4 Thus blinded mortals fondly scheme
For happiness below;

Till death difturbs the pleafing dream,
And they awake to woe.

5 Ah! who can speak the vast difmay
That fills the finner's mind;

When torn, by death's ftrong hand
He leaves his all behind.

away,

6 Wretches, who cleave to earthly things,
But are not rich to GOD;
Their dying hour is full of itings,
And hell their dark abode.

7 Dear Saviour, make us timely wife,
Thy gofpel to attend;

That we may live above the skies,
When this poor life fhall end.

CIII. The barren fig-tree. Chap. xiii. 6-9

I

HE church a garden is

THE

In which believers ftand,

Like ornamental trees

Planted by GoD's own hand:

His Spirit waters all their roots,

And ev'ry branch abounds with fruits.

2 But other trees there are,
In this inclofure grow;
Which tho' they promife fair,
Have only leaves to fhow:

No fruits of grace are on them found,

They ftand but cumb'rers of the ground.

3 The under gard'ner grieves,
In vain his ftrength he spends,
For heaps of useless leaves,
Afford him fmall amends:

He hears the LORD his will make known, To cut the barren fig-trees down.

4

How difficult his poft,
What pangs his bowels move,
To find his wishes croft,

His labours useless prove! :
His laft relief is earnest pray'r,
"LORD spare them yet another year.
5 Spare them and let me try
What farther means may do ;
I'll frefh manure apply,

My digging I'll renew:

Who knows but yet they fruit may yield! If not 'tis juft they must be fell'd."

6 If under means of

grace,

No gracious fruits appears

It is a dreadful cafe,

Tho' GOD may long forbear:

At length he'll strike the threat'ned blow(d), And lay the barren fig-tree low.

CIV. The prodigal Son. Chap. xv. II—24i

A In mercy oft are fent;
Α

Fflictions, tho' they seem fevere,

They ftopp'd the prodigal's career,
And forc'd him to repent.

(d) Book II, Hymn 26.

2 Altho

2 Altho' he no relentings felt
Till he had spent his store;
His ftubborn heart began to melt
When famine pinch'd him fore.

3 "What have I gain'd by fin, he said,
But hunger, fhame, and fear;
My father's houfe abounds with bread,
While I am starving here.

4 I'll go and tell him all I've done,
And fall before his face;
Unworthy to be call'd his fon,
I'll seek a fervants place."

5 His father faw him coming back,
He saw, and ran, and smil'd;
And threw his arms around the neck
Of his rebellious child.

"Father I've finn'd-but O forgive!"
"I've heard enough he said,
Rejoice my houfe, my fon's alive,
For whom I mourn'd as dead.

7 Now let the fatted calf be flain,
And fp ead the news around;
My fon was dead, but lives again,
Was oft, but now is found,

8 'Tis thus the LORD his love reveals,
To call poor finners home;
More than a father's love he feels,
And welcomes all that come,

CV

CV. The rich man and LAZARUS. Chap. xvi. 19-25.

A Worldling spent each day

In luxury and state;

While a believer lay,

A beggar at his gate:

Think not the LORD's appointments ftrange, Death made a great and lafting change.

2 Death brought the faint release
From want, disease, and scorn
And to the land of peace,

His foul, by angels borne,
In Abraham's bofom fafely plac'd,
Enjoys an everlasting feast.

3 The rich man alfo dy'd,

And in a moment fell

From all his pomp and pride
Into the flames of hell:

The beggar's blifs from far beheld,
His foul with double anguish fill'å.
4 "O Abra'm fend, he cries,
(But his request was vain)
The beggar from the skies
To mitigate my pain!
One drop of water I entreat,

To footh my tongue's tormenting heat."

5 Let all who worldly pelf
And worldly fpirits have,
Obferve, each for himself,
The anfwer Abra'm gave:

<< Remember thou waft fill'd with good,
While the poor beggar pin'd for food.

6 Neglected at thy door,

With tears he begg'd his bread;
But now, he weeps no more,
His griefs and pains are fled :
His joys eternally will flow,
While thine expire in endless woe.
7 LORD, make us truly wife,
To choofe thy peoples lot;
And earthly joys defpife,
Which foon will be forgot:
The greatest evil we can fear,
Is to poffefs our portion here!

2

CVI. The importunate widow (e). Chap.

3

4

OUR

xviii. 17.

UR LORD, who knows full well
The heart of ev'ry faint;

Invites us, by a parable,

To pray and never faint.

He bows his gracious ear,

We never plead in vain;

Yet we must wait till he appear,
And pray, and pray, again.
Tho' unbelief suggest,

Why fhould we longer wait?
He bids us never give him reft,
But be importunate.

'Twas thus a widow poor,
Without fupport or friend,
G

(e) Book II, Hymn 60.

Befet