Too plain, alas! the languor shews
Th' unkindly soil in which it grows;
Where the black frost and beating storm
Wither and rend its tender form.
Unchanging Sun thy beams display
To drive the frost and storm away;
Make all thy potent virtues known
To cheer a plant so much thy own.
And thou, bless'd Spirit, deign to blow
Fresh gales from heaven on shrubs below;
So shall they grow, and breathe abroad
A fragrance grateful to our God.
370. Iwill trust, and not be afraid. 104,
BEGONE unbelief! my Saviour is near,
And for my relief, will surely appear;
By prayer let me wrestle, and he will perform:
With Christ in the vessel, I smile at the storm.
Though dark be my way, since he is my guide,
'Tis mine to obey, 'tis his to provide:
Tho' cisterns be broken, and creatures all fail,
The word he has spoken shall surely prevail.
His love in time past, forbids me to think He'll leave me at last in trouble to sink; Each sweet Ebenezer I have in review, Confirms his good pleasure to help me quite thro'.
Determin'd to save, he watch'd o'er my path, When Satan's blind slave, I sported with death;
And can he have taught me to trust in his
name,
And thus far have brought me to put me to shame?
Why should I complain of want or distress, Temptation or pain?-he told me no less: The heirs of salvation, I know from his word, Thro' much tribulation must follow their Lord. How bitter that cup no heart can conceive, Which he drank quite up, that sinners might
live?
His way was much rougher and darker than mine?
Did Christ, my Lord, suffer, and shall I repine; Since all that I meet shall work for my good, The bitter is sweet, the med'cine is food; Tho' painful at present, 'twill cease before
long,
And then, Oh how pleasant the conqueror's song!
BAPTISM.
371. Baptism. s. M.
THOU great incarnate God.
Behold thy children stand;
Warm'd with the fire of love divine,
They bow to thy command.
When bury'd with the Lord,
May they his presence find ;
Prove that the pleasures of his throne
Are with obedience join'd.
When rising from the stream, Lord, shew thy lovely face; May all the joys of heav'n descend, And glory fill the place.
Then may these happy saints,
In thy commandments run;
"Till they shall reach the realms of bliss,
And mount Immanuel's throne.
There they shall sit and sing,
The once baptized Lamb;
Make all the courts of heav'n resound,
With his eternal name.
Then with what sacred joy,
They'll tune their Saviour's praise! Millions of millions there shall join, To swell the heav'nly lays.
ON Jordan we would often muse,
There view the Lamb of God,
With John descending in the stream,
And plung'd beneath the flood.
While great Jehovah's voice is heard,
From the pure realms above,
"This is my dear eternal Son,
"Pure object of my love."
Thus Christ the great example gives,
All heav'n approves the deed;
Thus the dear saints pursue the path
Of Zion's glorious head,
Dear Lord, when these, thy ransom'd saints,
Are in thy name baptiz'd,
Shine from the glorious throne of grace,
And show thyself well pleas'd.
Honour'd with God's approving smile,
And blessings from above;
Then let the world with anger frown,
We'll pity, pray, and love.
All the commands of Zion's King,
We'll cordially embrace;
For all his ways are pay'd with love,
And all his paths are peace.
373. The same.
C. M.
LORD, may the messengers of peace,
Thy ev'ry truth proclaim;
'Sway'd by the force of sov'reign grace,
Baptize in thy great name.
If twice ten thousand foes withstand,
Thy word is still the same;
Still we obey thy great command,
Baptize in thy great name.
Fearless of all that men can say,
We trace the heav'nly Lamb;
Pursue him in the wat'ry way,
Baptizing in his name.
Lord, while thy saints thus follow thee,
Thy glory is their aim;
Constrain'd by love, they long to be
Baptiz'd in thy great name.
Come, Jesus, in thy flaming car,
Thy mercy now proclaim;
Smile on thy children, while they are
Baptiz'd in thy great name.
Lord, bid our ev'ry fear be gone,
Support each weaker frame;
Bless'd with thy presence, we'll go on
Baptizing in thy great name.
374. The same.
OYE blood-wash'd ransom'd sinners,
Highly favour'd of the Lord,
Now ye prove your love to Jesus,
By regarding of his word.
See his wat'ry tomb before you;
Hear him echo" Follow me;"
For beneath the streams of Jordan,
Christ, your great Redeemer, lay.
Yes-beneath those honour'd waters,
Great Immanuel was baptiz'd;
Out of which he then ascended,
And the Father was well pleas'd.
Love constrains you all to follow
Jesus to his liquid grave :
Now look up, expect his presence,
Which he's promis'd you shall have.
Jesus, come; thine approbation
May we gladly see and feel;
Cause, O cause the heav'ns to open,
And thy wond'rous love reveal.
Joys exulting be imparting,
Transports, raptures, all divine! Now, O now, on all our spirits, -May thine' heav'nly glories shine,
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