55. LOVE CONSTRAINING TO OBEDIENCE. O ftrength of nature can suffice To ferve the Lord aright: And what she has she misapplies, For want of clearer light. How long beneath the law I lay I toil'd the precept to obey, But toil'd without fuccefs. Then, to abstain from outward fin Was more than I could do; Now, if I feel its power within, I feel I hate it too. Then all my fervile works were done A righteousness to raise; Now, freely chosen in the Son, I freely choose his ways. "What shall I do," was then the word, "That I may worthier grow?" "What shall I render to the Lord?" Is my inquiry now. To fee the law by Chrift fulfill'd, And hear his pardoning voice, Changes a flave into a child,* And duty into choice. 56. THE HEART HEALED AND CHANGED BY MERCY. IN enflaved me many years, And led me bound and blind; And make the Lord my friend?" Friends and minifters faid much But my blindness still was fuch, I chose a legal course : Much I fafted, watch'd, and strove, Scarce would show my face abroad, Thus afraid to trust his grace, And fubdued me to his fway; By a fimple word he spoke, Thy fins are done away." 57. HATRED OF SIN. OLY Lord God! I love thy truth, flight; Yet pierced by fin, the serpent's tooth, But though the poison lurks within, Had I a throne above the rest, Where angels and archangels dwell, my breast, One fin, unflain, within Would make that heaven as dark as hell. The prisoner fent to breathe fresh air, And blefs'd with liberty again, Would mourn, were he condemn'd to wear One link of all his former chain. But, oh! no foe invades the bliss, When glory crowns the Christian's head; One view of Jefus as He is Will ftrike all fin for ever dead. 58. THE NEW CONVERT. HE new-born child of gospel grace, nigh, Beneath Emmanuel's fhining face No fears he feels, he fees no foes, The ftrength and peace his foul enjoys. But fin foon darts its cruel fting, When Gideon arm'd his numerous hoft, The Lord foon made his numbers lefs; And faid, Left Ifrael vainly boast,* My arm procured me this success.’ Thus will he bring our fpirits down, And draw our ebbing comforts low, That faved by grace, but not our own, We may not claim the praise we owe. Judges vii. 2. 59. TRUE AND FALSE COMFORTS. GOD, whose favourable eye Thy shining presence gives. Not fuch as hypocrites suppose, Intoxicating joys are theirs, Who, while they boast their light, Lull'd in a soft and fatal sleep, Be mine the comforts that reclaim 'Tis joy enough, my All in All, At thy dear feet to lie; Thou wilt not let me lower fall, And none can higher fly. |