here as travellers me meet. Before we reach the fields above. To £t around our Mailer's feet, And tell the wonders of liis love. Oft have we ieen the tejnpefts rife ; The world and Satan, hell and fm, | Like mountains feem'd to reach the ikies With fcarce a gleam of hope between. I But ftill, as eft as troubles come. Our jelus fends Ibme cheering ray. And that ftrong arm fhall guard us home Which thus protects us by tlie way. A few more days, or months, or years. In this dark defert to complain, A few more fighs, a few more tears, And we fhall bid adieu to pain ! FAITI [ 79 ] FAITH FEEDING ON REDEEMING LOVE. SAVIOUR of Tinners, from thy death Our fpirits draw their heavenly breath j Thy dying groans with life abound. And healing flows from ev'ry wound ! Thy forrows are a fruitful tree. Whereon rich bleflings grow for me : Thy fpotlefs i^fe a golden mine, Where all my brighteft treafures fhine. Out of thy fulnefs we receive The grace and faith by which we live j Thy broken body is our food, The wine we drink is thy rich blood. Thy rightecufnefs is all our drefs. In v/hich, before thy father's face, Perfe6l in beauty we appear. Without one fpot to raife a fear. No holinefs of life or thought We know, but what thy grace has wrought j And thy good Spirit makes us do Our heav'nly Father's will below. Not unto us be glory, Lord, But to thy Spirit and thy word ; Salvation is alone of grace. And grace alone fliall have the praife ! E4 AD. [ So ] ADMIRATION AND CCNFIDENCI:. AND may I hope tint, when no more Thele puUes beat with life below, I Ihall the God of life adore, And all the blifs of being know ! I who deferve no place but hell, Ko portion but devouring fire. Shall I with Chrift in glory dwell, PoiTell of all I now deJlre ? Will God, who never could endure On fin to look without a frown, With a kind fmile pronounce me pure, And grant me- an immortal crown ? — Will Jefus own a wretch like me. And tell to faints and angels round 'I'hat, when he fufter'd on the tree, My fins augmented ev'r\' wound ?— Will he from life's eternal book To earth and heav'n proclaim my name ; On me as on his children look. And make ray lot with theirs the fame ?— • Will Jefus, as my furety, place Before his Father's glorious throne Me as an heir of Ibvreign grace. Me as his own adopted fon ? — He [ 8i 3 He will ! — I read it in his word, And in my heart the witnefs feel : I fhall be with and like my Lord, Tho' fm oppofe in league with hell ! I (hall be with him when he comes Triumphant down the parting fkies j And, when his voice breaks up the tombs. Among his children I fhall rife ; — Among his children I fhall ftand When quick and dead his throne furround, Bleft with a place at his right hand. And with immortal glory crown"d ! When all his foes beneath his feet In chains of endlefs torment lie. Unworthy I fhall fill a feat Among the princes of tlie Iky ! ADORATION OF THE REDEEMER. JESUS, thy faints affemble here Thy pow'r and goodnefs to declare j Oh may thefe happy feafons prove That we have known redeeming love ! And, while of mercies pall we fpeak. And fmg of endlefs joys to come. Let thy full glories on us break. And every thought give Jefus room ! E 5 Engrave [ ^^ ] Engrave thy name on ev'ry herut ; And give us all, before we part. The life-reftoring joys to know Which from thy veins in rivers flow. No otlier food may we delire, No other theme our bofoms fire. But fov'reign, rich, redeeming love. While here and when we dwell above ! Thine everlafting love we fing, The fource whence all our pleafures fpring j How deep it finks, how high it flows,— No faint can tell, no angel knows I Its length and breadth no eye can trace. No thought explore the bounds of grace ; Like its dear Author's name, it fliines In infinite unfolded lines ! The love which faves our fouls from hell On this fide lieav'n we ne'er Ihall tell j But, when we reach bright Canaan's plains. We'll found it in immortal ftrains ! PRAISE TO THE KING OF ZIOJS". KING Jefus, reign for evermore Unrivaird in the courts above j While we with all thy faints adore The wonders of redeeming love. No [ 83 ] No other Lord but thee we'll know, No other pow'r but thine confefs j We'll fpread thine honours while below. And heav'n (hall hear us iliout thy grace. We'll fing along the heav'nly road That leads us to our blefs'd abode. Till with the vaft unnumber'd throng On Zion's hill we join our fong : — Till with pure hearts and voices fweet We call our crowns at Jefu's feet. And fmg of everlafting love In everlalting ftrains above, THE PRIVILEGES OF A CITIZEN OF ZION. ZION's the city where I dwell. Surrounded by the hofts of hell ; But glory foon will be my home. Where fm and hell can never come. Till then among the faints below. Where Jelus deigns his face to fhew, Let me be favoured with a place, Conftant in all the means of grace. No earthly city can compare With Zion, when her Lord is there ! Her gifts like golden t^irrets rife ; Her fervent graces melt the Ikies ; E 6 Her L U I Her ftately walls are girt with powV ; Safety and ftrength compofe her tow'r j Firm on a rock her palace ftvands, The glory of the builder's hands. A river, full of peace and love. For ever flowing from above. Makes her inhabitants rejoice. And tunes with praife each mourner's voice. Here all the graces live and reign — A fruitful and a glorious train ! 'i'heir happy influence flied abroad. And point us to their Author— God. Faith, like an eagle from her neft. Mounts up in feaixh of heavenly reft ,: And love, IJlce incenfe from a fire, Afcends in flames of ftrong deflre. Patience, that long enduring, ftiU Submiflive waits Jehovah's will ,- And lively hope, that lifts her head Beyond the regions of the dead. Here all the heav'n-born fons of grace Proclaim the King of Zion's praife, "VVhofe precious name from ev'ry tongue • Flows on in one delightful fong. Oh lovely place, where firfl my heart Was taught for baneful {in to fraart ! Whei e [ ?5 ] Where firft mj' eyes were brought to fee That Jefus liv'd and dy'd for me ! Here would I dwell, and learn to ling The grace and love of Zion's King, Till I afcend the heavenly Ikies And fmg his praifes as I rife — Till in the palace where he reigns I leani, in fweet immortal ftrains. The wonders of that love to tell That fav'd my foul from fm and hell ! The tzLO follo^vhig Pieces ivere occafioned by the Death of an only Son- CHRIST'S UNPARALLELED LOVE. A Friend there is — your voices Join, Ye faints, to praife his name ! — Whofe truth and kindnefs aie divine, Whofe love's a conilant fiame. When mOil we need his helping hand. This friend is always near ; With heav'n and earth at his com nand. He waits to anfwer prayer. His love no end or meafm-e knows. No change can turn its courfe ; Immutably the fame it flov^■s From one eternal fource. When [ 86 ] When frowns appear to veil his face. And clouds furround his throne. He hides the purpofe of his grace. To make it better known. And, if our deareft comforts fall Before his fov'reign will. He never takes away our all,— Himfelf he gives us ilill ! Our forrows in the fcale he weighs. And meafures out our pains j The wildeft ftorm his word obeys. His word its rage relb'ains. No hand can move in earth or hell Againil the foul he loves, But as diredled by his will. But as his love approves. Then let him raife his chaft'ning hand. We bend beneath his rod, Refign his gifts at his command. And ftill adore our God ! Silent be all my anxious fears. My heart no more repine, Since Jefus in his bofom wears The flow'r that once was mine ! rii C 87 J I'll love my Lord, and truft his word, Tho' he thinks fit to frown ; And blefs the hand that holds the fword Which cuts my comforts down. THE SAM E. WHEN Jefus both of God and men Was treated as a thief. His body felt amazing pain, His foul amazing grief. He bore our fms j our forrows fell Like mountains on his foul j Like rifmg feas he faw them fwell. Like raging billows roll. No weeping friend his bofom lent To reft his drooping head j With gaping wounds his flefh was rent. His wounds unpity'd bled. Alone he ftood, alone he fell. Alone the Conqu'ror rofe. Alone he burft the bars of hell. And trampled on his foes ! He knows the heights of heav'nly blifs, The depths of earthly woe j Acquainted well our Jefus is With all the griefs we know, Hhnfelf [ S8 1 Himfelf to friends nnd foes a friend. No friendly hand he found, Tliat would the leaft affiftance lend When dogs befet him round. In heav'n they " Holy, holy !"' cry. When Jefu's praife they fing j On earth they fhouted — " Crucify V And mock'd the lowly King. Alike unraov'd, he bends to wear Heav'n's praifes as his crown j UnmovM alike, he ftands to bear On earth his creatures' frown ! Meek as a lamb beneath the knife Of butchering hands, he lay j And patiently refign^d the life They could not take away. But, oh ! it fhook his foul with dread. And fill'd his heart with fear. When God his Father turn"d his head Againft his fervent prayer ! Why, O ye faints, ye fmners, why Did Jefus fufFer thus ? In heav'n they fliout — on earth they cry— ** Jefus was fii\in for us !'' Our [ 89 ] Our fms were laid upon his head j From us the burden fell : Beneath our forrows Jefus bled. And we are freed from hell 1 His Father's all-pervading eye. That tries the reins and" heart, Could in his foul no blemifli fee. Yet did he make him fmart. For, tho' within his holy breaft No blemifli could be found, With names that had the law tranfgrefs'd His heart was graven round. There Juftice read our legal debt. And fjmm'd the vaft amount j And Jefus plac'd, without regret. All to his own account \ The thunders of a broken law. While gathering o'er hjs head, Unfliaken our Redeemer faw, Tho' fiird with holy dread. Juftice, that held the flaming fword. And found his bofom bare, No drop of mercy could afford, Becaufe our ^uilt was there 1 THE [ 90 ] THE GARDEN OF GRACE. A Garden fenc"d from common earth By fpecial fovTeign grace, Enrich'd with plants of heav'nly birth> The Chui-ch of Jefus is. His Gofpel is the open fky, His love the fhining fun j Rivers of peace, which never dry. Thro"" all this garden rim. His Spirit is the heav'nly wind That o'er this garden blows. And, opening each immortal mind, The Saviour's image fhows. Faith, like an ivy, to the rock That ftands for ever cleaves. And tliro' the tempeft's lo-udeil Ihock Eternkl calm perceives. AfTurance, like a cedar, rears Its (lately branches high. Beyond the reach of doubts and fears. And bloiToms in the fky. Here love appears a fruitful vme. From Cbriil the bleeding root Receiving life and fap divine. And bears immortal fruit. Humility, C 91 ] Humility, a lily fair, Traniplanted from on high, Grows here, perfuming all the air With fweets that never die. Firm patience, like an aloe llrong, By ftorms unlhaken grows. And, changing fcenes enduring long, At length in glory blows. Here hope, a lively evergreen, Difplays her fjniling face ; And iiow'rs of ev'iy hue are feen,— But all arc plants of grace 1 HELP AGAINST THE FEAR OF DEATH. WHEREFORE fliould dark events alai'm, Or fharp temptations make us faint ? The llrength of an almighty arm Keeps and defends the weakeft famt. Yet, till this fcene of a6iion's closed. And we lay down the fhield and fword. We mull oppofe and be oppos'd By thofe who crucify' d our Lord. But glorious will our triumph be When the fevere engagement's done, And we, from fm and forrow free, Afcending, fliout the conquefl won ! But, [ 9:^ ] But, oh ! when rwelling Jordan rolls. Should Chrill his lovely prelence liide. Will it not overvv'helm our fouls / Before Ave reach the Canaan fide ? Who knows how deep the flood may be When we our awful fummcns hear j Or what dark profpe(fts we may fee When his black banners Death fliall rear ? Well, fhould the tyrant Death difplay His uglieft form when we pafs o'er, Cur Ikilful Guide knows all the way From Jordan's brink to Canaan's fliore. Yes, the Redeemer once was dead 1 And, when he pafs'd the gloomy grave, Death's blackeft waves roll'd o'er his head. That we might knov/ his pow'r to fave. THE HARMONY OF CREATION AND REDEMPTION. THE heav'ns above our heads declare Thy glor)'-, Lord, in letters fair j With marks of thine almighty pow'r Adorning each revolving hour. *^ The fun, when he begins his race. The borders of thy works difplays j And, as his glones brighter fliine. More plainly ftows thy fkill divine. Thy [ 93 1 Thy creatures' hearts \vlth rapture bound. While he with fplendid fpeed goes round j And daily, as thy bounteous hand Sheds bleflings down on ev'ry land. The moon, that from her azure throne By night diffufes light alone, Thy feparating fkill proclaims Wher'er fhe fends her borrowed beams. The diftant ftars, that thro' the night From far emit their twinkling light, Expand our views of thy domain, And tell how vaft, how wide thy reign. The various trees, and plants, and fiow'rs. Born of thy heav'n-defcending fnow'rs, V/ith fifties, birds, and b^eafts, unite Thy name thro' earth and feas to .write, Creation's works, in all their forms, From rolling ftars to creeping worms, In never- ceafmg concord join To fnig thy name, thy pow'r divine. But, when the dawn of heav'n we view In fallen fmners born anew. When in the gofpel's brighter fkies We fee the fun of glory rife, No t 94- ] No more we afk the ftirs to teli What Jefus only could reveal j In him at once our eyes behold More than creation ever told. Omnipotence, in accents fage. Creation fings thro' every age ; But Love and Juftice, Truth and Grace, Shine brighteft in Redemption's rays. Thy nature and thy name Ave read When on the crofs we fee him bleed j And, when we hear his dying groan. His fhame and forrow tell our ov/n 1 The kiftre of thy holy law. Thus honour'd, fills our minds with awe j And Calv'ry's fcenes at once reveal More love and wrath than heav'n and hell. How pure the truth that would not fpare Thine equal, thine eternal heir ! Hovv great the love that freely gave Thy fon thine enemies to fave ! Thy juil commands, by him obey'd, In all their beauties ftand difplay'd j Thy righteous vengeance falling there Fills eaith and heav'n with holy fe.ar, CHRIS^ [ 95 ] CHRISTIANS HAVE REASON TO SING. ARISE, ye faints, and fing below In profpeft of the joys above j Think, while you mourn where forrows grow. On yonder world of light and love ! Jefus, the God that once came down, And liv'd a man of forrows here. Now wears in heav'n th' imperial crown, And waits to bid us welcome there. And, ere we reach the happy fliore. His Spirit condefcends to bring A taile, to make us long for more. Of that which makes the angels fing. And, if the eameft of his love We find while yet on earth fo fweet. What mull the full poilelhon prove When round his glorious throne we meet 1 When with immortal eyes we gaze On the full glories of our God, As in Eramanuers face they blaze. And fill with light the bieil abode ! Why {hould the famts be fiiPd with dread. Or yield their joys to ilavilh fear ? Heaven can't be full, which holds the Head, Till ev'ry member's pre/ent there I I« t 96 ] In heav'n the Head— the members here— Ten thoufand thouland, yet but one ! So £ir afunder, yet fo near ! Some yet unborn -fome round the throne ! How bright eternal wifdom fnines When it difplays eternal love, Inftru6llng by thofe dazzling lines The earth beneath and heav'n above ! A CHRISTIAN WELCOME. WELCOME, dear brethren, to this place • Be banifli'd ev'ry (lavilh fear ! Ye come to feek Emmanuel's facej— And he has promised to be here. Seek him in pray'r- — he'll furely come To do us good before we part ; Each humble breall he'll make his home, And dwell in ev'ry waiting heart. He'll come with all his gracious train Of lively graces bright and ftrong j Then fliall the Lamb for fmners flain Sound loud and fweet from ev'ry tongue. Oh then be earneft, take no nay, He'll anfwer ev'ry good defire ; Give bim your hearts— tho' cold as clay, They'll melt like wax before the fire ! ON C 97 ] - ON THE BIRTH OF EMMANUEL. WHEN heathen pow'r its higheft pitch had gain'd, And idol gods, of man's invention, reign'd 5 What time Augullus fill'd a peaceful throne. And Satan calPd a captive world his own — The Lord of lords, and heav'n's eternal King, The Prince of Peace, whofe name archangels fing. The greateft Hero earth has ever known. Came down to claim the kingdoms for his own. No armed bands before the warrior rode, No clafhing fpears embru'd his path with blood j Superior arms the heavenly Monarch chofe To cru{h the pow'r of his rebellions foes. The dreadful fword by which his foes are flain. With -ev'ry wound gives everlafting pain. No founding trumpet call'd the world to war, His peaceful herald was a fdent ftar ; No Ihouting rabble hail'd him from the (kies. The fliining herald pointed to tlie wife ; The wife, obedient, left their native place To feek the royal babe of David's race j Then gladly at their infant SovYeign's feet Their gifts prefenting, with fubmiflion meet, Worfliipp'd their King, tho' in a manger born. While his own fubjefts treated him with fcorn. Yet, tho' neglefted by ungrateful earth, Celellial armiej fung Emmanuers birth j F Ansel [ 98 ] Angels obedient to Jehovah's law. Who ferve with love, and vi^orfliip him with awe. Proclaimed to men the advent of their King-, And made the heav'ns with hallelujahs ring : The echoing heav'ns to earth convey'd the found, And rous'd the watchful fhepherds from the ground : ** Glory to God," the enraptur'd cherubs cry, *' Who dwells in uncreated Majefty ; *' Peace and good-will to men, who dwell below, " Henceforth in everlafting rivers flow." CHRISTIANS, LOOK HOMEWARD, PR AW near, O ye blelTed, and help me to fmg The treafures for you laid in llore. When at laft you fhall meet your dear Shepherd and King, To weep in this defert no more. Oh think with what rapt'rous fhouts we fhaji rife To^join with the glorified choirs, When Jefu's bright chariot appears in the fkies. And death at his coming expires ! When '' Come, O ye blefled," founds fweet in our ears. By Love everlafting expreft, What place will be found for our doubts and our fears In fi^ht of the manfion of reft ? No f 9? 1 No more ihall the wicked our comforts amioy. Nor confcience from guilt feel a wound j No tree of temptation, our peace to deftroy. Shall in the bleft region be found. No pafTions, unholy, our boforas fhall move To taint the fair manfions with ftrife : Our Shepherd fhall feed us on paftures of love. And lead \is to fountains of life. Look up, ye deje6led, that weep as ye go, And complain that no comfort ye prove j Caft down your fad willows, and fmg while below Of the blifs that awaits you above. Anticipate heav'n, it will fweeten thofe hours When forrows all round you appear j Will ftrew all the road to mount Sion with flowers, And fmooth the rough path-way of care. A DAY OF CHRISTIAN HOPE. O MAY my future days be fpent like this. In expectation of eternal blifs. In pray'r and meditation on the word, Bleft with the prefence of my gracious Lord. Borne on the wings of faith half-way to heay'n^ With grateful fong for what's already giv'n j Anticipating that which is to come. And prefling forward to my heavenly home ! F z And [ 100 ] And doft thou, O my foul, experience this ? Then heaven is thine, and eveiiailing blifs ; Heaven is thy home, and jefus thy delight. Thy fong by day, thy comfort in the night. Sin ii thy foe, yet death iliall prove thy friend ; Thy joys fpring tliere, and there thy forrows end : Then fhalt thou fee, while cherubs round thee fmg. In all his beauty, Zion's glorious King ! There flialt thou bid adieu to all thy cares. For God himfelf fliall wipe away thy tears. Delightful habitation ! bleft abode ! Whofe light is Jeilis, and v/hofe temple God ! When fliall I, v/ith immortal eyes, behold Thy Jiving fountains and thy ilreets of gold ? When on the banks of thy clear river tread. While fruits of life hang ripening o'er my head ? When (hall I" fee thy pearly gates extend. And in my Saviour meet my God and friend ? When {hall I anchor on thy blifsful fhore. Arid rife in day to fet in night no more ? A DAY OF CHRISTIAN CONFLICT. GO, trifling v/orld, and leave me to my reft, Leave me to be with Jefu's prefence bleft j Give place awhile, ye tranfient earthiy toys, To higher pleafures and fuperior joys. Go Unbelief, and hide thy horrid face, Nor more oppofe the work of fov'reign grace ; Go, [ 101 ] Go, dark Miilruft, with all the gloomy train That tinge my fweetell hours with bitter pain: Hence, hateful thoughts, that poifon all my peace, Damp my beft pleafures, and my fears increafe ; Kebels againil my fov'reign Lord, begone I And leave me to enjoy my God alone. Down to thy native hell, ungrateful fin 1 While I the praifes of my Lord begin. Alas ! in vain I bid the world begone ; In vain I Itrive to think of heav'n alone j The very thoughts I wiHi to call afide. Ebb thro' my mind like a returning tide j Till to the crofs I turn, and there behold The dying Shepherd of the heav'nly fold Pour out the treafure from his burfdng veins, To purge my guilt, and wafli* away my ftains ! See Juftice pierce the bofom of my God, And bruife his foul with an avenging rod ! ** 'Tis finifti'd I" with his dying breath he cries, 'Twas finiili'd when he clos'd his languid eyes 1 'Tis finifh'd — all redemption's work is paft. Death loft his fting when Jefus groan'd his laft j Mercy and Juftice kifs'd when Jefus dy*d, And love fang triumph in the crimfon tide. Fs AN [ 102 ] AN ANSWER TO ONE INQTIRING— WHAT IS HARMLESS? HARMLESS if ever you would be, ■To Chriit the harmlefs you rnuit flee j And if from God your fins you hide. It muft be in his bleeding fide. Eefore your piercing eye can trace The glory of redeeming grace. The lefs'ning world muft difappear, And all your foul muft centre there. Tre heavenly pleafures be enjoy'd. Delights of ienfe muft be deny'd j And faith mull lend her eagle winjs, ~ Till you look down on mortal things.. There is indeed no other way, Whatever fenfualifts may fay i If, therefore, my advice you take. For this all other ways forfake. Tho' the deluding creatures fmile, Charm, and amufe your thoughts awhile, ■'Twill leave a dreadful fting behind To poifon and torment the mind. Where'er you wander up and down Pale difappointment ftill will frown •. God has ordained no other relc But tlus— Believe, and you are blell. ELEGIAC [ 103 1 ELEGIAC THOUGHTS On the Death of Mr. Samuel Dawfon, a;!d Mifs Elizabeth, kis Sifter^ tn.vo pious and afnlahle young Perfons-, ivho died ivithin ten Months of each other in the Bloom of Life. WHY fhould I the tear of forrow To the new-dry'd eye impart ? Why difturb the barbed arrow Rankling in the parent's heart ? But when I behold the dwelling Where Eliza once abode, Painful thoughts my bofom fwelling, Thro' my eyelids force a flood. Bitter is the fad reflexion, Samuel was nipt in bloom I But it crucifies an'e£lion To furvey EHza's tomb. Samuel, as a tree in blofibm, (Smiling fummer jufl begiui) Open'd his expefting bofom To the church's glorious fun. What an harveft had fucceeded. Promised by fo fair a fpring, Sunn'd and water'd, all it needed, Is not tor the mufe to fmg. F * But [ IC4 } But the pleafmg expe6lation Early fov/n, and ipringlng faft In the breaft of each relation, Periih'd by one fatal blaft 1 Little feen, but always growing, By a fecret ftream fupply'd, From the fountain ever flowing. Fair Eliza liv'd and dy'd. While flie liv^d, fhe liv'd a blefTing To her mother's feeling her.rt j When {he dy\l, fhe dy'd expreiTmg All a daughter's filial part. From the father, from the mother^ From the weeping lover's breaft. From the filler, from the brother. From the friends that lov'd them bed- Samuel and Eliza fever'd, Mounted to their feats above, Where, vath Chriil's own prefence favour'd. They unite to ling his love. jefus, who was {lain to fave them, Lov'd them better far than they. And before his throne would have them, Tho' each bleeding heart laid, <' Nay !" To C 105 ] To thofe realms of peace and gloi7, Where their happy fpirits reft. Let each faint, who reads, their ftor>', Forward prefs till with them bleft. A SINNER'S CONVERSION. OH, the amazing depths of grace! Should I reftrain my tongue, The very ftones would bid me blufh, And burft into a fong. Engaged with others, like myfelf. To fpend an idle hour, I went to fee a forcerer Exert his magic pow'r : Then, while methinks ftern Juftice cry'd. Strike that young rebel dead — Sheath thy bright fword, ray Lord reply 'd, I've fuffer'd in his ftead j I've paid the debt thy law demands. My blood has quench'd its flame j And (fpreading forth his wounded hands) Bade Juftice read my name ! Juftice beheld, and fheath'd her fword. Which Mercy fmiPd to fee, Took from his lips a gracious word. And brought it quick to me I F 5 « Sinner/ t to6 3 *^ Sinner/' faid Jefus, " thou art mine, *' From everlafting, mine ! ** I therefore henceforth will be thine, ** To everlafting, thine 1 ** Thy enmity to my free grace, *' Thy love to felf and fm, " Shall to my fov'reign love give place 5 " Eere fhall thy heav'n begin." ''Twas him that by one potent word Caird forth the cheering light ; ^Twas him that bade the light give plate To each revolving night. My foul confeft Almighty Love As chaos did before, Felt the creating fiat move, And own'd the Saviour's pow'r. So mighty was his princely voice When thus he fpake to me, That his command became my choice. The' I to choofe was free. Since then I glory in the crofs Of my Redeemer (lain. And wafte of time and perfect lofs I count iny former gain. PRACTICAL [ 107 3 PRACTICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL ESSAYS, ON DIFFJ-.RENT SUBJECTS, IN PROSE, ON DIVINE TRUTH. THE glory of univerfal nature is truth { the fub- llance of all truth is immateriality ; and the evidence of the reality and glory of that which is immaterial is experimental truth. God is the felf-exiltent fpirit, the fountain of truth ; and from him comes the word of divine revelation, the Bible, which it has been iuftly faid, is " The glory of our world j" as juftly was it added, ** The glory of the Bible is the gofpel }" and it may be farther faid, with equal propriety. The glory of the gofpel is, " Jefus Chriil:, the fame *' yefterday, to-day, and for ever j" who is emphati- cally, *' The Truth,'' inafmuch as in him centre all the rays of natural, hiftorical, fpiritual, and eternal truth. He is the only channel by which the glorious river of divine Truth flows down to this fallen world of finners from the unbounded fea of God's everlaft- ing love. In the refle6Ving mirror of his mediation, fufferings, and interceffion, are clearly feen all the divine attributes glorifying each other in the falva- tion of fmners, Pfalm Ixxxv. lo, ** Mercy and F 6 *' have I 208 1 " Truth are n;et togetberj Righteoufnefs a«d Peace " have kiffed each other." But though this be a general defcription of truth as it comes from heavea into our world, in particular cafes it is always a re- /ative term, and changes its appearance according to the fubjeft to which it relates , as when it fliews a fmner his danger, and a faint his fafety. — In the firft of thele cafes ti-uth is as fharp as an arrow ; in the fecond, it is healing as balm. " What is truth ?" iaid Pilate to the great Redeemer 5 but, as though he feared an anfwer would confound him, he immediately liafted from the prefence of the veiy obie6l of his in- quiry. What is truth ? fay many of our modern profelTors of divinity ; but, when the mouth of divine revelation is opening to anfwer them, away they run to their own reafon, which they worfliip, and blafphemoufly inquire whether divine revelation lliould be believed or not. But the word of God, which is " quick and powerful, Iharper than any " two-edged fword, dividing afunder the foul and *' fpiiit, and piercing even to the joints and marrow," will not leave purfuing thefe till it finds and proclaims them guilty of abufing its authority. There is a truth which, entering the human foul, caufes fuch pam as many, who have felt it, have thought worfe than the entrance of fteel into the moft tender and precious nerves of the body. The following is of this defcription ; The [ ^09 3 The purity of the moral law, with ks binding obligation upon men— The immutable Juftice of God — And the unavoidable certainty of his eternal ven- geance againft fm, in the perfcns of offenders. When a man that loves fm, and lives in the praftice of it, is convinced of the exiftence of thefe truths, " A certain fearful looking-for of judgment and " fiery indignation" kindles in his foul an awful foretafte of hell j and no wonder, for it is certain God can lay the burning cauftic of convi6lion on a fmner's confcience, till reflection becomes fo intoler- able, that he choofes rather to rufh into hell by fui- cide, in hopes of finding in that difmal cavern of eternal defpair a refuge from the Omnifcient eye, than to abide on earth under its all-fearching fcru- tiny any longer. Alas ! hew many who have felt all this will have no other branch of truth for the ex- perimental fubjeft of their everlafting contemplation ! Think of this while there is hope, ye who try to for- get God, and attempt to hide yourfelves from the eye of revealed truth under fome refuge of human invention. The fmal judgment of the world, and the execution of eternal vengeance, are both com- mitted into the hands of the Redeemer j and fhould he who fends his ambafladors of mercy and peace to you in the Bible and the minillry of his gofpel be provoked by your ingratitude and unbelief to exer- cife the one and inflict the other, how heavy, from fuch C 110 1 (iichahand,muilthat juft vengeance fall ! Pfalmii. iz, ** Kifs the Son, left he be angry, and ye perifh from ** the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little." To which, foi encouragement, is added, " BlefTed are " all they that put their truft inhim." But as, on the one hand, nothing can be fo unwelcome to a natural man as the knowledge of the truth of his own cafe, on the other hand, nothing is fo big with confolation to a fpiritual man. The truth of a believer's ftate (hews him rivers of joy and peace, which lead him on to an unbounded fea of blifs, unutterable in its quality, and eternal in its duration ! As no truth wounds like the truth of God, fo no truth heals like it. He who bears the arrows of divine convi6lion in the quiver of truth, and fhoots them impartially from the unerring bow of his juftice, diffufes as freely the balm of immortal life from the eloquent lips of his mercy. Matt. xi. 28 — 30, *' Gome unto *' me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I " will give you reft. Take rny yoke upon you, and ** learn of me ; for I am meek and lowly in heart : and ** ye fhall find reft unto your fouls. For my yoke is •* eafy, and my burden is light." John vi. 37, *< Him that cometh to me I will in no wife caft •* out." Verfe 51, " I am the living bread which •* came down from heaven. If any man eat of this " bread, he ftiall live for ever : and the bread that I ♦* will give is my fiefn; which I will give for the life '' of [ III 1 « of tVie world." " God lb loved the world, that he ** gave his only begotten Son, that whalbever be- *' lieveth in him fhould not perilli, but have ever- ** lafting Hfe," John iii. i6. Rom. viii. 32, "He *« that fpared not his own Son, but delivered him up *' for us all, how fliall he not with him alfo freely " give us all things ?" With exprelTions like thefe the word of God abounds : thefe are but as a few drops taken out of tlie gofpel river ; and what call language add to them ? Uninfpired di6lion, confcious of its own deficiency, retires before the fuperior energy, fimplicity, and authority of divinely infpired truth. Go, fmner, with all the eagernefs of defire to live, alarmed into exercife by a fight of the arrows of death ; go to the throne of divine grace, and re- queft the application of thefe and other elQceeding great and precious promifes to thy guilty foul, and thou wilt find in thefe leaves of the tree of life a balm fufficient to heal effeftually and everUftingly the deepeft wounds that ever the unwelcome truth of God has made in thy confcience. The jailor, whofe cafe is recorded in the xvith of A<51:s, is a ftriking in- ftance of this ; fo is the thief on the crofs, who was new born even while he was dying ! What extreme anguifh of body did he fufFer even at the time when he requefted this balm of life for his foul ! Why did he not afk him who had fo often raifed the dead, and healed the otherwife incurable, to add one to the number number of his miracles by faving him from the bodily tonnents he then felt ? This was the requeft of his fellow, and at firft it appears to have been his own j but when the Holy Spirit let one ray of divine truth into his dark underftanding, he faw the worth of his foul, and the glory of the Redeemer, in fuch a light as threw all his bodily concern into fhades, and re- quefted no other balm of the great Phyfician, but the balm of life to heal his fin-wounded confcience, and Chrift's prefence and favour as the future portion of his inmiortal foul. But even believers in Chrift, who have no reafon to fear Jefus as their final Judge, are fubjeft, while in the body, to many woimds which only truth can heal : they are wounded in the confcience by known fin in general j in the will, by perverfenefs to the revealed will of God, which ought to be the only rule of a Chriftian's faith and choice 3 in the affec- tions, by defiring or delighting in any creature or thing contrary to the moral law ; and in the under- ftanding, by error. All thefe wounds the truth of God, and that only, can heal. Each of thefe wounds, while it continues in the foul undifcovered to it by ti-uth, mull get worfe and worfe ; but though the truth of a wounded cafe mull bring with it the pain of conviction, it alfo brings tidings of effectual relief. Is the confcience womided j what fays Di- vine Truth to fuch a one ? *' Come and let us reafon *' together J C "3 1 " together j though your fins be as fcarlet they fhall *' be as wool j and though they be red like criinfon, *Vthey fhall be white as Ihow." Wherein does this reafoning con fill ? The Spirit of truth fhews the fm- ner his wretched and helplefs condition, and a free pardon flowing to him by the channel of Chrift's atoning blood j and, under fuch a manifeftation, the \ilefl of tranfgreiTors muft feel a heaven of peace flow into his confcience in one moment. Guilt can no more exifc before the prefence of Chrill in the foul, than, darknels can look the fun out of countenance at If this is the language of divine truth, ^illians fo often go on mourning on acccnnt of guii^^nd are not healed ? They indulge a perve?fe will 3 th^ was the cafe of Ifrael when Jeremiah fo pa- thetically cried out, " Is there no balm in Gilead ? Is *' there no phyfician there r" T^'king both for granted, he continues his exclamation thus : -*' Why then is *' not the hurt of the daughter of my people healed ?" To look only on the conduft of fome Chrillians might frequently fuggeit an interrogation like the prophet's j but the word of truth proves that fuch Chrifdans are living below their high birth and privileges. There is no want of balm in the Gilead of grace, nor want of willingnefs or power in the great Phyfician to apply it : but thofe who are wounded in the will are more willing to be healed than to be fearched , fo much are even Chrillians hke the filly oUrich, who, when hft [ "4 ] he Is piirfued, hides his own eyes, that he may not be feen. We cannot hide the truth of our cale, be it as bad as it may, from our belt friend, yet we are un- willing to unbofom ourfelves to him, through fuch a fenfe of fliame as it is a fliame to harbour. How does fuch conduct elucidate the words of our Lord, *' The children of this world are, in their genera- ** tions, wifer than the children of light ! " that is, wifer about temporal things than Chriltians are about fpiritual concerns. But why Tnould a wounded pa- tient be unwilling to go to a kind and fK-ilful phy- ■fician ? The old monfter Righteous Self is unwilling to be llript of all its glory, that Chrift alone may have the honour due to him ; and God the Redeemer will not give his glory to another. Jeflis is a loving phy* fician, but he is a faithful one ; he has a tender hand, but he has alfo a fearching probe : and when we have fuch a view of his character, that the language of our fouls is, '' Search me, O God, and try me, and fee if ** tliere be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlafting," there can remain no obflacle to our going to Chrift with a wounded will : and going to him, v/e muft receive a curej for it is written, " Thy ** people fhall be willing in the day of thy power." The affections of a Chriftian are wounded either by defiring fomethiug the Lord fees not fit to give to us, or by inordinate grieving after fomething which he has taken away -. iu tlie lall cafe the wound is fome- ^ timed [ "5 ] times To deep that it feems as if a part of the henrfe itlelf was torn away with the beloved objeft ; but this is a proof that the objeft thus removed had been put out of its place. Other objects may have a place in our heart, but none but God muft have the pof- feirion of it : *« My fon," fays he, " give me thine *' heart." If therefore we give our hearts to an- other than himfelf, it is both wife and kind in him to remove the idol j and this is only breaking the cillern to make us drink at the fountain. Divine truth has a balm to cure this wound : "He hath fent " me," fays Chrift, " to heal the broken hearted." But let us remember, that when the Lord v/ounds the heart by taking away one idol, it will not do for us to fupply the place of it with another, or with any creature- good. The wounded heart mull be taken to the great Phyfician to be healed, and he will pre- fcribe nothing lefs as a remedy than giving up all "creature dependence, and being fatisned with God 'as a portion. The underftanding of a Chriftian is alfo fubjecl to be wounded, which is done by the entrance of error in fome fpecious form, fo clothed as to impofe itlelf on the mind for truth : and this is in forae re- ipefts more dangerous than any of the former j for in each of thofe cafes we can hardly help feeling that we are wounded, but in this we mutt remain infenlible .of our hurt 3 becaufe as light in the underftanding gives [ 116 ] gives us a right idea of things, error therein is like an uneven glafs held between the eye and the objea looked at, by which every thing we behold is mifre- prelented. In the relief of fuch a cafe divine truth appears in its own native excellence. As a clear f/cy never wears a more pleanng afped than on a ferene evening after a cloudy and Ilormy day, fo never does the word of God prove more divinely precious than when, with triumphant rays, it Ihines into the under- ftanding, and, fcattering the clouds of error, difperfes all the ftorms with which they threatened the be- nighted foul. Happy is the man who, whenever he f«els a doubt begin to cloud his comforts, or fufpefts an error in his underftanding, flies immediately to the fountain of truth, the Bible, for eftabliihment and information ! Wifdom is his friend, and pru- dence his counfellor j and with fuch company he is not likely to run far aftray without being rellored to the right path again. It is faid by fome tlut there grows not an herb In the field but what might be of medicinal ufe were all its qualities known 5 whether this obfei-vation be true or not, it is certain there is not a promife, precept, threatening, or reproof in the word of God, but what has both an objedl and an end in view. But as the wounded foot of the traveller may often tread on the very herb which, if IkilfuUy applied, would heal it, and yet remain uncured j fo by going to the Word for C 117 ] for comfort or dlre6lion, without afking the Holy Spirit to apply it to our hearts according to its own meaning, we often tread with unhallowed feet on thofe very fentences which are moft fuitable to our own cafe, without perceiving either their relative fuitablenefs to us, or their own inherent beauty j yea, in fach a frame we look over the Pearl of great Pricet without perceiving its ineftimable worth, or defiring to poITefs it as our own : yet even care- lefTnefs and irreverence may be cured by divine truth, for it is written, " He knoweth how to give "his Holy Spiiit to them that alk it:" and it is farther written, that it is the Spirit's work to take of the things of Chrift, who is the truth itfelf, and ma- nifeft them to the fouls of his people. It is true, Jefus is a judge, but it is equally true that Jefus is 3 Saviour. It is true God hates all iniquity, but it is equally true that through the blood of Chrift, as an atoning facrifice for fm, he pardons all the iniquities of the foul v,hich flies to that precious blood for refuge. TRUTH. TRUTH, like an arrow from Jehovah's bow, Convi6lion on its barbed point conveys Swift thro' the heart of each rebellious foe. And cuts a paflage for Jehovah's praife ! No [ "8 ] No ftubborn finner can the (hock withlland ; No hiding place from Juftice can be found, "When truth, impell'd by that unerring hand. Transfixes confcience with a mortal wound, Man may with man contend, but man with God, Alas, how weak to urge unequal fight ! "Wlien, by once lifting his Almighty rod. He puts ten thoufand foes to endlefs flight. How fhai-p the torment ! — Sinners ponder here— How fliai-p the torment they endure in hell j The falfehood which they love, deny 'd them there; Eternal Truth's the fliarpell pang they feel ! But, hark ! what founds of triumph rend the fkies } The upper fkies, where holy angels dwell ! How lirong the contrail to thofe gloomy fighs Which echo from the hollow caves of hell ! Ten thoufand thoufand high- born feraphs fmg, Ten thoufand thoufand blood-bought faints reply, «' Worthy tp reign is Truth's immortal King j «' And let him reign to all eternity !"" How- fliakes tbe foul, appalPd with guilty fear. Which hell's eternal groan with honor tlirill si How much too lofty for a mortal ear. The notes which found from yon celeftial hills ! My [ "9 3 My foul, to which of thefe (for one muft be). To which of thefc fhall I henceforth belong ? Shall I for ever howl in mifery, Or fwell the choir of their triumphant (on^ ? Examine well the bent of thy defire ; For as the feed is, fuch the tree will prove : Sin grows to ripen brambles for the fire — Grace fwells the bloifom, and the fruit is love. Yet, fm-fick fouls, no more indulge defpaif. Truth has a balm to heal the wound it gives ; Jefus, who dy'd, truth's glory to repair, To make thofe glory's known, for ever lives ! This ^s the tree of life, whofe vital bloom Thro' all the foul diffufes healing pow'r ; This, to the confcience, brkigs forgivenefs home. And guilt's vindi6live curfe is felt no more. ON DIVINE ZEAL. THE zeal which men feel when they are warmly engaged in fome earthly caufe or party, burns gene- rally with a furious, violent, and blind determination to bring about the ends they propofe, be the confe- quence what it may : but the holy zeal which the Lord tlie Spirit kindles in a new-bora foul, and which confifts in an honell and jjitenfe concern for 7 the C 120 ] the glory of God, burns with a clear and ileady flame j its eyes of knowledge being fo wide open that it can even diftinguilh between offences and the per- fons offending. It is grieved whenever the Lord's name is diihonoured, efpecially when it is done by his own people's lukewarmnefs ; in this it is like Chrift hira- felf. Rev. iii. i6, The fight of a lukewarm church makes it fick 5 but oh how it rejoices to fee believers' lamps of profeflion well trimmed and burning clear, when at the fame time their loins are ftrengthened by the girdle of truth. It is angry with nothing but fm ; yet is never fo well pleafed as when the glory of God is promoted in the fldvation of fnmers. It is a living coal taken from the altar of heaven, and will burn up all that oppofes its way back to that altar again. What is there that may not be done with heaven in our eye and earth under our feet ? with Chrift, the captain of falvation, to fay, "Go forward,'* and his Holy Spirit to fhew us the way in which we iliould walk ? Divine zeal knows how to watch and to wait when it is neceffarj-, but cannot bear to let opportunity of doing good pafs by without em- bracing her 5 yet, if it fit long looking out at the window of inquiry without feeing this fair damfel at all, it is apt to pine and grieve after her j and no wonder, feeing they were born for each other, and never meet without joining hands, or part without e^nieftly defiring foon to meet again. This divine zeal. [ "I ] real, when called to it, will go through evil report with equal cheerfulnefs and ferenity as when it goes to meet a good name : and, whenever it is fo cir- cumftanced that truth or itlelf muft fufFer, it will go through floods or through flames to fave divine truth from the hands of violation. ON CHRISTIAN WATCHFULNESS. EVERY Chrifliian is called to be a watchman, and is commanded to watch, having his loins girt about with truth, and his lamp burning with zeal for the Redeemer's glory, as one that waits in confl:ant ex- pectation of his coming. A Chriftian fliould watch with confidence, becaufe Chrifl; will certainly come again according to his promife — with conftant ex- pectation, becaufe it may be foon — with patience, be- caufe it may be long — and with fubmiflion, becaufe Chrift, a fovereign, has a right to come whenever he will. This character, when applied to the Chriftian, is far from an unmeaning one } for he is never left without fomething valuable to watch over, and fome- thing dangerous to watch againfl: ; he has to watch over the work of God in his own foul, that it ftand not fl:ill, as a chafiiifement for his neglect ; and over every Chriftian with whom he has any influence, that none of them may turn afide from the good way without a friendly and timely warning from him : and he has G t;* [ Ili ] to watch agalnft three different hofts of enemies— -the world, out of which he is called by divine grace, and from which he is commanded to live feparate, but which is always attempting either to allure or alarm him back again — Satan (whofe captive he formerly was, and out of whofe power Chrill delivered him), together with all the infernal powers of dai-k- nefs — and laltly, his own depraved nature, which is conftantly hankering after the fervice of his old mafter, and the corrupt enjoyments of a fmful world, but which he is commanded, by the Captain pf fal- vation himfelf, utterly to deny, mortify, and even crucify to death, without the leall degree of pity or partiality. Having thefe precious things to watch over, and fhefe dangerous enemies to watch againft, how fhock- jngj in fuch a chara6ter, mull tlie crimes of fpiritual lleep and llothfulnefs appear ! A common watchman has only to watch the outer doors of the houfe that thieves break not in: but a Chriftian has both the outer door of his fenfes to watch, left thieves break in ; and the inner chambers of his heart, left traitors break out. But there is a circumftance peculiar to the Chriftian watchman, and to him alone 5 he has nothing to fear from either, or even both, of the hofts of lus enemies without, fo long as the traitors within are not fuftered to make a league with them. Whoxiitu (being employed as a watchman in fuch a cafe, I 1^3 3 a cafe, and having an exa61: account to render, not of what is done without, but of what is confented to within) would fpend his time and attention in walk- ing round a thoufand outer doors, while the only- dangerous one, the inner door of the heart, muft re- main both neglefted and expofed ? In vain do we watch over our actions, if the fpring of thofe aflions, the motive with which they are done, is all the while neglefted. Pride may flip on the coat of cha. rity, and pafs for a fervant of Chrift before our eyes j Self may put on the robe of Chrlft's righteoulhefs, and ftrut before us undetefted, being miilaken for well-grounded affurance j the fear of man may fneak into the corner of cowardice, from the heat of the battle, having on the fpecious garb of lowly humility j Covetoufnefs may walk abroad in credit under the cloak of Frugality J and evn Lukewannnefs may pafs for cautious Prudence, till Chrift, the fearcher of hearts, is fick at the horrid fight, before the foul itfelf is even fenfible of its danger ! In vain do we watch over our words, imp()rtant as the duty is, while we negle6l their fountain, our thoughts j for how can he that knows not what he thinks underftand what he fays ? Yet, needlefs as this queftion may appear to fome, how little is the duty of felf-government in this refped underftood ? Every good thought which enters the mind is a friend, and brings fome good thing with itj and every bad thought is a thief, and G z comts [ 1^4 J comes to take fome gco5 tiling away. Were Wxsfs tilings generally believed, how gladly would Chrif- tians welcome the one of thefe guefts, and how cau- tioufly would they watch againft the other. Others judge of a man by his w^ords and anions ; and they can, in this ftate of things, have no better rule : but he that would form a juft judgment of himfelf muil turn his eyes inward, and confider on what it is that he conftantly delights to think, and what fubjeft it is that to dwell on, in his meditations, affords him moft fatisfadtion. No man but him who thinks with order can be ready to fpeak at all times with propriety i yet the Chriftian is exhorted to be ready at all times to give an anfwer to him that aiketh a reaforw of the hope that is in him, provided he do it with meeknefs and fear j and the fcriptures of truth cannot exhort a man to do that which is n ot a duty ; thinking with order is therefore a Chriftian duty, and of courfe a. Chriftian privilege. It may be alked. Is not this an hard thing to attain to ? It may be difficult of attain- ment at firft, but when once it is wrought into habit in the foul, it becomes, like all other duties, not only cafy but delightful. It is writtea, " The way of *' tranfgreffors is hard j" and this obiervation is equally juft when applied to confufed and incoherent thinkers ; for as the wicked find more trouble in committing fin than the Juft in the path of obedience, fo [ i^^5 ] fo the man that will net take pains to think with or- der, has more trouble from inconfnient and uncon- nefted thought, than he that watches over the fiHt motions of his mind has in bringing his thoughts into order. Lazinefs in thinking is inconfiilent with folid peace of mind ; for true peace confifts in a con- fcioufnefs of friendlhlp with God through a Medi- ator ; and the conflant aflurance of this requires and includes the utmoft aftivity of foul, inafmuch as it certainly requires a right underflanding of our own cafe and ilate, of the complex perfon of Chrift, and of all the attributes of God as glorified in our falva- tion. But to go farther Hill j the heart of man is the fountain from which thoughts, words, and ac- tions, fpring J and the Cbriftian watchman is exhorted to keep his heart with all diligence, as out of it are the ilfues of life. " As a man thinketh in his heart ** fo is he," fays the word of God j and ChriH him- felffaid, '* Out of the abundance of the heart the ** mouth fpeaketh." " Out of the heart proceed ** evil thoughts, murders, adultery," Sec. &c.- — - Thoughts are but the images of Jelired objects formed in the mind, but the defire of the heart itfelf is the former of- thofe images. It is the heart that is faid to be " Deceitful above all things and defpe- " rately wicked," fo that it is added, " Who can " know it?" This then is the inner-door at which the Chriftian watchman fhoiild (land, and inquire of G 3 every [ 1^6 ] every thought as it riies, whence It comes, and (whither it goes. All the deiires of the heart are cither of the reptile or winged kind, and are knowa to the diligent foul by their inclination, which is either to creep along the eai-th after fome carnal ob- ie<5l, or mount v.p towards heaven, where Chriil is. Earthy defires are like moles, they cannot fee their own way, or what will be the end of it j but heavenly ones are like eagles, they can look at the fun in his full ilrength, and fee clearly to the end of t\ieir own aim, the attainment of heavealy-mindsdnefs, and the en;o)-inent of God in Chrift as a portion. OK COMMUNION WITH GOD. COMMUNION v.'ith God is the higheft poflible enjoyment of a creature in heaven or on earth : but there are different degrees of it ; fometiraes It is ex- penen:ed to i\\ch. a degree, even here, that all earthly care and all creature a.TeJtIon and regard are for a while fvvallowed up by it ; it includes at once a difpiay of the perfections of God to the foul, and the fouFs intereil in thofe perfections. Jehovah is fo in- finitely capable of making his inteUlgent creatures happy, that he can in one moment, though he find the foul in the deepeft gloom, fill it with joy unfpeakable and full of glory. Ccmmuuion with God is the eUcnce of Chiiilian experience. Flavel faid, he learned [ 127 ] learned more in one hour's intimate communion with God than in many years experience befide. Union to God by faith in Chi'ift is eflential to communion, with him. It is the glory of God in the face of Jefus which Chrifbians behold while they abide on the mount of communion with him. It may not be improper here to inquire, what are peculiar mar]is of clofe communion with God ? The mind is deeply tinged with the following colours of heavenly die j reverence, fatisfadlion, and devotion : Reveience is the very higheft pitch of humility in its ftrongeft ex- ercife j it is the veil of the virgin foul in which it ap- pears before Chrill: : fatisfaftion is the domeitic habit of heaven, and devotion is the employment of that place. Though thefe are perfectly exercifed only in heaven, they llrongly mark the foul when it is near the Lord. Thefe are ccnnefted with and rife out of each other. We cannot reverence what we do not ap- prove ; and in this cafe approbation muil rife into fatisfaftion, becaufe it is approbation of a^ portion 5 and, if I have a juft fenfe of the dignity of God's ch:ira(5ler, and am fatisf.ed with his fulnefs, I ihall naturally and necefrarily be devoted to his fervice, on whom I depend for all things, and from whom I re- ceive all thefe peculiar blefiings. To a foul that is near to God, the whole concern of time appears hke the leffenlng fhores to one on board a fhip under full fail i they uiminilh till they are quite out of fight. G 4. Suppofe [ 1^8 3 Suppofe the fun fhould rife at midnight, and in one moment difplay the full glories of noon, this fudden tranlition from darknefs to light would be but a feeble metaphor to convey a juft idea of the Redeemer's glories breaking through the clouds of guilt into the l)elieving foul ! As a ftrong wind paffing through a barn-floor bears away the chaff with it, fo when that heavenly wind the Holy Spirit comes into the mind of a Chriftian, all the concerns of time fiy be- fore his prefence, and the whole foul becomes an ha- bitation for God. A REMARK OR TWO ON THE SCRIPTURE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION. WITH men ele6lIon is generally underllood of many electing one ; with God it is one ele6ting many: with man it is a tranfient zd:, and for a limited fez- ion ; with God it is eternal. The root of eleftion is God's everlafting love. Ele6tion itfelf is God's fovereign choice of feme men to certain falvation. Heaven being the palace of God, is of neceffity Co pure and holy that none but pure and holy beings can be admitted there; and fu rely God has a right to choofe Ifis own domeftics, feeing he mull both pu- j-ify and clothe them before they are fit for his pre- fence. Man is fo averfe, fmce the fall, to hoimefs and t 1^9 1 and purity, that none but God can make him fit for heaven. God is under no obligation or necefiify of nature to do this for any, lince all are born, and live, and die (unlels grace prevent it), in perfe6t en- mity to him. Though it be an aft of God's mind, not ours, a knowledge of it is eifential to the enjoy- ment of that fine ferenity or order of foul which is juflly called the full aliarance of faith and the earneil of our inheritance. What can Ihake the foul whofe hopes are riveted to the promife of immutable Om- nipotence ? Who can erafe the name of an eleft foul from the eternal record of heaven ? How>may a re- deemed foul, Handing on this rock of eternal ages, exult in the certainty of its future triumph over fin and hell ! and not only fo, but in the certain pr5fpe<5t of the everlafting and uninterrupted enjoyment of the friendfhip of God ! Why is elefiicn fo much fpcken againft ? Partly owing to the ignorance, and partly to the enmity, of men againfl tlie government of God. "If a juil king w^as hated by his fubjedls in general on account of his love of juHice, thofe whom he would choofe by calling them to enjoy, execute, or proclaim his reditude, would be hated alike with him on the fame account. The Jews attempted to plunc-e Chrifl down a fteep precipice for only hinting at this doftrine, by relating a circumftance or two of par- ticular and diftinguifhing Providence. Men do not: O i like [ X30 ] like to think of God, neither do they like that God fhould think of them ; and as they do not like ab- itraft thought of God's infinite purity and juftice, fo neither do they like the miniature of thofe per- feftions in the lives and converfation of good men. Thtir enmity to this work of gr?xe in itfelf ftirs them up to fpeak againll its fountain, eleftion. Pride, felf-righteoufnefs, and envy, have much to fay againft eleftion j Malice, founded not on the im- propriety of the thing, but on their diflike of it. Fride, which loves to be high, fays it lays man too low. Seif-righteoufnefs, vvhich loves to be fome- thing, fays it makes nothing of man, in that it makes net him to chcof'e God, but God him. Envy, which neither aims at true happinefs, nor can bear to fee ethers happy, calls it a partial doclrine. And, feeing that with all thefe chara-ftcrs the whole world abounds, what wonder is it that eletSlion is every where fpokcn againil ? ON THE EVIDENCE OF DIVINE GRACE. AN evidence of divine grice is nothing lefs than the almighty voice of the eternal Spirit of God in the foul of man. ** Let there be light," faid Jehovah, ** and there was light," even in the place where darkneis and confufion dwelt before. Let there be life in that dead foul, fays the divine Redeemer, and immediately I nt 3 - inmiediately his Holy Spirit irradiates and quickens the dark and lifelefs powers of the mind, and he be- comes a Chriftian. Should any one aik, whether there may not be an evidence of grace fnort of this j the fcriptures anfwer — No : *' Except a man be born again ** he cannot fee the kingdom of God." Not that every Chriftian has an equal degree of evidence of his celeftial birth : there may be life where there is but little health and ftrength j but this does not ren- der health and ftrength lefs defirable or ufeful : but as the fame voice may fpeak aloud at one time and only whiiper at another ; v.'hether it be a voice fo loud as to produce full aflurance, or fo foft a whifper as only to produce the fainteft holy emotion in the foul, fuch as' love to the brethren, or even an inward ftruggle againft fin, ftill it is the voice of the fame Spirit. If a feed had no life in it, it could no m.ore put forth a fmgle leaf, or the fmalleft- bud, than bear the choiceft fruit j though it will be allowed it re- quires more fun and rain to produce the latter than the former. All the fhrubs in the garden of grace are ever-greens, and all the fruits everlafting, be- caufe alike produced by the eternal Spirit, in con- fequence of an everlailing covenant ordered in all things, and fure. The weakeft of God's children ' polTefTes (could he but perceive it) as real evidence of grace, and confequently is as fiife as the ftrongeft. Let us here confider what are meant by the graces of G 6 the the Holy Spirit, as aclaally exifting in the heart of a real Chriftian. The graces of the Spirit are the divine furniture of the foul, which is called the tem- ple of the Holy Ghoft j in other words, holy difpo- fitions wTought into habit in the renewed heart by the lame Spirit. They are fo many little mirrors, each one refledling fome feature of the Redeemer. Paul calls them the fruits of the Spirit, " Love, joy, " peace, long-fuffering, gentlenefs, goodnefs, faith, ** meeknefs, temperance," and adds, " againll fucli *' there is no law,'' Gal. v. 22, Sec. As many lights together hinder not each other's Ihining, but equally wnite to produce a general illumination, in exa6t pro- portion to their number and fize ; fo thefe graces obilrufb net each other's growth, but fpring in har. moiiy each one from its own root, and each one bearing fruit peculiar to its own nature. All thefe Ipring from the one pure principle of love to God and man, which is planted in the foul by the regenerat- ing power of the fame Spirit, who carries on the work of fanclification till it is complete, and glorification crowns the whole. This divine principle of love in the foul fhews itfelf by the going out of holy defire after fpiritual objefts, both in a way of affe6lion and imitation. Holy defire in the foul fhoots forth into holy action, and as holy principles lead to the choice of holy company and converfation, io holy company and converfation put us in mind of heaven, ai->d make [ M3 1 make us long to be there j and in proportion as thefe holy longings of foul proceed from an experi- mental knowledge of the fulnefs of Chrift and the true nature of the glories of heaven, they prove the Chriilian is heavenly minded and growing in grace. A FEW THOUGHTS ON SOCIAL RELIGION, Humbly propofed to the Confideration of all Chrijiian Congregations^ partkularly thofe donominated Bap- tifls and Independents. THE ftrength and beauty of fecial religion are founded on, and confift in, fimilarity of charafler, miion of intereft, unity of heart, and harmony of condu6l : but fimilarity of chara6ler cannot be known without frequent comparifon of fentiment j union of intereil cannot be well underHood without frequent comparifon of evidence ; unity of heart cannot fubfiil but by means of mutual knowledge and reciprocal communication ; neither can there be harmony of conduft in many, but as fax* as in all their a6lions they keep one end in view, or aft from one pure motive. Our divine Lord reprefents fimpilcity of motive, or a fmgle eye, as the fubHance of human wifdom : *' If thine eye be fmgle, thy whole body " (hall be full of light." What a fnade of dillionour does [ 134 1 does tliis faying call over all human policy ; which is but too much imitated in the conducing of re- ligious focieties, even churches where the gofpel is profelVed in Jiltinfrion from a-1 ceremonies of men's deviling ! Perhaps the beil of men fail more in this point than in any other. It is hard for human wif- dom to confent to be melted down and call into the mould of gofpel timphcity. Refpettability of cha- railer among men is one of the moil i-efmed baits the devil uies to catch Chrill's fifti with. But it is a ti-udi, wliich mull be felt fooner or later by every true Chi-iftian, that even- degree of conformity to the world tends to make him a coward before men, and a flave before God. Gofpel firaplicity and true hu- miiit)' form the beft bails for free communication in fphitual things. He that can look down on the fmpleft means of Cb^iilian fellowihip, walks too much on the lofty mountains of felf-eileem to gather many of the lilies of pure humility which grow in the valieys of fecial love. Social religion is the nurfe of all the graces of the Koly Spirit in the fouls of be' levers ; and thofe who have been moil under her caie can witnefs with me that (he is not a dry nurfe. Is it not pity^ that iu tliis one point the fellowfhip of faints on earth one with another ihould i'o far re- fembie that of the church militant with the church triumphant ? We have infaEibie telHmony that the Uints in heaven are meinbcrs of Chriif s myftical body. [ 155 3 body, and as fuch we love them ; but we cannot con- vey our ideas of divine things to them, nor receive from them any account of the felicity, or manner of their blifsful itate, that is referved for us, till we are as the5% So we have credible teltimony that the mem- bers of the feveral churches to which we belong are Chriftians, and, as far as we believe it, we rejoice with them in the common falvation ; but we have few means among us, as churches, whereby we can con- vey our ideas of divine things freely to each other, fo as to enjoy literal fellowfhip . Yet as there can be no wound in Zion but there is balm in Gilead fuited to heal it, let thofe, who are convinced of the truth of thefe obfervations, apply to the great Phyfician of fouls, requeuing him, vvho alone has fuflicient fkill and power, to fend health and cure in this refpeft to his churches. The inilruclion and eftablifliment of the members of ChriiVs myllical body in the knowledge and ex- perience of all that pertains to his fpiritual kingdom, efpeciiUy in the knowledge of Chriil himfelf, his near and vital relation to them, and all the benefits and bleflings which flow to them through the channel of his mediation — the onenefs of their intereft, as dilrerent members of one head — their unity of heart, frequent fellowfiiip one with another as the mean of keeping alive and increafmg that unity — their ob- fervance of the Redeemer's pofitive inftitutions, and obedience [ 136 1 obedience to all the moral precepts in his word, I conceive to be the great ends which fhould be con- ftantly kept in view, in the ufe of all the means of grace j -and thefe ends can never be anfwered by an outward form of keeping together the church of Chrift, though that may be both needful and ufeful in its place : yet the mcft that can reaibnably be ex- pe