Although by wicked hands he died, Father forgive," he sweetly cried, Jesus! I hide my head in shame; O the sharp pangs he underwent, I'll seize th' offending brother's hand, Why should we differ by the way? While others their punctilios boast, Lord, bend my stubborn will; For he that condescends the most, Remains the victor still. Fain would I imitate my Lord, And bear each cross event; Humility's its own reward; But pride's a punishment. Come blessed Spirit, heav'nly dove, Jesus, my longing soul shall wait, 'Till I shall reach that blissful state, THE SHORTNESS OF TIME AND THE FRAILTY OF MAN. ALMIGHTY Maker of my frame, My days are shorter than a span ; Vain his ambition, noise, and show! Oh, be a nobler portion mine: VANITY OF LIFE THE evils that beset our path If we to day sweet peace possess, Disease and pain invade our health, And oft, when least expected, wealth A fever or a blow can shake Our wisdom's boasted rule, And of the brightest genius, make, A madman or a fool. The gourds from which we look for fruit, Produce us only pain; A worm unseen attacks the root, I pity those who seek no more, Since sin has fill'd the earth with woe, Lord, wean our hearts from things below, THE FIG-TREE, ONE awful word which Jesus spoke Against the tree which bore no fruit, More piercing than the lightning's stroke, Blasted and dried it to the root. But could a tree the Lord offend, To make him show his judgments thus ? He surely had a farther end To be a warning word to us, The fig-tree by its leaves was known, It brought a heavy sentence down, Let noue hereafter on thee grow,” Too many who the gospel hear, They yield no fruit, but only leaves. Knowledge, and zeal, and gifts, and talk, Without the frait the Lord expects, Knowledge will make our state the worse; The barren trees he still rejects, And soon will blast them with his curse. O Lord, unite our hearts in prayer! That we the fruits of grace may bear, MARTHA AND MARY. MARTHA her love and joy express'd, The principle in both the same, |