See, from the ever burning lake,
How like a fmoky cloud they rise !
With horrid blasts my foul they shake,
With ftorms of blafphemies and lies.

Their fiery arrows reach the mark,*
My throbbing heart with anguish tear;
Each lights upon a kindred spark,
And finds abundant fuel there.

I hate the thought that wrongs the Lord;
Oh! I would drive it from my breast,
With thy own sharp two-edged fword,
Far as the eaft is from the weft.

Come, then, and chase the cruel hoft,

Heal the deep wounds I have received!
Nor let the powers of darkness boast,
That I am foil'd, and Thou art grieved!

41. PEACE AFTER A STORM.

HEN darkness long has veil'd my mind,
And smiling day once more appears;
Then, my Redeemer, then I find
The folly of my doubts and fears.

Straight I upbraid my wandering heart,
And blush that I should ever be

Ephef. vi. 16.

Thus prone to act so base a part,

Or harbour one hard thought of Thee!

Oh! let me then at length be taught
What I am ftill fo flow to learn;
That God is Love, and changes not,
Nor knows the fhadow of a turn.

Sweet truth, and easy to repeat!

But when my faith is fharply tried, I find myself a learner yet,

Unskilful, weak, and apt to flide.

But, O my Lord, one look from Thee
Subdues the difobedient will;
Drives doubt and discontent away,
And thy rebellious worm is still.

Thou art as ready to forgive
As I am ready to repine;

Thou, therefore, all the praise receive;
Be fhame and felf-abhorrence mine.

42. MOURNING AND LONGING.

HE Saviour hides his face!

My spirit thirsts to prove

Renew'd fupplies of pardoning grace,
And never fading love.

The favour'd fouls who know What glories fhine in him, Pant for his prefence as the roe Pants for the living stream!

What trifles teafe me now! They fwarm like fummer flies, They cleave to every thing I do, And fwim before my eyes.

How dull the Sabbath day, Without the Sabbath's Lord! How toilfome then to fing and And wait upon the Word!

Of all the truths I hear, How few delight my taste! I glean a berry here and there, But mourn the vintage past.

Yet let me (as I ought)
Still hope to be fupplied;

pray,

No pleasure else is worth a thought, Nor fhall I be denied.

Though I am but a worm,

Unworthy of his care,

The Lord will my defire perform,

And grant me all my prayer.

43. SELF-ACQUAINTANCE.

EAR Lord! accept a finful heart,
Which of itself complains,

And mourns, with much and frequent
fmart,

The evil it contains.

There fiery feeds of anger lurk,
Which often hurt my frame;
And wait but for the tempter's work,
To fan them to a flame.

Legality holds out a bribe

To purchase life from thee;
And Discontent would fain prescribe
How Thou shalt deal with me.

While Unbelief withstands thy grace,
And puts the mercy by;
Prefumption, with a brow of brass,
Says, "Give me, or I die."

How eager are my thoughts to roam
In queft of what they love!
But ah! when duty calls them home,
How heavily they move!

Oh, cleanse me in a Saviour's blood,
Transform me by thy power,

And make me thy beloved abode,

And let me roam no more.

44. PRAYER FOR PATIENCE.

ORD, who haft fuffer'd all for me,
My peace and pardon to procure,

The lighter crofs I bear for thee,
Help me with patience to endure.

The ftorm of loud repining hufh,

I would in humble filence mourn;
Why should the unburnt, though burning bush
Be angry as the crackling thorn?

Man fhould not faint at thy rebuke,
Like Joshua falling on his face,*
When the curfed thing that Achan took
Brought Ifrael into just disgrace.

Perhaps fome golden wedge fuppreff'd,
Some fecret fin offends my God;
Perhaps that Babylonish veft,
Self-righteoufnefs, provokes the rod.

Ah! were I buffeted all day,

Mock'd, crown'd with thorns, and fpit upon; I yet should have no right to say,

My great distress is mine alone.

Let me not angrily declare

No pain was ever fharp like mine, Nor murmur at the crofs I bear,

But rather weep, remembering thine.

* Joshua vii. 10, II.