Art thou feeble, sorely tried ?
Art thou press’d on every side ?
Does it seem as if no power

Could relieve thee in this hour ?
Wherefore art thou thus disheartened ?
Is the arm that saves thee shortened ?

Dark and wide the sea appears,
Every soul is full of fears,
Yet the word is onward still!

Onward move, and do his will ;
And the great deep shall discover
God's highway to take thee over.

Stand thou still, and thou shalt see
Wonders wrought, and wrought for thee;
Safe thyself on yonder shore,

Thou shalt see thy foes no more:
And there tell the wondrous story
Of thy Saviour's might and glory.
117

shall I follow him I serve ?
How shall I copy him I love ?
Nor from those blessed footsteps swerve,
Which lead me to his seat above ?
Privations, sorrows, bitter scorn,
The life of toil, the mean abode,
The faithless kiss, the crown of thorn,-
Are these the consecrated road ?
'Twas thus He suffer'd, though a Son,
Foreknowing, choosing, feeling all ;
Until the perfect work was done,
And drunk the bitter cup of gall.

Lord, should my path through suffering lie
Forbid it I should e'er repine;
Still let me turn to Calvary,
Nor heed my griefs, remembering thine.
O let me think how thou didst leave
Untasted every pure delight,
To fast, to faint, to watch, to grieve,
The toilsome day, the homeless night:-
To faint, to grieve, to die for me;
Thou camest not thyself to please :
And, dear as earthly comforts be,
Shall I not love thee more than these?
Yes! I would count them all but loss,
To gain the notice of thine eye:
Flesh shrinks and trembles at the cross,
But thou canst give the victory.

118

TAKE up thy cross, the Saviour said,

my
Deny thyself, the world forsake,

And humbly follow after me.
Take up thy cross; let not its weight

Fill thy weak spirit with alarm :
His strength shall bear thy spirit up,

And brace thy heart, and nerve thine arm. Take up thy cross, nor heed the shame;

Nor let thy foolish pride rebel : Thy Lord for thee the Cross endured,

To save thy soul from death and hell.

Take up thy cross then in his strength,

And calmly every danger brave; 'Twill guide thee to a better home,

And lead to victory o'er the grave.

'

,

119
ITIS my happiness below,

Not to live without the cross,
But the Saviour's power to know,
Sanctifying every loss.
Trials must and will befal;
But with humble faith to see
Love inscribed upon them all,
This is happiness to me.
God, in Israel, sows the seeds
Of affliction, pain, and toil;
These spring up and choke the weeds
Which would else o'erspread the soil.
Trials make the promise sweet;
Trials give new life to prayer;
Trials bring me to his feet,
Lay me low, and keep me there.
Did I meet no trials here,
No correction by the way,
Might I not with reason fear
I should prove a cast-away?
Worldlings may escape the rod,
Sunk in earthly, vain delight;
But the true-born child of God
Must not, would not, if he might.

K

may take

120 A

As through this wilderness I stray, Which, if I would, I must not flee, But thy divine command obey ? I would not, Lord, pass by that cross, For thou hast placed it in my way; To turn aside would be my loss, I therefore lift my heart and pray: Shew me the cross that I must bear; Bend my proud heart, that I In holy faith and humble prayer, The cross of shame, for thy dear sake: For thou didst take a cross for

me, And on it all my sins didst bear; Its agony thou didst not flee, That in thy glory I might share. Then I will take my cross with joy, And bear it onward to the end ; My shame and pride, O Lord, destroy, My faith and hope on thee depend. Thou soon wilt take the cross away, And place the crown upon my brow, In that bright world of endless day, Where I no more a cross shall know.

121
JES
ESUS, I my cross have taken,

All to leave and follow thee.
Destitute, despised, forsaken,

Thou, from hence, my all shalt be.

Perish every fond ambition,

All I've sought, and hoped, and known: Yet how rich is my condition !

God and heaven are still mine own. Let the world despise and leave me :

They have left my Saviour too. Human hearts and looks deceive me:

Thou art not, like them, untrue.
And whilst thou shalt smile upon me,

God of wisdom, love, and might,
Foes may hate, and friends disown me ;

Shew thy face, and all is bright.
Man may trouble and distress me,

'Twill but drive me to thy breast; Life with trials hard may press me,

Heaven will bring me sweeter rest; O'tis not in grief to harm me,

While thy love is left to me; O'twere not in joy to charm me,

Were that joy unmix'd with thee. Soul! then, know thy full salvation;

Rise o'er sin and fear and care;
Joy to find, in every station,

Something still to do or bear.
Think what Spirit dwells within thee:

What a Father's smiles are thine :
What a Saviour died to win thee :

Child of heaven, canst thou repine ? Haste thee on from grace to glory,

Arm'd by faith and wing'd by prayer: Heaven's eternal days before thee:

God's own hand shall guide thee there.

a