Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,

But trust him for his grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err',
And scan his work in vain:
God is his own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

Oh! hadst thou left me unchastised,
Thy precepts I had still despised;
And still the snare in secret laid
Had my unwary feet betray'd.

I love thee, therefore, O my God,
And breathe towards thy dear abode ;
Where, in thy presence fully blest,
Thy chosen saints for ever rest.

XXXVI. WELCOME CROSS.

'Tis my happiness below

Not to live without the cross, But the Saviour's power to know, Sanctifying every loss:

Trials must and will befal;

But with humble faith to see
Love inscribed upon them all,
This is happiness to me.
God in Israel sows the seeds

Of affliction, pain, and toil;
These spring up and choke the weeds
Which would else o'erspread the soil:

Trials make the promise sweet,

Trials give new life to prayer; Trials bring me to his feet,

Lay me low, and keep me there.

Did I meet no trials here,

No chastisement by the way, Might I not with reason fear

I should prove a cast-away? Bastards may escape the rod 2, Sunk in earthly vain delight; But the true-born child of God

Must not, would not, if he might.

XXXVII. AFFLICTIONS SANCTIFIED BY THE

WORD.

O HOW I love thy holy word,
Thy gracious covenant, O Lord!
It guides me in the peaceful way;
I think upon it all the day.

What are the mines of shining wealth,
The strength of youth, the bloom of health!
What are all joys compared with those
Thine everlasting Word bestows!

Long unafflicted, undismay'd,
In pleasure's path secure I stray'd;
Thou madest me feel thy chastening rod3,
And straight I turn'd unto my God.

What though it pierced my fainting heart,
I bless'd thine hand that caused the smart;
It taught my tears awhile to flow,
But saved me from eternal woe.

1 John xiii. 7. 2 Hebrews, xii. 8. 3 Psalm cxix. 71.

XXXVIII. TEMPTATION.

THE billows swell, the winds are high,
Clouds overcast my wintry sky;

Out of the depths to thee I call,—

My fears are great, my strength is small.

O Lord, the pilot's part perform,

And guard and guide me through the storm;
Defend me from each threatening ill,
Control the waves,-say, "Peace! be still."

Amidst the roaring of the sea

My soul still hangs her hope on thee;
Thy constant love, thy faithful care,
Is all that saves me from despair.
Dangers of every shape and name
Attend the followers of the Lamb,
Who leave the world's deceitful shore,
And leave it to return no more.

Though tempest-toss'd and half a wreck,
My Saviour through the floods I seek;
Let neither winds nor stormy main
Force back my shatter'd bark again.

XXXIX. LOOKING UPWARDS IN A STORM.

GOD of my life, to thee I call,
Afflicted at thy feet I fall;

When the great water-floods prevail',
Leave not my trembling heart to fail!

Friend of the friendless and the faint,
Where should I lodge my deep complaint,
Where but with Thee, whose open door
Invites the helpless and the poor!

Did ever mourner plead with thee,
And Thou refuse that mourner's plea ?
Does not the word still fix'd remain,
That none shall seek thy face in vain ?
That were a grief I could not bear,
Didst thou not hear and answer prayer;
But a prayer-hearing answering God
Supports me under every load.

Fair is the lot that's cast for me;
I have an Advocate with thee;
They whom the world caresses most
Have no such privilege to boast,
Poor though I am, despised, forgot 5,
Yet God, my God, forgets me not:
And he is safe and must succeed,
For whom the Lord vouchsafes to plead.

XL. THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH.

My soul is sad, and much dismay'd;
See, Lord, what legions of my foes,
With fierce Apollyon at their head,
My heavenly pilgrimage oppose!
See, from the ever burning lake,

How like a smoky cloud they rise!
With horrid blasts my soul they shake,
With storms of blasphemies and lies.
Their fiery arrows reach the mark',

My throbbing heart with anguish tear; Each lights upon a kindred spark,

And finds abundant fuel there.

I hate the thought that wrongs the Lord; O! I would drive it from my breast, With thy own sharp two-edged sword, Far as the east is from the west.

Come then and chase the cruel host,

Heal the deep wounds I have received! Nor let the powers of darkness boast, That I am foil'd, and Thou art grieved!

XLI. PEACE AFTER A STORM,

WHEN darkness long has veil'd my mind, And smiling day once more appears, Then, my Redeemer, then I find

The folly of my doubts and fears. Straight I upbraid my wandering heart, And blush that I should ever be Thus prone to act so base a part,

Or harbour one hard thought of Thee! Oh! let me then at length be taught What I am still so slow to learn, That God is Love, and changes not, Nor knows the shadow of a turn. Sweet truth, and easy to repeat!

But when my faith is sharply tried, I find myself a learner yet,

Unskilful, weak, and apt to slide. But, O my Lord, one look from Thee Subdues the disobedient will, Drives doubt and discontent away,

And thy rebellious worm is still. Thou art as ready to forgive

As I am ready to repine; Thou, therefore, all the praise receive; Be shame and self-abhorrence mine.

XLII. MOURNING AND LONGING.

THE Saviour hides his face! My spirit thirsts to prove Renew'd supplies of pardoning grace, And never-fading love.

The favour'd souls who know What glories shine in him, Pant for his presence as the roe Pants for the living stream.

1 Ephes. vi. 16.

What trifles tease me now! They swarm like summer flies; They cleave to every thing I do, And swim before my eyes.

How dull the Sabbath day,
Without the Sabbath's Lord!
How toilsome then to sing and pray,
And wait upon the Word!
Of all the truths I hear,
How few delight my taste!

I glean a berry here and there,
But mourn the vintage past.
Yet let me (as I ought)
Still hope to be supplied;
No pleasure else is worth a thought,
Nor shall I be denied.

Though I am but a worm,
Unworthy of his care,

The Lord will my desire perform,
And grant me all my prayer.

XLIII. SELF-ACQUAINTANCE. DEAR Lord! accept a sinful heart, Which of itself complains,

And mourns, with much and frequent smart, The evil it contains.

There fiery seeds of anger lurk,

Which often hurt my frame;
And wait but for the tempter's work,
To fan them to a flame.

Legality holds out a bribe

To purchase life from thee;
And Discontent would fain prescribe
How thou shalt deal with me.

While Unbelief withstands thy grace,
And puts the mercy by;
Presumption with a brow of brass,
Says, "Give me, or I die!"

How eager are my thoughts to roam
In quest of what they love!
But ah! when duty calls them home,
How heavily they move!

Oh, cleanse me in a Saviour's blood,
Transform me by thy power,

And make me thy beloved abode,
And let me roam no more.

XLIV. PRAYER FOR PATIENCE.

LORD, who hast suffer'd all for me,

My peace and pardon to procure, The lighter cross I bear for thee, Help me with patience to endure. The storm of loud repining hush;

I would in humble silence mourn; Why should the unburnt, though burning bush, Be angry as the crackling thorn? Man should not faint at thy rebuke,

Like Joshua falling on his face, When the cursed thing that Achan took Brought Israel into just disgrace.

2 Joshua, vii. 10, 11.

O LORD, my best desire fulfil,
And help me to resign

Life, health, and comfort to thy will,
And make thy pleasure mine.

Why should I shrink at thy command,
Whose love forbids my fears?
Or tremble at the gracious hand
That wipes away my tears?

No, rather let me freely yield
What most I prize to thee;
Who never hast a good withheld,
Or wilt withhold, from me.
Thy favour, all my journey through,
Thou art engaged to grant;
What else I want, or think I do,
"Tis better still to want.

Wisdom and mercy guide my way,
Shall I resist them both?

A poor blind creature of a day,
And crush'd before the moth!

But ah! my inward spirit cries,

Still bind me to thy sway;

Else the next cloud that veils the skies Drives all these thoughts away.

XLVI. THE HAPPY CHANGE.

How bless'd thy creature is, O God,
When with a single eye,
He views the lustre of thy word,
The dayspring from on high!
Through all the storms that veil the skies
And frown on earthly things,
The Sun of Righteousness he eyes,
With healing on his wings.

Struck by that light, the human heart,
A barren soil no more,
Sends the sweet smell of grace abroad,
Where serpents lurk'd before'.
The soul, a dreary province once
Of Satan's dark domain,
Feels a new empire form'd within,
And owns a heavenly reign.

1 Isaiah, xxxv. 7.

The glorious orb whose golden beams
The fruitful year control,
Since first obedient to thy word,

He started from the goal,

Has cheer'd the nations with the joys
His orient rays impart;
But, Jesus, 'tis thy light alone
Can shine upon the heart.

XLVII. RETIREMENT.

FAR from the world, O Lord, I flee,
From strife and tumult far;
From scenes where Satan wages still
His most successful war.

The calm retreat, the silent shade,

With prayer and praise agree;
And seem by thy sweet bounty made
For those who follow Thee.

There if thy Spirit touch the soul,
And grace her mean abode,
Oh, with what peace, and joy, and love,
She communes with her God!
There like the nightingale she pours
Her solitary lays;

Nor asks a witness of her song,

Nor thirsts for human praise. Author and guardian of my life,

Sweet source of light divine,
And (all harmonious names in one)
My Saviour! Thou art mine!
What thanks I owe thee, and what love,
A boundless, endless store,

Shall echo through the realms above
When time shall be no more.

XLVIII. THE HIDDEN LIFE.

To tell the Saviour all my wants,
How pleasing is the task!

Nor less to praise him when he grants
Beyond what I can ask.

My labouring spirit vainly seeks
To tell but half the joy;

With how much tenderness he speaks,
And helps me to reply.

Nor were it wise, nor should I chuse,
Such secrets to declare;

Like precious wines their taste they lose,
Exposed to open air.

But this with boldness I proclaim,
Nor care if thousands hear,
Sweet is the ointment of his name,
Not life is half so dear.

And can you frown, my former friends,
Who knew what once I was;
And blame the song that thus commends
The Man who bore the cross?

Trust me, I draw the likeness true,

And not as fancy paints;
Such honour may he give to you,
For such have all his saints.

XLIX. JOY AND PEACE IN BELIEVING.

SOMETIMES a light surprises

The Christian while he sings;
It is the Lord who rises
With healing on his wings:
When comforts are declining,
He grants the soul again
A season of clear shining,
To cheer it after rain.

In holy contemplation

We sweetly then pursue
The theme of God's salvation,
And find it ever new:

Set free from present sorrow,
We cheerfully can say,
E'en let the unknown to-morrow'
Bring with it what it may !

It can bring with it nothing,

But He will bear us through
Who gives the lilies clothing,
Will clothe his people too :
Beneath the spreading heavens
No creature but is fed;
And he who feeds the ravens
Will give his children bread.

Though vine nor fig-tree neither2

Their wonted fruit shall bear, Though all the field should wither, Nor flocks nor herds be there:

Yet God the same abiding,

His praise shall tune my voice; For, while in him confiding, I cannot but rejoice.

L. TRUE PLEASURES.

LORD, my soul with pleasure springs
When Jesus' name I hear;
And when God the Spirit brings
The word of promise near;
Beauties too, in holiness,

Still delighted I perceive;
Nor have words that can express
The joys thy precepts give.
Clothed in sanctity and grace,
How sweet it is to see

Those who love thee as they pass,
Or when they wait on thee!

Pleasant too to sit and tell

What we owe to love divine; Till our bosoms grateful swell, And eyes begin to shine.

Those the comforts I possess,

Which God shall still increase, All his ways are pleasantness,3 And all his paths are peace.

Nothing Jesus did or spoke,
Henceforth let me ever slight;
For I love his easy yoke',
And find his burden light.

LI. THE CHRISTIAN.

HONOUR and happiness unite

To make the Christian's name a praise; How fair the scene, how clear the light, That fills the remnant of his days!

A kingly character he bears,
No change his priestly office knows;
Unfading is the crown he wears,

His joys can never reach a close.
Adorn'd with glory from on high,
Salvation shines upon his face;
His robe is of the ethereal dye,

His steps are dignity and grace. Inferior honours he disdains,

Nor stoops to take applause from earth;
The King of kings himself maintains
The expenses of his heavenly birth.
The noblest creature seen below,

Ordain'd to fill a throne above;
God gives him all he can bestow,
His kingdom of eternal love!
My soul is ravish'd at the thought!
Methinks from earth I see him rise!
Angels congratulate his lot,

And shout him welcome to the skies!

LII. LIVELY HOPE AND GRACIOUS FEAR.

I WAS a groveling creature once,
And basely cleaved to earth!

I wanted spirit to renounce

The clod that gave me birth.

But God has breathed upon a worm, And sent me from above

Wings such as clothe an angel's form,
The wings of joy and love.

With these to Pisgah's top I fly,
And there delighted stand,
To view beneath a shining sky
The spacious promised land.

The Lord of all the vast domain
Has promised it to me,

The length and breadth of all the plain
As far as faith can see,

How glorious is my privilege!
To thee for help I call;

I stand upon a mountain's edge,
Oh save me lest I fall!

Though much exalted in the Lord,
My strength is not my own;
Then let me tremble at his word,
And none shall cast me down.

4 Matt. xi. 30.

I THIRST, but not as once I did,

The vain delights of earth to share; Thy wounds, Emmanuel, all forbid

That I should seek my pleasures there.

It was the sight of thy dear cross

First wean'd my soul from earthly things; And taught me to esteem as dross

The mirth of fools and pomp of kings.
I want that grace that springs from thee
That quickens all things where it flows,
And makes a wretched thorn like me
Bloom as the myrtle, or the rose.
Dear fountain of delight unknown!
No longer sink below the brim;
But overflow, and pour me down
A living and life-giving stream!
For sure of all the plants that share
The notice of thy Father's eye,
None proves less grateful to his care,
Or yields him meaner fruit than I.

Then all my servile works were done

A righteousness to raise ;

Now, freely chosen in the Son,

I freely chuse his ways.

"What shall I do," was then the word,
"That I may worthier grow?"
"What shall I render to the Lord ?"
Is my inquiry now.

To see the law by Christ fulfill'd,
And hear his pardoning voice,
Changes a slave into a child',
And duty into choice.

LVI. THE HEART HEALED AND CHANGED BY MERCY.

SIN enslaved me many years,

And led me bound and blind; Till at length a thousand fears Came swarming o'er my mind. "Where," said I, in deep distress,

"Will these sinful pleasures end? How shall I secure my.peace,

And make the Lord my friend ?"
Friends and ministers said much
The gospel to enforce ;
But my blindness still was such,
I chose a legal course:
Much I fasted, watch'd, and strove,
Scarce would show my face abroad,
Fear'd almost to speak or move,

A stranger still to God.
Thus afraid to trust his grace,
Long time did I rebel;
Till despairing of my case,

Down at his feet I fell:
Then my stubborn heart he broke,
And subdued me to his sway;
By a simple word he spoke,
"Thy sins are done away."

LVIL HATRED OF SIN.

HOLY Lord God! I love thy truth,
Nor dare thy least commandment slight;
Yet pierced by sin, the serpent's tooth,
I mourn the anguish of the bite.
But though the poison lurks within,

Hope bids me still with patience wait;
Till death shall set me free from sin,
Free from the only thing I hate.
Had I a throne above the rest,
Where angels and archangels dwell,
One sin, unslain, within my breast,
Would make that heaven as dark as hell.

The prisoner sent to breathe fresh air,
And bless'd with liberty again,
Would mourn were he condemn'd to wear
One link of all his former chain.

But, oh! no foe invades the bliss,

When glory crowns the Christian's head; One view of Jesus as He is

Will strike all sin for ever dead.

4 Romans, iii. 31.