XLIX.

[Faith in the Redeemer the one thing needful. Mary. A beautiful example of scriptural illustration.]

MARTHA her love and joy express'd,
By care to entertain her guest;
While Mary sat to hear her Lord,
And could not bear to lose a word.

The principle, in both the same,
Produced in each a different aim, —
The one to feast the Lord was led,
The other waited to be fed.

But Mary chose the better part,

Martha and

Her Saviour's words refresh'd her heart;
While busy Martha angry grew,

And lost her time and temper too.

With warmth she to her sister spoke,
But brought upon herself rebuke:
"One thing is needful, and but one,
Why do thy thoughts on many run?"

How oft are we like Martha vex'd,
Encumber'd, hurried, and perplex'd?
While trifles so engross our thought,
The one thing needful is forgot.

Lord, teach us this one thing to choose,
Which they who gain can never lose;
Sufficient in itself alone,

And needful, were the world our own.

Let grovelling hearts the world admire,
Thy love is all that I require!
Gladly I may the rest resign,
If the one needful thing be mine!

L.

[Religious contentment. Reasons for rejoicing in our lot as those "for whom the Saviour died." Forcible, tender, and affecting.]

FIERCE passions discompose the mind,

As tempests vex the sea;
But calm content and peace we find,
When, Lord, we turn to thee.

In vain by reason and by rule
We try to bend the will;

For none but in the Saviour's school
Can learn the heavenly skill.

Since at his feet my soul has sat,
His gracious words to hear;
Contented with my present state,
I cast on him my care.

"Art thou a sinner, soul?" he said,
"Then how canst thou complain ?
How light thy troubles here, if weigh'd
With everlasting pain!

"If thou of murmuring wouldst be cured,
Compare thy griefs with mine;
Think what my love for thee endured,
And thou wilt not repine.

"'Tis I appoint thy daily lot,

And I do all things well;

Thou soon shalt leave this wretched spot,
And rise with me to dwell.

"In life my grace shall strength supply,
Proportion'd to thy day;

At death thou still shalt find me nigh,
To wipe thy tears away."

Thus I, who once my wretched days

In vain repinings spent,

Taught in my Saviour's school of grace,

Have learn'd to be content.

LI.

[The Old Testament ordinances only types of the more perfect institutions of the Gospel.]

ISRAEL, in ancient days,

Not only had a view

Of Sinai in a blaze,

But learn'd the gospel too:

The types and figures were a glass
In which they saw a Saviour's face.

The paschal sacrifice,

And blood-besprinkled door,*

Seen with enlighten'd eyes,

And once applied with power,

Would teach the need of other blood,
To reconcile an angry God.

Dipt in his fellow's blood,
The living bird went free ;*
The type, well understood,
Express'd the sinner's plea;
Described a guilty soul enlarged,
And by a Saviour's death discharged.

Jesus, I love to trace

Throughout the sacred page,
The footsteps of thy grace,
The same in every age!

O grant that I may faithful be
To clearer light vouchsafed to me.

LII.

[Decay of piety. Revelation, iii. 1-6.]

"WRITE to Sardis," (saith the Lord,)
And write what he declares,
He whose Spirit, and whose word,
Upholds the seven stars :

"All thy works and ways I search,
Find thy zeal and love decay'd;

Thou art call'd a living church,
But thou art cold and dead.

"Watch, remember, seek, and strive, Exert thy former pains: Let thy timely care revive,

And strengthen what remains: Cleanse thine heart, thy works amend, Former times to mind recall,

Lest my sudden stroke descend,

And smite thee once for all.

"Yet I number now in thee
A few that are upright;
These my Father's face shall see,
And walk with me in white :

* Lev. xiv. 51, 52.

"When in judgment I appear,
They for mine shall be confest,
Let my faithful servants hear,

And wo be to the rest!"

LIII.

[The Lord will provide for the maintenance of his Gospel. Written on the occasion of the death of a minister.]

His master taken from his head,

Elisha saw him go;

And in desponding accents said,
"Ah, what must Israel do ?"

But he forgot the Lord who lifts
The beggar to his throne;
Nor knew that all Elijah's gifts
Will soon be made his own.

What, when a Paul has run his course,

Or when Apollos dies,

Is Israel left without resource?

And have we no supplies?

Yes, while the dear Redeemer lives,

We have a boundless store,

And shall be fed with what He gives,

Who lives for evermore.

LIV.

[Vanity of the world; danger of its delusions; yet we are at first pained by being undeceived, until the purifying and real joys of the gospel have been brought home to our hearts. The imagery is remarkable for boldness and novelty, while it still retains a scriptural, united with a highly poetical, character.]

BLINDED in youth by Satan's arts,
The world to our unpractised hearts
A flattering prospect shows;
Our fancy forms a thousand schemes
Of gay delights, and golden dreams,
And undisturb'd repose.