Fear not, for I am With Thee.
EVEN as the sun (which every day surrounds
The sublune globe, and pries into the bounds
Of this dark centre,) lets his beams reflect
Upon a mole-hill, with as much respect
As on a mountain-for his glorious beams
Shine always with equivalent extremes,—
Even so the great and powerful Three in One,
That sits upon his all-enlightening throne,
Does not deny to let his mercies crown
The poorest peasant with as much renown
As the most stateliest emperor: though he
Invests his body with more dignity,
Yet he's but earth, and must at last decay;
For prince and peasant go the self-same way;
There's no distinction-one infused breath
Made them alike, and both must live in death
Or everlasting life; both must commence
Divines in heaven; there's no pre-eminence,
But all equality; all must express
With equal joy their equal happiness.
Rouse up, dull man, and let thy wakened soul
Be vigilate! oh, let thy thoughts enrol
The love of God; engrave it in thy breast,
That his resounding tongue may read thee blest!
Oh! let thy sighs like pens, and let thy tears
Like ink, inscribe the love, th' indulgent cares
Of thy Creator; that Himself may find,
Within th' unblotted volume of thy mind,
Himself recorded; so will He embrace
Thy spotless soul, and fill thee with his grace.
Incline thine ears, and let thy heart rejoice
To hear the strains of his harmonious voice.
Hearken, and thou shalt hear his prophets sing
The admired mercies of the glorious King:
Thus saith the great and everlasting One,
That rules the heavens, and governs earth alone;
Thus saith the Lord, that takes delight to dwell
Among his saints, that formed Israel,
Created Jacob, "Let thy sorrows flee
Out of thy breast: I have redeemed thee,
'Twas I that made thy clouded vision shine,
And called thee by my name, for thou wert mine;
I will be with thee: when thy feet shall wade
Through the waters, I will be thy aid:
I'll make thee walk through rivers, and the waves
Shall prove ambitious to become thy slaves;
And when thou walkest through the raging fire,
The unruly flames shall not presume t' aspire,
Or kindle on thy garments. I alone,
The Lord thy God, and Israel's Holy One,
And thy dear Saviour, that was always true,
Gave Egypt, Seba, Ethiopia, too,
To ransom thee; for thou wert my delight,
And always precious in my favouring sight.
Honours were heaped upon thee, and thou wert
The tender love of my affecting heart;
Therefore e'en I, well pleased with thee, will give
People for thy dear sake, that thou mayst live.
Fear not, for I am with thee, and will stand
In thy defence; and my all-grasping hand
Shall bring thy seed from the remotest places,
And fill thee with my satisfying graces.
My tongue shall call unto the north, and say
Unto the south, Give; and they shall obey;
Bring from afar my sons and daughters all,
Hear my loud voice, be active when I call.
I have created them, and I proclaim
They shall be called and honoured by my name.
I'll usher forth the blind, and make them see
The splendent glories of my Majesty:
I'll cure the deaf, and make their hearts rejoice
To hear the echoes of my warbling voice."
Thus hath our God untied the tongues, and
broke
His prophets' lips-thus have his prophets spoke;
And wilt thou be, O man, so much obdure,
As not to credit Him that will assure
Perpetual happiness? Thou canst not ask
That which He cannot give: do but unmask
Thy shame-faced soul, that so thou mayst descry
Jehovah's mercies with a faithful eye;
Descant upon his promises; advise
With thine own thoughts; let wisdom make thee wise.
Thy thoughts together, and discreetly fall
Into a serious study. Let thy mind
Be absolute and really inclined
To meditation. Contradict the rage
Of thine own passions. Labour to assuage
The fire of lust, that so thou mayst behold,
With more serenity, how manifold
Think what he did endure
Before his wounds had perfected thy cure.
Remember how undauntedly He stood,
And sweat Himself into a crimson flood,
To ransom thee; remember how his woes
Were asperated by his raging foes;
Remember how his sacred temples wore
A spiny crown; remember how it tore
His sublime front; remember how they broached
His breast with spears, and shamefully reproached
His spotless fame; remember how they nailed
His spreading hands; remember how they scaled
His ivory walls; remember how they spawled
Upon his face; remember how they bawled
And banded at his agony, whilst He
Proved patient martyr to their tyranny;
Remember, when He came unto the brink
Of death, they gave Him vinegar to drink.
Here's love, O man, that does as far transcend
Thy thoughts as thy deserts, that Heaven should
send
His Son and Heir to be incarnated
And suffer death for thee: thou wert as dead As sin could make thee; 'twas for thy offence He died, ah! how, how canst thou recompense Such high-bred favours? After thou art fed, Wilt thou contemn the hand that gave thee bread? Wouldst thou not love that friend that should bestow
A superannuated crust, and show
Respect unto thee when the ebbing tide
Of fortune runs so low, that thou mayst ride
Upon the sands of poverty? Fond man,
Strive to be grateful; study how to scan
What regal vestments can with them compare?
What king so shining, or what queen so fair?
If ceaseless, then, the fowls of heaven He feeds;
If o'er the fields such lucid robes He spreads;
Will He not care for you, ye faithless, say ?
Is He unwise? or, are ye less than they ?"
JAMES THOMSON.
Father, Hallowed be Thy Name. HOLY, holy, holy, Lord,
In the highest heavens adored,
Author of all nature's frame:
Father, hallowed be Thy name!
Though estranged from Thee in heart,
Doubtless Thou our Father art:
From Thy hand our spirits came:
Father, hallowed be Thy name.
Nor by nature's tie alone
Thou art as our Father known:
Nearer now, in Christ our claim:
Father, hallowed be Thy name.
Born anew, Oh, may we feel
Filial love, the Spirit's seal;
Cleansed from guilt, redeemed from shame:
Father, hallowed be Thy name.
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