4. ANOTHER.

By faith in Christ I walk with God,
With heaven, my journey's end, in view;
Supported by His staff and rod,*

My road is safe and pleasant too.

I travel through a desert wide,

Where many round me blindly stray; But He vouchsafes to be my Guide,+ And will not let me miss my way.

Though snares and dangers throng my path, And earth and hell my course withstand; I triumph over all by faith,‡

Guarded by His almighty hand.

The wilderness affords no food,

But God for my support prepares; Provides me every needful good,

And frees my soul from wants and cares. With Him sweet converse I maintain, Great as He is, I dare be free ;

I tell Him all my grief and pain,
And He reveals His love to me.

Some cordial from His Word He brings,
Whene'er my feeble spirit faints;
At once my soul revives and sings,

And yields no more to sad complaints.

* Psal. xxiii. 4. † Psal. cvii. Psal. xxviii. 1, 2.

See Hymn

on Gen. ix. 14, The Rainbow,' page 311.

I pity all that worldlings talk

Of pleasures that will quickly end:
Be this my choice, O Lord, to walk
With Thee, my Guide, my Guard, my
Friend.

5. LOT IN SODOм. Chap. xiii. 10. How hurtful was the choice of Lot, Who took up his abode

(Because it was a fruitful spot)

With them who fear'd not God!

A prisoner he was quickly made,
Bereaved of all his store;
And, but for Abraham's timely aid,
He had return'd no more.

Yet still he seem'd resolved to stay,
As if it were his rest,

Although their sins from day to day*
His righteous soul distress'd.

Awhile he stay'd with anxious mind,
Exposed to scorn and strife;
At last he left his all behind,
And fled to save his life.

In vain his sons-in-law he warn'd-
They thought he told his dreams;

* 2 Peter ii. 8.

His daughters, too, of them had learn'd,
And perish'd in the flames.

His wife escaped a little way,
But died for looking back:
Does not her case to pilgrims say,
'Beware of growing slack?'

Yea, Lot himself could lingering stand,
Though vengeance was in view:
'Twas Mercy pluck'd him by the hand,
Or he had perish'd too.

The doom of Sodom will be ours

If to the earth we cleave:

Lord, quicken all our drowsy powers

To flee to Thee and live!

6. C. JEHOVAH-JIREH-The Lord will provide. See Hymn

Chap. xxii. 14.

THE saints should never be dismay'd,

Nor sink in hopeless fear;

For when they least expect His aid,

The Saviour will appear.

This Abraham found; he raised the knife,

God saw, and said, 'Forbear!

Yon ram shall yield his meaner life;

Behold the victim there!'

on Gen. xxi.

19, Hagar,

page 409.

Another on the same subject, page 383.

Once David seem'd Saul's certain prey;

But hark! the foe's at hand;
Saul turns his arms another way,
To save the invaded land.

When Jonah sunk beneath the wave,
He thought to rise no more; †
But God prepared a fish to save,
And bear him to the shore.

Blest proofs of power and grace
That meet us in His Word!
May every deep-felt care of mine
Be trusted with the Lord.

divine,

Wait for His seasonable aid,
And though it tarry, wait:
The promise may be long delay'd,
But cannot come too late.

7. THE LORD WILL PROVIDE.

THOUGH troubles assail,

And dangers affright,
Though friends should all fail,
And foes all unite;

Yet one thing secures us,
Whatever betide,

The Scripture assures us,
The Lord will provide.

* 1 Sam. xxiii. 28.

† Jonah i. 17.

The birds without barn

Or storehouse are fed; From them let us learn

To trust for our bread:
His saints what is fitting,
Shall ne'er be denied,

So long as 'tis written,
The Lord will provide.

We may, like the ships,
By tempests be tost
On perilous deeps,

But cannot be lost:
Though Satan enrages
The wind and the tide,
The promise engages,
The Lord will provide.

His call we obey,

Like Abram of old,

Not knowing our way,

But faith makes us bold : For though we are strangers, We have a good Guide, And trust, in all dangers, The Lord will provide.

When Satan appears,
To stop up our path,