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fess thy power; thou utterest thy voice in thunder, and dost scatter thy lightning abroad: thou ridest on the wings of the wind, the mountains smoke,. and the forests tremble at thy approach: the summer and winter, the shady night, and the bright revolutions of the day, are thine.

These are thy glorious works, Parent of good,
Almighty thine this universal frame:

Thus wondrous they; thyself how wondrous then?

But oh! what must thy essential majesty and beauty be, if thou art thus illustrious in thy works? if the discoveries of thy power and wisdom are thusdelightful, how transporting are the manifestations. of thy goodness? From thee every thing that lives receives its breath; and by thee are all upheld in life. Thy providence reaches the least insect, for thou art good; and thy care extends to all thy works. Thou feedest the ravens, and dost provide the young lions their prey, thou scatterest thy bles sings with a liberal hand on the whole creation; man, ungrateful nian, largely partakes thy bounty. Thou causest thy rain to descend, and makest thy sun to shine on the evil and unthankful; "for "thou art good, and thy mercy endureth for ever."

As the Creator and Preserver of men, thou art gloriously manifest; but oh! much more gloriously art thou revealed, as reconciling ungrateful enemies to thyself by the blood of thy eternal Son.

Here thy beneficence displays its brightest splendour: here thou dost fully discover thy most magnificent titles, "The Lord, the Lord God, merci"ful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant "in goodness: how unsearchable are thy ways, "and thy paths past finding out!" Infinite depths of love, never to be expressed by human language! and yet, should man be silent, the stones themselves would speak, and the mute creation find a voice to upbraid his ungrateful folly.

XVI. Longing for the coming of Christ.

COME, Lord Jesus, come quickly: oh! come, lest my expectation faint, lest I grow weary, and murmur at thy long delay. I am tired with these vanities, and the world grows every day more unentertaining and insipid; it has now lost its charms, and finds my heart insensible to all its allurements. With coldness and contempt I view these transitory glories, inspired with nobler prospects and vaster expectations by faith. I see the promised land, and every day brings me nearer the possession of my heavenly inheritance. Then shall I see God and live, and face to face behold my triumphant Redeemer,

And in his favour find immortal light.

Ye hours and days, cut short your tedious flight ;

Ye months and years (if such alloted be
In this detested barren world for me)
With hasty revolution roll along,

I languish with impatience to be gone.

I have nothing here to linger for; my hopes, my rest, my treasure, and my joys are all above: my soul faints for the courts of the Lord, in a dry and thirsty land where is no refreshment.

How long "shall I dwell in Meshech, and so"journ in the tents of Kedar ?" When will the wearisome journey of life be finished? when shall I reach my everlasting home, and arrive at my celestial country? My heart, my wishes are already there I have no engagements to delay my farewell, nothing to detain me here; but wander an unacquainted pilgrim, a stranger and desolate, far from my native regions.

My friends are gone before, and are now triumphing in the skies, secure of the conquest, possessed of the rewards of victory They survey the field of battle, and look back with pleasure on the distant danger death and hell, for ever vanquished, leave them in the possession of endless tranquillity and joy; while I, beset with a thousand snares, and tired with continual toil, unsteadily maintain the field, till active faith steps in, assures me of the conquest, and shews me the immortal crown. It is faith tells me, that "light is sown for the "righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart :"

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it assures mė, that " my Redeemer lives, and that " he shall stand at the last day on the earth; and 86 though, after my skin, worms destroy this body, 66 yet in my flesh I shall see God: whom I shall "see for my self, and not another, and these eyes "shall behold, though my reins be consumed with"in me. Amen, even so come, Lord Jesus." This must be the language of my soul till thou dost appear, and these my impatient breathings after thee. Till I see thy salvation, my heart and my flesh will pine for the living God.

"Grant me, O Lord, to fulfil as a hireling my "day;" shorten the space, and let it be full of action. It is of small importance how few there are of these little circles of days and hours, so they are but well filled up with devotion, and with all proper duty.

XVII. Seeking after an absent God.

OH! let not the Lord be angry, and I who am but dust will speak: Why dost thou withdraw thyself, and suffer me to pursue thee in vain? If I am surrounded with thy immensity, why am I thus insensible of thee? Why do I not find thee, if thou art every where present? I search thee in the temple, where thou hast often met me; there I have seen the traces of thy majesty and beauty; but those sacred visions bless my sight no more. I search thee in my secret retirements, where I have called upon

thy name, and have often heard the whispers of thy voice; that celestial conversation hath often reached and raptured my soul; but I am solaced no more with those divine condescentions; I listen," but I hear those gentle sounds no more; I pine and languish, but thou fliest me; still I wither in thy absence, as a drooping plant for the reviving

sun.

O when wilt thou scatter this melancholy darkness? When shall the shadows flee before thee? When shall the chearful glory of thy grace dawn upon my mind at thy approach? I shall revive at thy light; my vital spirits will confess thy presence; grief and anxiety will vanish before thee, and immortal joys surround my soul.

Where thou art present, heaven and happiness ensue; hell and damnation fills the breast where thou art abɛent. While God withdraws, I am encompassed with darkness and despair; the sun and stars shine with an uncomfortable lustre : the faces of my friends grow tiresome; the smiles of angels would fail to chear my languishing spirit. I grow unacquainted with tranquillity, peace and joy are empty sounds to me, and words without a meaning.

Tell me not of glory and pleasure; there are no such things without my God; while he withdraws, what delight can these trifles afford? All that amuses mankind are but dreams of happiness, shades and fantastic appearances; what compensation can

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