Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

Looking to Jesus.

LXXIX.

It was no path of flowers,

Through this dark world of ours, Beloved of the Father! thou didst tread; And shall we in dismay,

Shrink from the narrow way,

When clouds and darkness are around it spread?

Prayer of Sir Henry Vane on the Scaffold.*

'Bring us, O Lord, into the true mystical Sabbath-state, that we may cease from our own works, rest from our labors, not think our own thoughts, find our own desire, or walk in the way of our own hearts, but become a meet habitation of thy spirit by the everlasting covenant, the place of thy rest Let the spirit of God and of glory, that is greater than he that is in the world, rest upon us, work in and by us mightily, to the pulling down of flesh and blood, the strongholds of sin and Satan in ourselves and others, causing us to suffer

*He suffered, June 13, 1662, for the same principles for which the Abolitionists are now contending. To his labors as much as to any other one cause, do we owe the freedom of New-England.

Looking to Jesus.

135

O thou, who art our life!

Be with us through the strife!

Was not thy head by earth's fierce tempests' bowed.

under the fire-baptism thereof, as that we may cease from sin forever or from that fleshly, mutable, and temporary state of life and righteousness, which at best is liable to roll back into sin again, to be entangled, overcome, and finally triumphed over by the pollutions of this world.

Thine eyes, O Lord, run to and fro through the whole earth. Thou art the supreme disposer of all the kingdoms of men, giving them to whomsoever thou wilt. Whatever cross-blows thou sufferest to be given thy people for a season, thou orderest all to thine own glory, and their true advantage. But thou hast a set time for Sion's deliverance. Let the exceeding near approach of this, bear up the spirits of thy poor despised ones, in this day of extremity and suffering, from sinking and despondency. Carry them through their suffering part, with a holy triumph, in thy chariots of salvation. How long, O Lord, holy and true? Make haste to help the remnant of thy people. Break the heavens and come down, touch the mountains of prey, the kingdoms of this evil world, and let them smoke.

But, Lord, be this dispensation of what continuance it will, for the serving of thy most gracious and wise designs, let the spirit and resolution of thy servants be steady and unchangeable, that whether they live, they may live to the Lord, that died for them; or whether they die, they may die to the Lord, who lives forever to make intercession for them, that they may glorify thee with their bodies and spirits, whether by life or by death.

Thou knowest, O Lord, that in the faith of Jesus, and for the truth as it is in Jesus, thy servant desires to die. In this faith, dear Lord, I have lived, and in this faith and profession I die. Now set thy seal to it, and remove the reproaches and calumnies with which

136

Looking to Jesus.

Raise thou our eyes above,

To see a Father's love

Beam, like the bow of promise, through the cloud.

thy servant is reproached, for thou knowest his innocency. Dear Father, thou sentest us unto this world; but this world is not our home, we are strangers and pilgrims in it, as all our fathers were. We have no abode here, but there is a house, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, that, when this tabernalce is dissolved, we may enter into.

Thou seest and knowest all things, and art able to witness to the truth and integrity of thy servant. When his blood is shed upon the block, let it have a voice afterward, that may speak his innocency, `and strengthen the faith of thy servants in the truth.

The desire of our soul is to hasten to thee, O God, to be dissolved, that we may be with Christ. Blessed be thy name, that this great strait that we were before in, is now determined; that there is no longer abode for me in this mortal body. Let thy servant speak something in behalf of the nation, wherein he hath lived. Lord, did we not exceed other nations in our day? Great things have been done by thee in the midst of us. O that thou wouldst look down in pity and compassion, and pardon the sins of this whole nation, and lay them not to their charge; show them what is thy good and acceptable will, and bring them into subjection thereunto. We humbly pray thee, O Lord, look down with compassion upon this great and populous city; cleanse away the impurity, sinfulness, and defilements thereof; cause their souls to delight in thy word, that they may live. Let a spirit of reformation and purity spring up in and among them with power; make them willing to lay down all that is dear to them for thee, that thou mayest give them a crown of life. We are assured that thou knowest our suffering case and condition. We desire to give no just occasion of offence, nor to provoke any, but in meekness to forgive our enemies. Thy servant, that is now

Looking to Jesus.

Even through the awful gloom,

Which hovers o'er the tomb,

That light of love our guiding star shall be ;
Our spirits shall not dread

The shadowy way to tread,

137

Friend! Guardian! Saviour! which doth lead to

thee.

falling asleep, doth heartily desire of thee, that thou wouldst forgive them, and not lay this sin to their charge.'

His last words were: 'Father, glorify thy servant in the sight of that he may glorify thee in the discharge of his duty to thee and to his country.

man,

name.

'I bless the Lord, who hath accounted me worthy to suffer for his Blessed be the Lord, that I have kept a conscience void of offence to this day. I bless the Lord, that I have not deserted the rigeteous cause, for which I suffer.' In an instant, and at a single blow, the executioner discharged his office.

12*

Prejudice Reproved.

LXXX.

LYDIA H. SIGOURNEY.

GOD gave to Afric's sons
A brow of sable dye,-

And spread the country of their birth
Beneath a burning sky,-
And with a cheek of olive, made
The little Hindoo child,

And darkly stained the forest tribes
That roam our Western wild.

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

MOTHER! when around your child
You clasp your arms in love,
And when with grateful joy you raise
Your eyes to God above,-

Think of the negro mother, when
Her child is torn away,
Sold for a little slave,-oh then
For the poor mother pray!

Father! when'er your happy boys

You look upon with pride,
And pray to see them, when you 're old
All blooming by your side ;-

Think of that father's withered heart,

The father of a slave,

Who asks a pitying God to give

His little son a grave.

« AnteriorContinuar »