6 Perhaps the year, that's now begun,
May prove to fome their laft;
The fands of life may foon be run,
The day of grace be past.

7 Think, if you flight this embaffy,

And will not warning take; When JESUS in the clouds you fee, What answer will you make.

XXVIII. P AU L's farewel charge.
Acts xx. 26, 27.

WHEN Paul was parted from his friends

It was a weeping day;

But JESUS made them all amends,
And wip'd their tears away.
2 Ere long they met again with joy,
(Secure no more to part)

Where praises ev'ry tongue employ,
And pleasure fills each heart.

3 Thus all the preachers of his grace
Their children foon fhall meet;
Together fee their Saviour's face,
And worship at his feet.

4 But they who heard the word in vain,
Tho' oft and plainly warn'd;.

Will tremble, when they meet again
The minifters they scorn'd.

5 On your own heads your blood will fall
If any perish here;

The preachers who have told you all,
Shall ftand approv'd, and clear.
K 2

>

6 Yet

6. Yet LORD. to fave themselves alone,

Is not their utmost view;

Oh! hear their pray'r thy meffage own,
And fave their hearers too.

XXIX. How shall I put thee among the children? Jer. iii. 19.

I ALASS! by nature how deprav'd,

How prone to ev'ry ill!

Our lives, to Satan, how enflav'd,
How obftinate our will!

2 And can fuch finners be reftor'd,
Such rebels reconcil'd!
Can grace itself the means afford
To make a foe a child!

3 Yes, grace has found the wond'rous means
Which fhall effectual prove;
To cleanfe us from our countless fins,
And teach our hearts to love.

4 JESUS for finners undertakes,

5

And dy'd that we may live;
His blood a full atonement makes,
And cries aloud, " Forgive."

Yet one thing more muft grace provide,
To bring us home to GOD;

Or we shall flight the LORD, who dy'd,
And trample on his blood.

6 The holy Spirit must reveal

The Saviour's work and worth ; Then the hard heart begins to feel A new and heavenly birth.

7 Thus bought with blood, and born again,
Redeem'd, and fav'd, by grace;
Rebels, in GoD's own house obtain
A fon's and daughter's place.

I

SEE

XXX. Winter (0).

EE, how rude winter's icy hand Hasftripp'd the trees, and feal'd theground! But fpring fhall foon his rage withstand, And fpread new beauties all around. 2 My foul a fharper winter mourns, Barren and fruitless I remain ; When will the gentle fpring return, And bid my graces grow again? 3 JESUS my glorious Sun arife!

'Tis thine the frozen heart to move;
Oh! hufh these ftorms and clear my skies,
And let me feel thy vital love!

4 Dear LORD, regard my feeble cry,
I faint and droop till thou appear;
Wilt thou permit thy plant to die?
Muft it be winter all the year?

5 Be ftill, my foul, and wait this hour,
With humble pray'r and patient faith ;.
Till he reveals his gracious pow'r,
Repofe on what his promise faith,

He, by whofe all-commanding word (p),
Seasons this changing courfe maintain ;
In ev'ry change a pledge affords,

That none fhall feek his face in vain.

K 3

XXXI.

(•) Book III, Hymn 31.

(p) Genefis viii. 22.

XXXI. Waiting for spring.

1 THO'cloudy skies, and northern blafts Retard the gentle fpring awhile;

The fun will conqu'ror prove at last,
And nature wear a vernal smile.

2 The promise which from age to age,
Has brought the changing seasons round;
Again fhall calm the winter's rage,
Perfume the air, and paint the ground.

3

The virtue of that first command,
I know ftill does, and will prevail;
That while the earth itself fhall ftand,
The spring and summer shall not fail.
4 Such changes are for us decreed;
Believers have their winters too;
But fpring fhall certainly fucceed,
And all their former life renew.

5 Winter and fpring have each their use,
And each, in turn, his people know ;
One kills the weeds their hearts produce,
The other makes their graces grow.

6 Tho' like dead trees awhile they feem,
Yet having life within their root,
The welcome spring's reviving beam
Draws forth their bloffoms, leaves, and fruit.
7 But if the tree indeed be dead,

It feels no change, tho' fpring return,
Its leaflefs, naked, barren head,
Proclaims it only fit to burn.

8. Dear LORD, afford our fouls a fpring, Thou know'st our winter has been long; Shine forth, and warm our hearts to fing, And thy rich grace shall be our fong.

I

BLE

XXXII. Spring.

LEAK winter is fubdu'd at length,
And forc'd to yield the day;

The fun has wafted all his ftrength,
And driven him away.

2 And now long with'd for fpring is come,
How alter'd is the scene!

3

4

5

The trees and fhrubs are dreft in bloom,
The earth array'd in green.

Where'er we tread, beneath our feet
The cluft'ring flowers fpring;
The artless birds, in concert fweet,
Invite our hearts to fing.

But ah! in vain I ftrive to join,
Opprefs'd with fin and doubt;
I feel 'tis winter ftill, within,
Tho' all is fpring without.

Oh! would my Saviour from on high,
Break thro' thefe clouds and fhine!
No creature then more bleft than I,
No fong more loud than mine.

6 Till then-no foftly warbling thrush,
Nor cowflip's fweet perfume;

Nor beauties of each painted bush,
Can diffipat: my_gloom.

K 3

7 Te