But where the Lord of grace Father of mercies, we have need Let the same Hand that gives the seed XVII. THE HOUSE OF PRAYER. Mark xi. 17. THY mansion is the Christian's heart, O Lord, Thy dwelling place secure! Bid the unruly throng depart, And leave the consecrated door. Devoted as it is to Thee, A thievish swarm frequents the place; There, too, a sharp designing trade Sin, Satan, and the World maintain; I know them, and I hate their din ; And weary of the bustling crowd; But while their voice is heard within, I cannot serve Thee as I would. Oh! for the joy Thy presence gives, What peace shall reign when Thou art there; Thy presence makes this den of thieves A calm delightful house of prayer. And if Thou make Thy temple shine, I give Thee what was Thine before. XVIII. LOVEST THOU ME? John xxi. 16. "I deliver'd thee when bound, And when bleeding, heal'd thy wound; "Can a woman's tender care "Mine is an unchanging love, Lord it is my chief complaint, Oh! for grace to love Thee more! XIX. CONTENTMENT. Phil. iv. 11. FIERCE passions discompose the mind, But calm content and peace we find, In vain by reason and by rule For none but in the Saviour's school Since at His feet my soul has sate, "Art thou a sinner, soul ?" He said, "If thou of murmuring wouldst be cured, Compare thy griefs with mine; Think what my love for thee endured, ""Tis I appoint thy daily lot, Thou soon shalt leave this wretched spot, "In life my grace shall strength supply, At death thou [still] shalt find me nigh, Thus I, who once my wretched days Taught in my Saviour's school of grace, XX. OLD TESTAMENT GOSPEL. Heb. iv. 2. ISRAEL in ancient days Not only had a view But learn'd the Gospel too; The paschal sacrifice And blood-besprinkled door,* And once applied with power, Would teach the need of other blood, The Lamb, the Dove, set forth For He who can for sin atone, The scape-goat on his head ‡ Was to be seen no more: Exod. xii. 13. † Lev. xii. 6. Lev. xvi. 21. Dipt in his fellow's blood, Express'd the sinner's plea; Throughout the sacred page, Oh grant that I may faithful be XXI. SARDIS. Rev. iii. 1-6. "WRITE to Sardis," saith the Lord, "And write what He declares, He whose Spirit, and whose word, Upholds the seven stars : All thy works and ways I search, Find thy zeal and love decay'd; Thou art call'd a living church, But thou art cold and dead. "Watch, remember, seek, and strive, Exert thy former pains; Let thy timely care revive, And strengthen what remains; Cleanse thine heart, thy works amend, Former times to mind recall, Lest my sudden stroke descend, "Yet I number now in thee XXII. PRAYER FOR CHILDREN. BESTOW, dear Lord, upon our youth, And let the seed of sacred truth *Lev. xiv. 51-53. Grace is a plant, where'er it grows, Ye careless ones, O hear betimes Your youth is stain'd with many crimes, True, you are young, but there's a stone Within the youngest breast; Or half the crimes which you have done For you the public prayer is made: We pray that you may early prove XXIII. PLEADING FOR AND WITH YOUTH. And brought the sinner face to face This we repeat from year to year, Blessings upon the rising race! We feel for your unhappy state, And would a while ourselves forget We see, though you perceive it not, |