7 Think, if you slight this embassy,

And will not warning take,

When Jesus in the clouds you see,

What answer will you make?

friends

It was a weeping day;

But Jesus made them all amends,
And wip'd their tears away.

2 Ere long they met again with joy,
Secure, no more to part,
Where praises ev'ry tongue employ,
And pleasure fills each heart.

8 Thus all the preachers of his grace
Their children soon shall meet;
Together see their Saviour's face,
And worship at his feet.

Though oft and plainly warn'd, Will tremble when they meet again

The ministers they scorn'd.

5 On your own heads your blood will fall,

If any perish here;

The preachers who have told you all,
Shall stand approv'd and clear.

6 Yet, Lord, to save themselves alone,
Is not their utmost view; [own,
Oh! hear their pray'r, thy message
And save their hearers too.

His blood a full atonement makes,
And cries aloud, “Forgive.”

5 Yet one thing more must grace provide,

To bring us home to God, [dy'd, Or we shall slight the Lord, who And trample on his blood.

6 The Holy Spirit must reveal

The Saviour's work and worth; Then the hard heart begins to feel A new and heav'nly birth.

7 Thus bought with blood, and born again,

Redeem'd and sav'd by grace, Rebels, in God's own house, obtain A son's and daughter's place.

Winter.*

3 Jesus, my glorious Sun, arise!

"Tis thine the frozen heart to move; Oh! hush these storms, and clear my skies,

And let me feel thy vital love!

4 Dear Lord, regard my feeble cry,

I faint and droop till thou appear; Wilt thou permit thy plant to die? Must it be winter all the year?

5 Be still, my soul, and wait this hour, With humble pray'ı, and patient faith; Till he reveals his gracious pow'r, Repose on what his promise saith.

6 He, by whose all-commanding word* Seasons their changing course maintain,

In ev'ry change a pledge affords, That none shall seek his face in vain.

use, [know; And each, in turn, his people One kills the weeds their hearts produce,

The other makes their graces grow.

6 Though like dead trees a while they

seem,

Yet having life within their root, The welcome spring's reviving beam Draws forth their blossoms, leaves,

and fruit.

7 But if the tree indeed be dead, It feels no change, though spring return; Its leafless, naked, barren head, Proclaims it only fit to burn.

8 Dear Lord, afford our souls a spring, Thou know'st our winter has been long; [sing,

Shine forth and warm our hearts to And thy rich grace shall be our song.

Spring.

4 But, ah! in vain I strive to join, Oppress'd with sin and doubt;

I feel 'tis winter still within,
Though all is spring without.

[shine!
high,
Break through these clouds and
No creature then more blest than I,
No song more loud than mine.

6 Till then-no softly-warbling thrush,
Nor cowslip's sweet perfume,
Nor beauties of each painted bush,
Can dissipate my gloom.

7 To Adam, soon as he transgress'd, Thus Eden bloom'd in vain : Not Paradise could give him rest, Or sooth his heart-felt pain.

8 Yet here an emblem I perceive Of what the Lord can do!

XXXIII.

1 PLEASING spring again is here!
Trees and fields in bloom appear!
Hark! the birds, with artless lays,
Warble their Creator's praise!
Where, in winter, all was snow,
Now the flow'rs in clusters grow ;
And the corn, in green array,
Promises a harvest day.

2 What a change has taken place!
Emblem of the spring of grace;
How the soul, in winter mourns,
Till the Lord, the Sun, returns;
Till the Spirit's gentle rain
Bids the heart revive again;
Then the stone is turn'd to flesh,
And each grace springs forth afresh.

3 Lord, afford a spring to me! Let me feel like what I see! Ah! my winter has been long, Chill'd my hopes, and stopp'd my song!

XXXIV.

Dear Saviour, help me to believe,

That I may flourish too.

9 Thy word can soon my hopes revive, Čan overcome my foes,

And make my languid graces thrive,
And blossom like the rose.

Another.

Winter threaten'd to destroy
Faith, and love, and ev'ry joy;
If thy life was in the root,

Still I could not yield thee fruit.

4 Speak, and by thy gracious voice
Make my drooping soul rejoice;
O beloved Saviour, haste,
Tell me, all the storms are past:
On thy garden deign to smile,
Raise the plants, enrich the soil;
Soon thy presence will restore
Life to what seem'd dead before.

1 THOUGH the morn may be serene,
Not a threat'ning cloud be seen,
Who can undertake to say
"Twill be pleasant all the day?
Tempests suddenly may rise,
Darkness overspread the skies,
Lightnings flash, and thunders roar,
Ere a short-liv'd day be o'er.

2 Often thus the child of grace
Enters on his Christian race;
Guilt and fear are overborne,
"Tis with him a summer's morn;
While his new-felt joys abound,
All things seem to smile around;
And he hopes it will be fair
All the day, and all the year.

3 Should we warn him of a change,
He would think the caution strange;
He no change or trouble fears,
Till the gath'ring storm appears ;†
*Book iii. Hymn 68.

Till dark clouds his sun conceal,
Till temptation's pow'r he feel;
Then he trembles and looks pale,
All his hopes and courage fail.

4 But the wonder-working Lord
Sooths the tempest by his word;
Stills the thunder, stops the rain,
And his sun breaks forth again :
Soon the cloud again returns,
Now he joys, and now he mourns;
Oft his sky is overcast,
Ere the day of life be past.

5 Try'd believers too can say,
In the course of one short day,
Though the morning has been fair,
Prov'd a golden hour of pray'r,
Sin and Satan, long ere night,
Have their comforts put to flight;
Ah! what heart-felt peace and joy
Unexpected storms destroy.

+ Book i. Hymn 44.

1 SEE! the corn again in ear! How the fields and vallies smile! Harvest now is drawing near,

Το repay the farmer's toil: Gracious Lord, secure the crop, Satisfy the poor with food: In thy mercy is our hope,

We have sinn'd, but thou art good.

2 While I view the plenteous grain
As it ripens on the stalk,
May I not instruction gain,
Helpful to my daily walk?
All this plenty of the field

Was produc'd from foreign seeds; For the earth itself would yield Only crops of useless weeds.

3 Though, when newly sown, it lay

Hid a while beneath the ground, (Some might think it thrown away,) Now a large increase is found;

Though conceal'd, it was not lost, Though it dy'd, it lives again; Eastern storms, and nipping frosts, Have oppos'd its growth in vain. 4 Let the praise be all the Lord's, As the benefit is ours! He, in season, still affords

Kindly heat, and gentle show'rs: By his care the produce thrives,

Waving o'er the furrow'd lands; And when harvest time arrives, Ready for the reaper stands.

5 Thus in barren hearts he sows Precious seeds of heav'nly joy ; Sin and hell in vain oppose,

None can grace's crop destroy :
Threaten'd oft, though still it blooms,
After many changes past,
Death, the reaper, when he comes,
Finds it fully ripe at last.