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Your cheerful song would oftener be,
"Hear what the Lord has done for me."

XXX. THE LIGHT AND GLORY OF THE

WORD.

THE Spirit breathes upon the Word,
And brings the truth to sight;
Precepts and promises afford
A sanctifying light.

A glory gilds the sacred page,
Majestic like the sun;
It gives a light to every age,
It gives, but borrows none.

The hand that gave it still supplies
The gracious light and heat:
His truths upon the nations rise,
They rise, but never set.

Let everlasting thanks be thine,
For such a bright display,

As makes a world of darkness shine
With beams of heavenly day.

My soul rejoices to pursue

The steps of him I love,
Till glory breaks upon my view
In brighter worlds above.

XXXI. ON THE DEATH OF A MINISTER.

His master taken from his head,

Elisha saw him go;

And in desponding accents said, "Ah, what must Israel do ?"

But he forgot the Lord who lifts
The beggar to the throne;
Nor knew, that all Elijah's gifts
Will soon be made his own.

What! when a Paul has run his course,
Or when Apollos dies,

Is Israel left without resource?
And have we no supplies?

Yes, while the dear Redeemer lives
We have a boundless store,

And shall be fed with what he gives,

Who lives for evermore.

XXXII. THE SHINING LIGHT.

My former hopes are fled,
My terror now begins;

I feel, alas! that I am dead
In trespasses and sins.

Ah, whither shall I fly !

I hear the thunder roar;
The law proclaims destruction nigh,
And vengeance at the door.

When I review my ways,

I dread impending doom: But sure a friendly whisper says, "Flee from the wrath to come."

I see, or think I see,

A glimmering from afar;

A beam of day, that shines for me,
To save me from despair.

Forerunner of the sun,*

It marks the pilgrim's way;
I'll gaze upon it while I run,
And watch the rising day.

XXXIII. SEEKING THE BELOVED.

To those who know the Lord I speak,

Is my beloved near?

The bridegroom of my soul I seek,
Oh! when will he appear?

Though once a man of grief and shame,

Yet now he fills a throne,

And bears the greatest, sweetest name,
That earth or heaven has known.

Grace flies before, and love attends
His steps where'er he goes;

Though none can see him but his friends,
And they were once his foes.

He speaks-obedient to his call
Our warm affections move:
Did he but shine alike on all,
Then all alike would love.

Then love in every heart would reign,
And war would cease to roar;
And cruel and bloodthirsty men
Would thirst for blood no more.

Such Jesus is, and such his grace,
Oh, may he shine on you!

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And tell him, when you see his face,
I long to s e him too.*

XXXIV. THE WAITING SOUL.

BREATHE from the gentle south, O Lord,
And cheer me from the north;
Blow on the treasures of thy word,
And call the spices forth!

I wish, thou know'st, to be resign'd,
And wait with patient hope;
But hope delay'd fatigues the mind,
And drinks the spirit up.

Help me to reach the distant goal,
Confirm my feeble knee;

Pity the sickness of a soul

That faints for love of thee.

Cold as I feel this heart of mine,
Yet since I feel it so;

It yields some hope of life divine
Within, however low

I seem forsaken and alone,

I hear the lion roar;

And every door is shut but one,
And that is mercy's door.

There, till the dear Deliv'rer come,
I'll wait with humble pray'r;
And when he calls his exile home,
The Lord shall find me there.

* Cant. v. 8.

XXXV. 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 befall;

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 castaway?
Bastards may escape the rod,*
Sunk in earthly, vain delight:
But the true-born child of God
Must not, would not if he might.

XXXVI. 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.

Hebrews xii. 8.

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