Were half the breath thus vainly spent
To Heaven in fupplication fent,

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

30. THE LIGHT AND GLORY OF THE WORD.

HE Spirit breathes upon the Word,
And brings the truth to fight;
Precepts and promises afford
A fanctifying light.

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

The hand that gave it ftill fupplies
The gracious light and heat:
His truths upon the nations rife,
They rife, but never fet.

Let everlasting thanks be thine,
For fuch a bright display,
As makes a world of darkness shine
With beams of heavenly day.

My foul rejoices to pursue

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

31. ON THE DEATH OF A MINISTER.

66

IS mafter taken from his head,
Elisha faw him go;

And in desponding accents said,
Ah, what muft Ifrael do?"

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

What! when a Paul has run his course,

Or when Apollos dies,

Is Ifrael 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.

32. THE SHINING LIGHT.

M

Y former hopes are fled,
My terror now begins;
I feel, alas! that I am dead
In trefpaffes and fins.

Ah, whither fhall 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 fure a friendly whisper says, "Flee from the wrath to come."

I fee, or think I fee,

A glimmering from afar;

A beam of day, that fhines for me,
To fave me from despair.

Forerunner of the fun,*

I'll

It marks the Pilgrim's way;

gaze upon it while I run, And watch the rising day.

33. THE WAITING SOUL.

REATHE from the gentle fouth, O Lord,
And cheer me from the north;
Blow on the treasures of thy word,
And call the fpices 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 spirits up.

Pfalm cxxx. 6.

Help me to reach the diftant goal;

Confirm my feeble knee;

Pity the fickness of a foul

That faints for love of thee!

Cold as I feel this heart of mine,
Yet, fince I feel it fo,

It yields fome hope of life divine
Within, however low.

I feem forfaken and alone,
I hear the lion roar;

And every door is fhut but one,
And that is Mercy's door.

There, till the dear Deliverer come,
I'll wait with humble prayer;
And when he calls his exile home,
The Lord shall find him there.

34. SEEKING THE BELOVED.

O those who know the Lord, I speak,
Is my beloved near?

my

The bridegroom of foul I feek, 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 have 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 ceafe to roar;
And cruel and blood-thirsty men
Would thirst for blood no more.

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

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

35. LIGHT SHINING OUT OF DARKNESS.

OD moves in a mysterious way

His wonders to perform;

He plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never-failing skill,

He treasures up his bright designs,
And works his fovereign will.

• Cant. v. 8.