HUMILIATION.

UNFAITHFULNESS MOURNED.

C. M.

853

Lamenting spiritual sloth.

MY drowsy powers, why sleep ye so?

my soul: Nothing hath half thy work to do, Yet nothing's half so dull.

2 Go to the ants! for one poor grain
See how they toil and strive;
Yet we who have a heaven to' obtain,
How negligent we live!

3 We, for whose sake all nature stands, And stars their courses move;

We, for whose guard the angel bands
Come flying from above:-

4 We, for whom God the Son came down, And labour'd for our good;

How careless to secure that crown
He purchased with his blood!

5 Lord, shall we live so sluggish still,
And never act our parts?

Come, holy Dove, from the' heavenly hill, And warm our frozen hearts!

6 Give us with active warmth to move,
With vig'rous souls to rise;

With hands of faith, and wings of love,
To fly and take the prize.

854

L. M.

Zeal implored.

0

THOU, who all things canst control, Chase this dread slumber from my soul; With joy and fear, with love and awe, Give me to keep thy perfect law.

2 O may one beam of thy blest light
Pierce through, dispel, the shade of night:
Touch my cold breast with heavenly fire;
With holy, conqu'ring zeal inspire.

3 For zeal I sigh, for zeal I pant;
Yet heavy is my soul, and faint:
With steps unwav'ring, undismay'd,
Give me in all thy paths to tread.

4 With outstretch'd hands, and streaming eyes,
Oft I begin to grasp the prize:
I groan, I strive, I watch, I pray;
But ah! my zeal soon dies away.

5 The deadly slumber then I feel
Afresh upon my spirit steal:
Rise, Lord, stir up thy quick'ning power,
And wake me that I sleep no more.

855

5th P. M. 4 lines 7s. Instability.

JES

ESUS, shall I never be
Firmly grounded upon thee?
Never by thy work abide?
Never in thy wounds reside?
2 O how wav'ring is my mind,
Toss'd about with every wind;
O how quickly doth my heart
From the living God depart.
3 Jesus, let my nature feel
Thou art God unchangeable:
JAH, JEHOVAH, great I AM,
Speak into my soul thy Name.
4 Grant that every moment I
May believe and feel thee nigh;
Steadfastly behold thy face,
'Stablish'd with abiding grace.

856

Inconstancy lamented.

WH

HEN, O my Saviour, shall it be, That I no more shall break with thee? When will this war of passion cease, And I enjoy a lasting peace? 2 Now I repent; now sin again: Now I revive; and now am slain : Slain with the same malignant dart, Which, O! too often wounds thy heart. 3 When, gracious Lord, when shall it be, That I shall find my all in thee,— The fulness of thy promise prove, And feast on thine eternal love?

857

L. M.

C. M.

The vanity of mere formality.
ONG have I seem'd to serve thee, Lord,

Fasted, and pray'd, and read thy word,
And heard it preach'd in vain.
2 Oft did I with the' assembly join,
And near thy altar drew:
A form of godliness was mine,-
The power, I never knew.

3 I rested in the outward law,
Nor knew its deep design:
The length and breadth, I never saw,
And height, of love divine.

4 To please thee, thus at length I see,
Vainly I hoped and strove;
For what are outward things to thee,
Unless they spring from love?
5 I see the perfect law requires
Truth in the inward parts;
Our full consent, our whole desires,
Our undivided hearts.

t;

6 But I of means have made my boast Of means an idol made:

The spirit in the letter lost,

The substance, in the shade.

7 Where am I now, or what my hope?
What can my weakness do?
Jesus, to thee my soul looks up:
'Tis thou must make it new.

858

L. M.

0

No peace but in the favour of God.
WHERE is now that glowing love
That mark'd our union with the Lord?
Our hearts were fix'd on things above,
Nor could the world a joy afford.
2 Where is the zeal that led us then

To make our Saviour's glory known? That freed us from the fear of men,

And kept our eye on him alone?
3 Where are the happy seasons, spent
In fellowship with him we loved?
The sacred joy, the sweet content,

The blessedness that then we proved? 4 Behold, again we turn to thee;

O, cast us not away, though vile: No peace we have, no joy we see,

O Lord our God, but in thy smile. 859

L. M.

The spirit of the ancient worthies.
FOR that flame of living fire,

Which shone so bright in saints of old; Which bade their souls to heaven aspire,Calm in distress, in danger bold.

2 Where is that Spirit, Lord, which dwelt

In Abrah'm's breast, and seal'd him thine?. Which made Paul's heart with sorrow melt,

And glow with energy divine?—

3 That Spirit, which from age to age Proclaim'd thy love, and taught thy ways? Brighten'd Isaiah's vivid page,

And breathed in David's hallow'd lays? 4 Is not thy grace as mighty now As when Elijah felt its power; When glory beam'd from Moses' brow, Or Job endured the trying hour? 5 Remember, Lord, the ancient days;

Renew thy work; thy grace restore; And while to thee our hearts we raise, On us thy Holy Spirit pour.

860

1st P. M. 6 lines 8s. Broken vows lamented.

GOD! how often hath thine ear To me in willing mercy bow'd; While, worshipping thine altar near,

0

Lowly I wept, and strongly vow'd:
But ah! the feebleness of man!
Have I not vow'd and wept in vain?
2 Return, O Lord of Hosts, return!

Behold thy servant in distress;
My faithlessness again I mourn;

Again forgive my faithlessness; And to thine arms of mercy take, And bless me for the Saviour's sake.

861

S. M.

The warning voice of Jesus.

shake

Gr This slumber from my soul!

Say to me now,-Awake, awake!

And Christ shall make thee whole.
2 Lay to thy mighty hand;
Alarm me in this hour;
And make me fully understand
The thunder of thy power.