Servants, serve your masters truly,
Not unfaithful, nor unruly,
To the good, nor to the bad;
Not refusing what you're bidden,
Nor replying when you're chidden :
'Tis the ordinance of God.
This shall solve the important question,
Whether thou'rt a real Christian,
Better than each golden dream ;
Better far than lip-expression,
Towering notions, great profession,
This shall show your love to Him.
F wealth or honour, power or fame,
Can bring you nearer to the Lamb,
Then follow these with all your might:
But if they only make you stray,
And draw your hearts from Him away,
Reflect in what you thus delight.
Jesus hath said (who surely knew
Much better what we ought to do
Than we can e'er pretend to see),
“No thought e'en for the morrow take;"
And, "He that will not, for My sake,
Relinquish all's unworthy Me."
Let no vain words your souls deceive,
Nor Satan tempt you to believe
The world and God can hold their parts:
True Christians long for Christ alone.
The sacrifices God will own
Are broken, not divided hearts.
Great things we are not here to crave;
But, if we food and raiment have,
Should learn to be therewith content.
Into the world we nothing brought,
Nor can we from it carry aught:
Then walk the way your Master went.
HE dawn upon the mountain brow
Lighteth the path of one, who brings
Glad tidings from the King of kings.
How beautiful His feet! they seem
Laved in the fount, whose waters flow
Forth from the throne in living stream,
While at each step the morning dew
Cleanseth those lovely feet anew!
'Tis noon upon the mountain brow,
And stains on those fair feet betray
How morning dews have passed away.
Whereat in agony of fears
The pilgrim pausing bendeth low,
And weepeth till the fount of tears
Hath washed His feet, from each sad stain
Thus rendered beautiful again.
'Tis evening on the mountain brow:
Wounded and bruisèd, piercèd, torn
By jagged rock, by rankling thorn,
He heeds it not-that crimson flood
Sheds o'er His feet a brighter glow;
While bathed as in a fount of blood,
The gushings of the crimson rill
Have washed those fair feet fairer still.
'Tis night upon the mountain brow;
But radiant with the setting sun,
The pilgrim's feet their course have run.
Bathed in the fount of liquid light,
Where angels lave their wings of snow,
How beautiful upon the height
Of Sion's hill, those glorious feet
Tread the Eternal City's golden street!
NWARD, onward, doubt not, fear not,
Nerve with faith thy fainting soul;
Though as yet the end appear not,
Thou shalt surely reach the goal.
Though, as on thy sleepless pillow,
Memory scans the fearful past,
Round thee breaks the yawning billow,
Howls above the whirlwind's blast.
Though thou knowest that to-morrow
Is with sorer trial fraught,
Pregnant with severer sorrow
Than the sorrowing past has brought;
Though the storm, in bursting o'er thee,
Spread destruction's bolts around,
Some most dear struck down before thee,
Dearer friends shall yet be found.
He whose angel stood beside thee,
He whom darkness cannot shroud,
He who sware to keep and guide thee
When the tempest raged aloud;—
Height nor depth His love can sever,
Heaven nor hell His covenant vow;
Hath thy Saviour failed thee ever?
Will He, can He, fail thee now ?
It is good to be afflicted.
Nay, for to the eternal city
As thou drawest daily nigh,
Greater love, and grace, and pity
Issue forth from God Most High.
Messages of peace shall greet thee,
Angels' feet thy path attend;
Yea, Himself shall come to meet thee,
And conduct thee to the end.
IT IS GOOD TO BE AFFLICTED.
SAVIOUR! whose mercy, severe in its kindness,
Has chastened my wanderings, and guided my way;
Adored be the power which illumined my blindness, And weaned me from phantoms that smiled to betray.
Enchanted with all that was dazzling and fair,
I followed the rainbow, I caught at the toy; And still in displeasure Thy goodness was there, Disappointing the hope, and defeating the joy.
The blossom blushed bright, but a worm was below; The moonlight shone fair-there was blight in
Sweet whispered the breeze, but it whispered of woe, And bitterness flowed in the soft-flowing stream.
|