My Shepherd, my Husband, my Friend,
My Saviour from fin and from thrall;
My hope from beginning to end,
My portion my LORD, and my All.

XC. The foolish virgins (a). Chap. xxv. 1.
WHEN defcending from the fky

The Bridegroom fhall appear;

And the folemn midnight cry,
Shall call profeffors near;
How the found our hearts will damp!
How will fhame o'erspread each face!
If we only have a lamp,

Without the oil of grace.

2 Foolish virgins then will wake
And feek for a fupply;

But in vain the pains they take
To borrow or to buy;
Then with thofe they now defpife,
Earneftly they'll with to fhare;.
But the best among the wife,

Will have no oil to spare..

3 Wife are they, and truly bleft,
Who then fhall ready be!
But defpair will feize the reft,
And dreadful mifery:

Once they'll cry, we fcorn to doubt,
Tho' in lies our truft we put;
Now our lamp of hope is out,
The door of mercy fhut.

(a) Book III. Hymn 72.

4 If they then prefume to plead,
"LORD open to us now;

We on earth have heard and pray'd,
And with thy faints do bow: "
He will answer from his throne,
"Tho' you with my people mix'd,
Yet to me you ne'er were known,
Depart, your doom is fix'd."

5 O that none who worship here
May hear that word, Depart!
LORD imprefs a godly fear

On each profeffor's heart
Help us, LORD, to fearch the camp,
Let us not ourselves beguile;

Trufting to a dying lamp,

Without a stock of oil.

XCI.Peter finning and repenting. Chap.xxvi.73.

HEN Peter boafted foon he fell,

Wet was

Yet was by grace restor❜d;

His cafe fhould be regarded well

By all who fear the LORD.

2 A voice it has, and helping hand, Backfliders to recall;

3

And cautions those who think thy stand,

Left fuddenly they fall.

He faid, "Whatever others do,
With JESUS I'll abide;"

Yet foon amidst a murd'rous crew
His fuff'ring LORD deny❜d.

F 4

4 He

4 He who had been fo bold before,
Now trembled like a leaf;

Not only ly'd, but curs'd and swore,
To gain the more belief.

5 While he blafphem'd he heard the cock,
And JESUS look'd in love;
At once, as if by light'ning ftruck,
His tongue forbore to move.

6 Deliver'd thus from Satan's fnare
He starts, as from a fleep;

His Saviour's look he could not bear,-
But hafted forth to weep.

7 But fure the faithful cock had crow'd
A hundred times in vain;

Had not the LORD that look bestow'd
The meaning to explain.

8 As I, like Peter, vows had made,
Yet acted Peters part;

So confcience, like the cock, upbraids
My bafe, ungrateful heart.

9 LORD JESUS, hear a finner's cry,
My broken peace renew;
And grant one pitying look, that I
May weep with Peter too.

XCII. The legion dispossessed. Chap. v. 18,

Egion was my name by nature,

Satan rag'd within my breaft;

I

Mif

Mifchievous to all around me,
To myfelf the greatest foe;"

Thus I was, when JESUS found me,
Fill'd with madness fin and woe.
2. Yet in this forlorn condition,
When he came to fet me free;
I reply'd, to my Physician,
"What have I to do with thee?"
But he would not be prevented,
Refcu'd me against my will;
Had he ftaid till I confented
I had been a captive ftill.

3" Satan, tho' thou fain wouldft have it, Know this foul is none of thine;

4

5

I have shed my blood to fave it,
Now I challenge it for mine (b):
Tho' it long has thee refernbled,
Henceforth it fhall me obey;"
Thus he spoke while Satan trembled,
Gnafh'd his teeth and fled away.
Thus
my frantic foul he healed,
Bid my fins and forrows cease
Take, faid he, my pardon fealed,
I have fav'd thee, go in peace:"
Rather take me, LORD, to heaven,
Now thy love and grace I know;
Since thou haft my fins forgiven,
Why should I remain below!

"Love he faid, will fweeten labors,
Thou haft fomething yet to do;

Ge

I

Go and tell your friends and neighbours,

What my love has done for you:

Live to manifeft my glory,

Wait for heaven a little space;
Sinners when they hear thy ftory,
Will repent and feek my face.'

XCIII. The ruler's daughter raifed.
Chap. v. 39-42.

Could the creatures help or eafe us
Seldom should we think of pray'rs
Few, if any, come to JESUS,
Till reduc'd to felf despair:
Long we either flight or doubt him,
But when all the means we try,
Prove we cannot do without him,
Then at last to him we cry.

2 Thus the ruler when his daughter
Suffer'd much, tho' CHRIST was nigh,
Still defer'd it, till he thought her

At the very point to die :

Tho' he mourn'd for her condition,
He did not entreat the LORD,
Till he found that no phyfician.
But himfelf, could help afford.
3 JESUS did not once upbraid him,.
That he had no fooner come;
But a gracious anfwer made him,
And went ftraitway with him home:
Yet his faith was put to trial
When his fervants came, and faid,
"Tho' he gave thee no denial,
Tis too late, the child is dead."

JESUS