But when such suggestions
Our spirits have ply'd,
This answers all questions,
The Lord will provide.
7 No strength of our own,
Or goodness, we claim;
Yet since we have known
The Saviour's great name,
In this our strong tow'r
For safety we hide,
The Lord is our pow'r,
The Lord will provide.
8 When life sinks apace,
And death is in view,
This word of his grace
Shall comfort us through:
No fearing nor doubting
With Christ on our side,
We hope to die shouting,
The Lord will provide.
VIII. Esau. Chap. xxv. 34. Heb. xii. 16.
1 POOR Esau repented too late,
That once he is birth-right despis'd,
And sold, for a morsel of meat,
What could not too highly be priz'd :
How great was his anguish when told,
The blessing he sought to obtain
Was gone with the birth-right he sold,
And none could recall it again!
2 He stands as a warning to all,
Wherever the Gospel shall come;
O hasten and yield to the call,
While yet for repentance there's room!
Your season will quickly be past;
Then hear and obey it to-day,
Lest, when you seek mercy at last,
The Saviour should frown you away.
3 What is it the world can propose?
A morsel of meat at the best!
For this are you willing to lose
A share in the joys of the blest?
Its pleasures will speedily end,
Its favour and praise are but breath;
And what can its profits befriend
Your soul in the moments of death?
4 If Jesus, for these, you despise,
And sin to the Saviour prefer;
In vain your entreaties and cries,
When summon'd to stand at his bar:
How will you his presence abide?
What anguish will torture your heart!
The saints all enthron'd by his side,
And you be compell'd to depart.
5 Too often, dear Saviour, have I
Preferr'd some poor trifle to thee;
How is it thou dost not deny
The blessing and birth-right to me?
No better than Esau I am,
Though pardon and heaven be mine;
To me belongs nothing but shame,
The praise and the glory be thine. ·
IX. Jacob's Ladder. Chap. xxviii. 12.
1 IF the Lord our leader be,
We may follow without fear;
East or west, by land or sea,
Home, with him, is ev'ry where :
When from Esau Jacob fled,
Though his pillow was a stone,
And the ground his humble bed,
Yet he was not left alone.
2 Kings are often waking kept,
Rack'd with cares on beds of state; Never king like Jacob slept, For he lay at heaven's gate: Lo! he saw a ladder rear'd, Reaching to the heav'nly throne; At the top the Lord appear'd, Spake, and claim'd him for his own: 3 "Fear not, Jacob, thou art mine, "And my presence with thee goes; "On thy heart my love shall shine, "And my arm subdue thy foes: "From my promise comfort take, "For my help in trouble call; "Never will I thee forsake, "Till I have accomplish'd all." 4 Well does Jacob's ladder suit To the Gospel-throne of grace; We are at the ladder's foot, Ev'ry hour, in ev'ry place : By assuming flesh and blood, Jesus heav'n and earth unites; We, by faith, ascend to God', God to dwell with us delights.
5 They who know the Saviour's name, Are for all events prepar'd;
What can changes do to them
Who have such a guide and guard?
Should they traverse earth around,
To the ladder still they come:
Ev'ry spot is holy ground,
God is there-and he's their home.
X. My name is Jacob. Chap. xxxii. 27.
1 NAY, I cannot let thee go,
Till a blessing thou bestow;
Do not turn away thy face,
Mine's an urgent, pressing case.
2 Dost thou ask me, who I am?
Ah! my Lord, thou knowst my name :
Yet the question gives a plea
To support my suit with thee.
3. Thou didst once a wretch behold,
In rebellion blindly bold,
Scorn thy grace, thy pow'r defy,
That poor rebel, Lord, was I.
4 Once a sinner, near despair,
Sought thy mercy seat by pray'r:
Mercy heard and set him free;
Lord, that mercy came to me.
5 Many years have pass'd since then,
Many changes I have seen,
Yet have been upheld till now:
Who could hold me up but thou?
6 Thou hast help'd in ev'ry need,
This emboldens me to plead ;
After so much mercy past,
Canst thou let me sink at last?
7 No-I must maintain my hold,
'Tis thy goodness makes me bold;
I can no denial take,
When I plead for Jesus' sake.
XI, Plenty in the time of Dearth. Chap. xii. 56.
1 My soul once had its plenteous years,
And throve, with peace and comfort fill'd,
Like the fat kine and ripen'd ears
Which Pharaoh in his dream beheld.
2 With pleasing frames and grace receiv'd,
With means and ordinances fed,
How happy for awhile I liv'd,
And little fear'd the want of bread!
3 But famine came, and left no sign
Of all the plenty I had seen;
Like the dry ears and half-starv'd kine,
I then look'd wither'd, faint, and lean.
4 To Joseph the Egyptians went;
To Jesus I made known my case;
He, when my little stock was spent,
Open'd his magazine of grace.
5 For he the time of dearth foresaw,
And made provision long before;
That famish'd souls like me might draw
Supplies from his unbounded store.
6 Now on his bounty I depend,
And live from fear of dearth secure;
Maintain'd by such a mighty Friend,
I cannot want till he is poor.
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