Give these, and then Thy will be done;
Thus strengthened with all might,
We through Thy Spirit and Thy Son
Shall pray, and pray aright.
LORD, when we search the human heart,
We find a fallen world within;
There is no health in any part;
Sin reigns throughout, and death by sin.
Large provinces are pagan still,
Where other lords dominion share,—
Idols of mind, affection, will ;
The powers of darkness triumph there.
Here the false prophet's wild domains,
Where lust, and cruelty, and hate,
With baleful passions fire the veins,
And seal the conscience up in fate.
Through all, the stern and stiff-necked Jew,
Blind like his kindred, prone to roam,
Denies the Saviour whom he slew;
Mammon his god, and earth his home.
The smallest portion of the whole
Some beams of heavenly truth pervade;
Slowly the day-spring o'er the soul
Breaks through the fogs of Nature's shade.
I know a bosom, which within
Contains the world's sad counterpart :
'Tis here:-the reign of death and sin;
O GOD! evangelize my heart!
Then will I strive, through earth's whole round,
Thy name and knowledge to diffuse,
And send the Gospel's joyful sound
To Pagans, Infidels, and Jews.
THE FUTURE GLORY OF THE CHURCH.
THUS saith the LORD: My Church! to thee,
Peace, like a river, I will send;
The Gentiles, like a stream, shall see
My mercy flowing without end.
The isles that never heard my fame,
Nor knew the glory of my might,
They shall be taught to fear my name,-
Called out of darkness into light.
And it shall come to pass, that vows,
From Sabbath unto Sabbath-day,
From moon to moon, in mine own house,
All nations, tribes, and tongues shall pay.
O THAT I knew where I might find
My righteous Judge's seat,
To pour out all my troubled mind
In prayer before His feet!
Not with the thunder of Thy power
Wouldst Thou against me plead;
No; Thy good Spirit, in that hour,
For me would intercede.
For me Thy Son Himself would pray,
Thy well-belovéd Son:
Father! Thou couldst not turn away
From Thine Anointed One.
Thine own unutterable grace,
Thy love-Thy love to me,
Constrain me thus to seek Thy face,
And cast my cares on Thee.
Hear, then, the voice of my desire,
My griefs, my fears behold;
Search me and try me as with fire,
But bring me forth like gold.
Lo! Thou hast troubled my repose,
Thy chastisements I feel;
Thy hand hath touched my heart,—it glows,—
It melts,-impress Thy seal.
Stamp thine own image on my soul,
Lift from the dust my head:
LORD,―Thou hast wounded,—make me whole;
Hast slain,-now raise the dead.
RECEIVE Messiah gladly,
And lift the downcast eyes:
Ye people, speak not sadly;
He makes the fallen rise.
In all your habitations
Complaint and crying cease;
The long Desire of Nations
Brings everlasting peace.
He comes, with succour speedy,
To those who suffer wrong;
To help the poor and needy,
And bid the weak be strong;
To give them songs for sighing,
Their darkness turn to light,
Whose souls, in bondage lying,
Were precious in His sight.
By such shall He be feared,
While sun and moon endure,
Beloved, obeyed, revered;
For he shall judge the poor,
Through changing generations,
With justice, mercy, truth,
While stars maintain their stations,
Or moons renew their youth.
Go to dark Gethsemane,
Ye that feel the tempter's power,
Your Redeemer's conflict see:
Watch with Him one bitter hour.
Turn not from His griefs away:
Learn of Jesus Christ to pray.
Follow to the judgment-hall;
View the LORD of Life arraigned.
Oh, the wormwood and the gall!
Oh, the pangs His soul sustained!
Shun not suffering, shame, or loss:
Learn of Him to bear the cross.
Calvary's mournful mountain climb;
There, adoring at His feet,
Mark that miracle of time,--
GOD'S own sacrifice complete.
"It is finished!" hear Him cry:
Learn of Jesus Christ to die.
Early hasten to the tomb
Where they laid His breathless clay.
All is solitude and gloom:
Who hath taken him away?
Christ is risen;-He seeks the skies. Saviour, teach us so to rise.
FOR THE MORNING OF THE SABBATH.
To Thy temple I repair;
LORD, I love to worship there,
When, within the veil, I meet
Christ upon the mercy-seat.
Thou, through Him, art reconciled;
I, through Him, become Thy child;
Abba, Father! give me grace
In Thy courts to seek Thy face.
While Thy glorious praise is sung,
Touch my lips, unloose my tongue,
That my joyful soul may bless
Christ the LORD, my righteousness.
While the prayers of saints ascend,
GOD of love! to mine attend;
Hear me, for Thy Spirit pleads,
Hear, for Jesus intercedes.
While I hearken to Thy law,
Fill my soul with humble awe,
Till Thy Gospel brings to me
Life and immortality.
While Thy ministers proclaim
Peace and pardon in Thy name,
Through their voice, by faith, may I
Hear Thee speaking from on high.
From Thy house when I return,
May my heart within me burn;
And at evening let me say,
"I have walked with GOD to-day.”
"ASK, AND YE SHALL RECEIVE."
WHAT shall we ask of GOD in prayer?
Whatever good we want;
Whatever man may seek to share,
Or GOD in wisdom grant :
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