Three days was Christ within the grave,

As Jonas in the sea:

The Prophet's lot, a striking type

Of what his Lord's should be.

The Prophet rose and preached to men,
And Nineveh believed;
Jesus arose, nor yet their Lord
Have Sion's sons received.

And shall not then both them and us
Proud Nineveh condemn,
Which at the servant's word obeyed
Whilst we his Lord contemn?

Grant us, O Lord, yet stronger faith
To seek our heavenly prize;
That buried here with thee, at length
To thee we may arise.

No. 13.

Parable of the Sower.

St. Matt. xiii. 1-9.

By Adam's sin the earth's defiled,
Which once was made so fair;

And where the beauteous Eden smiled
Now thorns and briars, and deserts wild,
Man's punishment declare.

Yet still earth's expanse wide is fraught
With love to sinful man;

And many a lesson sweet is taught,

When once the heaven-lit mind is brought To see God's wondrous plan.

The rock which scarce the wild gazelle

With nimble feet

may reach ;

The tangled brake, the fertile dell,
And e'en the foot-worn path may well
Its humble lesson teach.

See where the birds so quickly snatch
The grain from pathway bare;
E'en thus doth Satan hourly watch
From the dull heart each word to catch
That grace has scattered there.

And where the drooping floweret lies
Upon the rock's steep crest ;

Oh! tells it not of grace that dies
In hearts that know not how to prize,
Or keep their heavenly guest.

Nor less may tangled brake declare
Where thorns the seeds displace;
It shows how wealth and worldly care
In the heart's soil deep-rooted are,
And choke each plant of grace.

But happier lesson may we read

Where the corn field waves with gold; It tells of hearts that keep the seed, And bring forth fruit in word and deed, E'en to a hundred fold.

No. 14.

Christ Walking on the Sea.

St. Matt. xiv. 22-33.

OH! were the Lord, as once of old,
.To speak in voice of thunder;
When Sinai's clouds around him rolled,
And rocks were rent asunder;
Well might the stoutest spirit quail,
Though clad perchance with heavenly mail,
And hear with awe and wonder.

But walks not God on every cloud
That floats o'er hill and mountain?
And hear we not his voice as loud

From brook and rushy fountain?
And knows not still the sea his law,
As when his followers Jesus saw

His foot each wave surmounting?

Oh! surely, all things God reveal,
Whose love has still abounded;
Who, if he smites, 'tis but to heal

The hearts which he has wounded:

And when those hearts have failed through fear, His out-stretched hand was ever near,

His mercy still surrounded.

Give me, O Lord, the faith to see,
When darkest storms are pending,
How all things still are sent by thee
To man's salvation tending;

To strengthen faith, our trust to prove ;
To show that trials come from love,
In boundless glory ending.