8 Do thou, dear Saviour, interpose,
Their stubborn wills constrain;
Or else to them the water flows,
And grace is preach'd in vain.
CXIV. The Disciples at Sea. Chap. vi. 16-21.
1 CONSTRAIN'D by their, Lord to embark,
And venture, without him, to sea;
The season tempestuous and dark,
How griev'd the disciples must be!
But though he remain❜d on the shore,
He spent the night for them in prayer ;
They still were as safe as before,
And equally under his care.
2 They strove, though in vain, for a while,
The force of the waves to withstand;
But when they were weary with toil,
They saw their dear Saviour at hand:
They gladly receiv'd him on board,
His presence their spirits reviv'd,
The sea became calm at his word,
And soon at their port they arriv'd.
8 We like the disciples, are toss'd,
By storms, on a perilous deep;
But cannot be possibly lost,
For Jesus hath charge of the ship:
Though billows and winds are enrag'd,
And threaten to make us their sport,
This pilot his word has engag'd
To bring us, in safety, to port.
4 If sometimes we struggle alone,
And he is withdrawn from our view,
It makes us more willing to own
We nothing without him can do:
Then Satan our hopes would assail,
But Jesus is still within call;
And when our poor efforts quite fail,
He comes in good time, and does all.
5 Yet, Lord, we are ready to shrink,
Unless we thy presence perceive;
O save us, (we cry,) or we sink,
We would, but we cannot believe:
The night has been long and severe,
The winds and the sea are still high,
Dear Saviour, this moment appear,
And say to our souls, "It is I."+
CXV. Will ye also go away? Chap. vi. 67-69.
1 WHEN any turn from Zion's way,
(Alas! what numbers do!)
Methinks I hear my Saviour say,
"Wilt thou forsake me too?"
2 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.
3 Yet thou alone hast pow'r, I know,
To save a wretch like me;
To whom, or whither, could I go,
If I should turn from thee?
4 Beyond a doubt I rest assur'd,
Thou art the Christ of God,
Who hast eternal life secur'd
By promise and by blood.
5 The help of men and angels join'd,
Could never reach my case;
Nor can I hope relief to find,
But in thy boundless grace.
6 No voice but thine can give me rest,
And bid my fears depart;
No love but thine can make me bless'd,
And satisfy my heart.
7 What anguish has that question stirr❜d,
If I will also go?
Yet, Lord, relying on thy word,
I humbly answer, No.
CXVI. The Resurrection and the Life. Chap. xi. 25.
1 "I AM," saith Christ, “your glorious head,"
(May we attention give,)
"The resurrection of the dead,
"The life of all that live.
2 "By faith in me the soul receives
"New life, though dead before;
"And he that in my name believes,
"Shall live, to die no more!
3 "The sinner, sleeping in his grave,
"Shall at my voice awake;
"And when I once begin to save,
66 My work I ne'er forsake."
4 Fulfil thy promise, gracious Lord,
On us assembled here;
Put forth thy Spirit with the word,
And cause the dead to hear.
5 Preserve the pow'r of faith alive
In those who love thy name;
For sin and Satan daily strive
To quench the sacred flame.
6 Thy pow'r and mercy first prevail'd,
From death to set us free;
And often since our life had fail'd,
If not renew'd by thee.
7 To thee we look, to thee we bow,
To thee for help we call;
Our life and resurrection thou,
Our hope, our joy, our all.
CXVII. Weeping Mary. Chap. xx. 11-16.
1 MARY to her Saviour's tomb
Hasted at the early dawn;
Spice she brought, and sweet perfume;
But the Lord she lov'd was gone.
For a while she weeping stood,
Struck with sorrow and surprise,
Shedding tears, a plenteous flood,
For her heart supply'd her eyes.
2 Jesus, who is always near,
Though too often unperceiv'd,
Came, his drooping child to cheer,
Kindly asking why she griev'd.
Though at first she knew him not,
When he call'd her by her naine,
Then her griefs were all forgot,
For she found he was the same.
3 Grief and sighing quickly fled,
When she heard his welcome voice;
Just before she thought him dead,
Now he bids her heart rejoice.
What a change his word can make,
Turning darkness into day!
You who weep for Jesus' sake,
He will wipe your tears away.
4 He who came to comfort her,
When she thought her all was lost,
Will for your relief appear,
Though you now are tempest-toss'd :
On his word your burden cast,
On his love your thoughts employ ;
Weeping for a while may last,
But the morning brings the joy.
CXVIII. C. Lovest thou me? Chap. xxi. 16.
1 HARK, my soul! it is the Lord;
"Tis thy Saviour, hear his word;
Jesus speaks, and speaks to thee:
"Say, poor sinner, lov'st thou me ?”
1 'Tis a point I long to know,
Oft it causes anxious thought;
Do I love the Lord, or no?
Am I his, or am I not?
2 If I love, why am I thus ?
Why this dull and lifeless frame?
Hardly, sure, can they be worse,
Who have never heard his name!
3 Could my heart so hard remain, Pray'r a task and burden prove, Ev'ry trifle give me pain,
If I knew a Saviour's love?
4 When I turn my eyes within,
All is dark, and vain, and wild;
Fill'd with unbelief and sin,
Can I deem myself a child?
5 If I pray, or hear, or read,
Sin is mix'd with all I do ;
You that love the Lord indeed,
Tell ine, is it thus with you?
6 Yet I mourn my stubborn will,
Find my sin a grief and thrall ;
Should I grieve for what I feel
If I did not love at all?
7 Could I joy his saints to meet,
Choose the ways I once abhorr'd,
Find, at times, the promise sweet,
If I did not love the Lord?
8 Lord, decide the doubtful case!
Thou who art thy people's sun,
Shine upon thy work of grace,
If it be indeed begun.
9 Let me love thee more and more,
If I love at all, I pray;
If I have not lov'd before,
Help me to begin to-day.
CXX. The Death of Stephen. Chap. vii. 54-60.
1 As some tall rock amidst the waves
The fury of the tempest braves,
While the fierce billows, tossing high,
Break at its foot, and, murm'ring die:
2 Thus, they who in the Lord confide,
Though foes assault on ev'ry side,
Cannot be mov'd or overthrown,
For Jesus makes their cause his own.
3 So faithful Stephen, undismay'd,
The malice of the Jews survey'd;
The holy joy which fill'd his breast,
A lustre on his face impress'd.
4 "Behold!" he said, "the world of light
"Is open'd to my strengthen'd sight;
My glorious Lord appears in view,
"That Jesus whom ye lately slew."
5 With such a friend and witness near,
No form of death could make him fear;
Calm, amidst show'rs of stones, he kneels,
And only for his murd'rers feels.
6 May we, by faith, perceive thee thus,
Dear Saviour, ever near to us!
This sight our peace through life shall keep,
And death be fear'd no more than sleep.
The Rebel's Surrender to Grace. Lord, What will
thou have me to do? Chap. ix. 6.
1 LORD, thou hast won, at length I yield;
My heart, by mighty grace compell'd,
Surrenders all to thee;
Against thy terrors long I strove,
But who can stand against thy love?
Love conquers even me.
2 All that a wretch could do, I try'd,
Thy patience scorn'd, thy pow'r defy'd,
And trampled on thy laws;
Scarcely thy martyrs at the stake,
Could stand more steadfast for thy sake,
Than I in Satan's cause.
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