What is the world, and all things here?

"Tis but a bitter sweet;

When I attempt a rose to pluck,

A pricking thorn I meet.

Here perfect bliss can ne'er be found,
The honey's mix'd with gall;

'Midst changing scenes and dying friends Be thou my all in all.

322. Divine Manifestations in Distress.

7.6.8.

WHEN I travail in distres,
Or grief of any kind,
Burthen'd with uneasiness

And anguish on my mind,
One sweet ray of heav'nly light

Breaks up the clouds that come between ; Turns to day the gloomy night,

And quite renews the scene.
My complaints with speed remove,
My sorrows turn to joy,
Songs of melody and love

Again my tongue employ ;

Then I enter into rest,

Again I call Immanuel mine,
And, like John, upon his breast,
My weary head recline.

323. The Conquerors. 148th.

By whom was David taught
To aim the dreadful blow,

When he Goliah fought,
And laid the Gittite low?

No sword nor spear the stripling took,
But chose a pebble from the brook.
"Twas Israel's God and King
Who sent him to the fight,
Who gave him strength to sling,
And skill to aim aright.

Ye feeble saints, your strength endures,
Because young David's God is yours.
Who order'd Gideon forth

To storm th' invader's camp,
With arms of little worth,
A pitcher and a lamp?
The trumpets made his coming known
And all the host was overthrown.

O! I have seen the day,
When with a single word,
God helping me to say,

My trust is in the Lord;

My soul has quell'd a thousand foes,
Fearless of all that could oppose.
But unbelief, self-will,
Self-righteousnes, and pride,

How often do they steal

My weapon from my side!

Yet David's Lord and Gideon's Friend Will help his servants to the end.

324, The Believer's Resolution. 8.7. SAVIOUR, canst thou love a traitor?

Canst thou love a child of wrath?
Can a hell deserving creature
Be the purchase of thy death?

Is thy blood so efficacious
As to make my nature clean?
Is thy sacrifice so precious

As to free me from my sin?
Sin on ev'ry hand surrounds me,
No acquittance can I hear;
Pangs of unbelief confounds me,
O! my grief I cannot bear.
Here then is my resolution,
At thy dearest feet to fall;
Here I'll meet with condemnation,
Or a freedom from my thrall.
Now deny thy grace and mercy,
If thou canst, to wretched me;
Lay aside thy love and pity,

If thou canst, and let me die.
If I meet with condemnation,
Justly I deserve the same;
If I meet with free salvation,
I will magnify thy Name.

325. Will ye also go away? C. M. WHEN any turn from Zion's way, (Alas! what numbers do,) Methinks I hear my Saviour say, "Wilt thou forsake me too?

Ah, Lord, with such a heart as mine,
Unless thou hold me fast,

I feel I must, I shall decline,
And prove like them at last.

Yet thou alone hast power I know,
To save a wretch like me;
To whom, or whither could I go,
If I should turn from thee?

The help of men and angels join'd,
Can never reach my case;
Nor can I hope relief to find
But in thy boundless grace.

No voice but thine can give me rest,
And bid my fears depart;

No love but thine can make me blest,
And satisfy my heart.

What anguish has that question stirr❜d,
If I will also go;

Yet, Lord, relying on thy word,
I humbly answer, No.

326. Mercy. 11.

THY mercy, my God, is the theme of my

song,

The joy of my heart, and the boast of my tongue,

Thy free grace alone from the first to the last, Has won my affections and bound my soul fast. Without thy sweet mercy I could not live here,

Sin soon would reduce me to utter despair; But, through thy free goodness my spirits

revive,

And he that first made me still keeps me alive.

Whene'er I mistake, thy kind mercy begins To melt me, and then I can mourn for my sins; And led by the Spirit to Jesus's blood,

My sorrows are dry'd, and my strength is renew'd.

Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart, Which wonders to feel its own hardness de

part;

Dissolv'd by thy sunshine I fall to the ground, And weep to the praise of the mercy I found. Thy mercy is endless, most tender and free, No sinner need doubt, since 'tis given to me; No merit will buy it, nor fears stop its course; Good works are the fruits of its freeness and force.

Thy mercy in Jesus exempts me from hell; Of thy mercy I'll sing, of thy mercy I'll tell. Twas Jesus my friend when he hung on the tree,

That open'd the channel of mercy for me. Great Father of mercies, thy goodness I own, And the covenant love of thy crucified Son: All praise to the Spirit whose whisper divine Seals mercy, and pardon, and righteousness mine.

327. Christ the Believer's All.

IN Christ my treasure's all contain'd,
By him my feeble soul's sustain'd,
From him I all things do receive,
Through him my soul does daily live.

L. M.