But, oh! supreme, unutterable mercy!
Oh! love unequalled, mystery immense,
Which angels long to unfold! redeeming love!
That crowns thy glory, and thy power confirms,-
Confirms the great, the uncontroverted claim.
His was a life of miracles and might,
Of mercy and of love, ere yet He drank
The bitter draught of death, ere yet He rose
Victorious o'er the universal foe,
And death, and sin, and hell, in triumph led.
By everlasting gift and purchase His,
Those who in service sweet and golden bonds
Are tied to Him for ever. Oh! how easy
Is His ungalling yoke, and all His burdens
'Tis ecstasy to bear! Him, blessed Shepherd!
His flocks shall follow through the maze of life,
And shades that tend to day-spring from on high;
And as the radiant roses, after fading,
In fuller foliage and more fragrant breath,
Revive in smiling spring, so shall it fare
With those that love Him - sweet is their savour,
And all eternity shall be their spring.
Then shall the gates and everlasting doors,
At which the King of Glory enters in,
Be to the saints unbarred: and there, where pleasure
Boasts an undying bloom, where dubious hope
Is certainty, and grief-attended love
Is freed from passion,—there we'll celebrate,
With worthier numbers, Him who is, and was,
And, in immortal prowess King of kings,
Shall be the monarch of all worlds for ever.
MOSES DESCENDING FROM SINAI.
PROPHET of God, descending from the mount!
Thy feet have trodden holy ground, thine eye
Hath caught from opening heaven its radiancy,
And brought it hither from its highest fount!
So have I sometimes seen a Christian bear
A brightness, not of earth, but from above,
Lighting his countenance with rays of love,
As he descended from the mount of
Benevolence, affection, holy peace,
Serene and humble trust- a soul at rest,
A faith established, and a peaceful breast,
A confidence, a joy, which cannot cease:
These, these have shed a glory pure and bright,
As that which clad the prophet's face with light!
EDMESTON.
GOD, THE DISPOSER OF EVENTS.
"My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me."- Ps. xxxi. 15.
My times are in thy hand! Delightful thought!
This will I wear as memory's brightest gem:
Thou hast acquitted! Who shall dare condemn?
Thine, thine I am, by blood-paid purchase bought:
Then, if I live, thy hand will trace my way;
All things are mine, and working for my good,
Nor would I wish to alter if I could,
One cloud, a sunbeam of my earthly day;
Victor of all! The keys of death are thine;
Sickness and pain, and dark-winged powers of harm,
Have lost, with me, the license to alarm,
Thou hast subdued them, and the gain is mine.
Thus, as to some high mountain's top I rise,
And sit above the clouds, and live in stainless skies.
"FEED my lambs," 'twas kindly spoken,
'Twas a legacy of love!
Still His followers keep the token
Of their Saviour passed above.
Heaven receives Him, and conceals Him,
Yet we still in Him confide;
Still to us His word reveals Him
For our Saviour and our Guide.
While there beats one heart possessing
Holy love and heavenly fear,
We may rest secure in blessing,
We shall find a shepherd here.
Yet, kind Lord, whilst thou hast given
Earthly good from day to day,
Send us down those gifts from heaven
"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” — Gal. vi. 1.
BREATHE thoughts of pity o'er a brother's fall,
But dwell not with stern anger on his fault:
The grace of God alone holds thee, holds all;
Were that withdrawn, thou, too, wouldst swerve and halt.
Send back the wanderer to the Saviour's fold,—
That were an action worthy of a saint;
But not in malice let the crime be told,
Nor published to the world the evil taint.
The Saviour suffers when His children slide;
Then is His holy Name by men blasphemed!
And He afresh is mocked and crucified,
Even by those His bitter death redeemed.
Rebuke the sin, and yet in love rebuke;
Feel as one member in another's pain;
Win back the soul that his fair path forsook,
And mighty and eternal is thy gain!
"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want."-Ps. xxiii. 1.
KIND Shepherd, who thy little flock dost guide,
Wisdom thy rod, thy staff unceasing love,
And dost in pastures feed, and coverts hide,
Thy chosen till they reach the fold above.
Each weakness and each want to thee are known,
All strength is thine, and every holy joy,
The people whom thou choosest for thine own
No force can sever, and no foe destroy.
Rich is the food thou givest-bread from heaven-
Waters of life, which from thy presence flow;
And fitting guidance all their journey given,
Thy hand directing every step they go.
When through the vale of death they leave this land, That vale where all seems dark and chilly night— Thou wilt conduct them with thine own right hand, And even gild the vale of death with light!
"And in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea."-Matt. xiv. 25.
UPON the world's tempestuous sea,
The Christian bark is often tost,
But though the billows mountains be,
It never can at last be lost.
Though none appear at hand to save,
Jesus Himself amidst the night
Will walk upon the raging wave,
And lull the storm, and bring the light.
Sorrows of many kinds may roll,
In wave succeeding wave along,
And unbelief may fright the soul
With rocks concealed and currents strong;
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