Mercy heard and set him free:

Lord, that mercy came to me.

Many years have pass'd since then,
Many changes I have seen,

Yet have been upheld till now;

Who could hold me up but Thou?

Thou hast help'd in every need,
This emboldens me to plead;

After so much mercy past,

Canst Thou let me sink at last?

No, I must maintain my hold;

'Tis Thy goodness makes me bold: I can no denial take,

When I plead for Jesus' sake.

11. PLENTY IN THE TIME OF DEARTH.
Chap. xli. 56.

My soul once had its plenteous years,

And throve, with peace and comfort fill'd, Like the fat kine and ripen'd ears

Which Pharaoh in his dream beheld.

With pleasing frames and grace revived,
With means and ordinances fed!

How happy for a while I lived,

And little fear'd the want of bread!

But famine came, and left no sign

Of all the plenty I had seen:

Like the dry ears and half-starved kine, I then look'd wither'd, faint, and lean. To Joseph the Egyptians went;

To Jesus I made known my case: He, when my little stock was spent, Open'd His magazine of grace. For He the time of dearth foresaw, And made provision long before; That famish'd souls, like me, might draw Supplies from His unbounded store. Now on His bounty I depend,

And live from fear of death secure: Maintain'd by such a mighty Friend, I cannot want till He is poor.

O sinners, hear His gracious call,

His mercy's door stands open wide! He has enough to feed you all,

And none who come shall be denied.

12. JOSEPH MADE KNOWN TO HIS BRETHREN. Chap. xlv. 3, 4.

WHEN Joseph his brethren beheld
Afflicted and trembling with fear,
His heart with compassion was fill'd;
From weeping he could not forbear.

Awhile his behaviour was rough,

To bring their past sin to their mind; But when they were humbled enough, He hasted to show himself kind.

How little they thought it was he
Whom they had ill-treated and sold!
How great their confusion must be,
As soon as his name he had told!
'I am Joseph, your brother,' he said,
'And still to my heart you are dear;
You sold me, and thought I was dead;
But God, for your sakes, sent me here.'

Though greatly distressed before,

When charged with purloining the cup,
They now were confounded much more-
Not one of them durst to look up.
'Can Joseph, whom we would have slain,
Forgive us the evil we did?

And will he our households maintain?
O, this is a brother indeed!'

Thus dragg'd by my conscience I came,
And laden with guilt, to the Lord,
Surrounded with terror and shame,
Unable to utter a word.

At first He look'd stern and severe,
What anguish then pierced my heart!

C

Expecting each moment to hear

The sentence, 'Thou cursed, depart!'

But, oh! what surprise, when He spoke, While tenderness beam'd in His face; My heart then to pieces was broke, O'erwhelm'd and confounded by grace: 'Poor sinner, I know thee full well,

By thee I was sold and was slain; But I died to redeem thee from hell, And raise thee in glory to reign.

'I am Jesus, whom thou hast blasphemed, And crucified often afresh ;

But let me henceforth be esteem'd
Thy Brother, thy bone, and thy flesh.
My pardon I freely bestow,

Thy wants I will fully supply;

I'll guide thee and guard thee below,
And soon will remove thee on high.

Go, publish to sinners around,

That they may be willing to come, The mercy which now you have found, And tell them that yet there is room.' Oh, sinners, the message obey! No more vain excuses pretend; without further delay,

But come,

To Jesus, our Brother and Friend.

EXODUS.

13. THE BITTER WATERS. Chap. xv. 23-25. See Hymn

BITTER, indeed, the waters are

Which in this desert flow;

Though to the eye they promise fair,
They taste of sin and woe.

Of pleasing draughts I once could dream;
But now, awake, I find

That sin has poison'd every stream,
And left a curse behind.

But there's a wonder-working wood,
I've heard believers say,
Can make these bitter waters good,
And take the curse away.

The virtues of this healing tree
Are known and prized by few:

Reveal the secret, Lord, to me,
That I may prize it too.

The Cross on which the Saviour died,
And conquer'd for His saints,
This is the tree, by faith applied,

Which sweetens all complaints.

Thousands have found the bless'd effect,
Nor longer mourn their lot;

on Exod.
xiii. 21,
The Pillar
Cloud, page

281.