But crops of joy they reap at length,
From what they fow in tears.
5 Afflictions make them love the word,
Stir up their hearts to pray'r;
And many precious proofs afford,
Of their Redeemer's care.

6 The lions roar but cannot kill,
Then fear them not, my friends,
They bring us, tho' against their will,
The honey JESUS fends.

XXV.

HANNAH, or the Throne of grace. Chap. i. 18.

I WHEN Hannah prefs'd with grief,

Pour'd forth her foul in pray'r ;

She quickly found relief,

And left her burden there:

Like her, in ev'ry trying cafe,
Let us approach the throne of grace.
2 When he began to pray,
Her heart was pain'd and fad;
But ere he went away,

Was comforted and glad:

In trouble, what a refting place,

Have they who know the throne of grace!

3 Tho' men and devils rage,

And threaten to devour;
The faints, from age to age,
Are fafe from all their pow'r;

Fresh

Fresh ftrength they gain to run their race,
By waiting at the throne of grace.

4 Eli her cafe mistook,

How was her spirit mov'd

By his unkind rebuke?

But GoD her cause approv❜d.

We need not fear a creature's face,
While welcome at a throne of grace.
5 She was not fill'd with wine,
As Eli rafhly thought;
But with a faith divine,

And found the help the fought:
Tho' men defpife and call us base,
Still let us ply the throne of grace.
6 Men have not pow'r or skill,
With troubled fouls to bear;
Tho' they express good-will,
Poor comforters they are:
But fwelling forrows fink apace,
When we approach the throne of grace,
7 Numbers before have try'd,

And found the promise true;

Nor yet one been deny'd,

Then why fhould I or you?

Let us by faith their footsteps trace,
And haften to the throne of grace.
8 As fogs obfcure the light,
And taint the morning air;
But foon are put to flight,
If the bright fun appear;

Thus JESUS will our troubles chase,

By fhining from the throne of grace (0)

C3

(0) Book II. Hymn 61.

XXVI.

XXVI. DAGON before the Ark,
Chap. v. 4, 5.

HEN first to make my heart his own,
The LORD reveal'd his mighty grace;
Self reign'd, like Dagon, on the throne,
But could not long maintain its place.
2 It felt, and own'd the pow'r divine,
(Grace can with ease the vict'ry gain)
But foon this wretched heart of mine,
Contriv'd to fet it up again.

3. Again the LORD his name proclaim'd,
And brought the hateful idol low;
Then felf, like Dagon, broken, maim'd,
Seem'd to receive a mortal blow.

4 Yet felf is not of life bereft,
Nor ceases to oppofe his will;
Tho' but a maimed ftump be left,
'Tis Dagon, 'tis an Idol ftill.
5. LORD! muft I always guilty prove,
And idols in my heart have room (p) ?
Oh! let the fire of heavenly love,
The very ftump of felf confume.

XXVII. The milch kine drawing the ark: Faiths
furrender of all. Chap. vi. 12.

HE kine unguided went

By the directeft road;

When the Philiftines homeward fent

The ark of Ifrael's God.

2 Low

1

(#) Hosca xvi. 8.

2 Lowing they pass'd along,

And left their calves fhut up; They felt an instinct for their young, But would not turn or ftop.

3 Shall brutes, devoid of thought,
Their Maker's will obey;

And we, who by his grace are taught,
More ftubborn prove than they?

4 He fhed his precious bload

To make us his alone;
If wash'd in that atoning flood
We are no more our own.

5 If he his will reveal,

Let us obey his call;

And think whate'er the flefh may feel,

His love deferves our all.

6 We should maintain in view
His glory, as our end;

Too much we cannot bear, or do,
For fuch a matchlefs friend.

7 His faints fhould ftand prepar'd
In duty's path to run;
Nor count their greateft trials hard,
So that his will be done.

8 With JESUS for our guide,

The path is fafe though rough; The promise fays, "I will provide," And faith replies, "Enough!"

XXVIII. SAU L's armour. Chap. xvii.

1

38-40.

WHEN firft my foul enlifted

My Saviour's foes to fight;

Miftaken friends infifted

I was not arm'd aright: So Saul advised David

He certainly would fail; Nor could his life be faved Without a coat of mail.

2 But David, tho' he yielded To put the armor on

Soon found he could not wield it,
And venter'd forth with none.
With only fling and pebble

He fought the fight of faith;
The weapons feem'd but feeble,
Yet prov'd Goliath's death.

Had I by him been guided,
And quickly thrown away
The armor men provided,
I might have gain'd the day;
But arm'd as they advis'd me,
My expectations fail'd;
My enemy furpriz'd me,

And had almoft prevail'd

Furnish'd wish books and notions,
And arguments and pride;

I practis'd all my motions,

And Satan's pow'r defy'd:

That