Classic Poem

CHAPTER I.

The actions of the sent
We here recorded see,
Of every chosen instrument
Raised up, O Lord, by Thee:
In ours and every age
Who dost Thy work revive,
Thou show'st in this prophetic page
How real Christians live.

The progress of Thy word
Throughout the nations spread,
The kingdom of Thy grace restored
With wondering joy we read:
To no one time or place
The history is confined,
Large are Thy ancient works of grace,
And take in all mankind.

The life of a true pastor
Is all " To do and teach, "
The follower of his Master
Doth by his practice preach;
His Christlike conversation
The mystery displays,
The gospel of salvation,
The power of heavenly grace.

T O the saints of Thine election
Still Thou dost Thy presence show,
Quicken'd by Thy resurrection,
Thee we daily see and know:
Always with Thy church abiding
As the Comforter attends;
Thee we find Thy people guiding,
Truly talking with Thy friends.

While the Holy Spirit reigning
In the souls Thou dost approve,
Teaches us the things pertaining
To the kingdom of Thy love;
Proofs infallible before us
Of our living Lord we have,
Sure Thou wilt to heaven restore us,
Wilt through endless ages save.

The mystical sign
Which our Lord did enjoin
Only once we receive;
But the Spirit, as oft as in Christ we believe;
He offers the grace
To baptize our whole race,
The water to cleanse
Our original filth, and our actual offence.

In all places and times
He blots out our crimes,
His Spirit bestows,
And with water of life the believer o'erflows;
The Earnest we feel,
The Witness and Seal,
The joy He imparts
And the love shed abroad in our purified hearts.

H OW many days He doth not tell,
That looking every day to feel
The truth of Jesus' word,
They might, whene'er the Spirit came
Be found in a right humble frame,
And ready for their Lord.

Thou dost not give us to foreknow
The time Thou wilt Thy grace bestow,
Thy Spirit of purity,
That gasping for our first estate
Our souls may every moment wait
To be all fill'd with Thee.

M AY I not, Lord, of Thee inquire
Wilt Thou restore the kingdom now,
While fainting through intense desire
At Thy dear wounded feet I bow,
And open wide my longing heart
For all Thou hast and all Thou art?

Thy peace to rule my heart and mind
May I not now expect to know?
The' original dominion find,
The joy of heaven begun below,
The power that makes an end of sin,
The' eternal righteousness brought in.

If to this selfsame thing, O Lord,
Thou hast my willing spirit wrought,
Pronounce the kingdom now restored;
And, saved from every evil thought,
Let me this happy moment prove
The' omnipotence of faithful Love.

I WOULD not, Lord, Thy Spirit bind,
Or rashly bold prescribe to Thee,
But wait submissive and resign'd
Thy kingdom when Thou wilt to see;
The seasons of Thy grace are known,
The times of love to Thee alone.

Thy promised grace I dare not say
Thou wilt, Thou must this instant give,
But humbly for Thy coming stay,
My misery with Thy mercy leave,
Thy wisdom trust, and truth, and power,
Which sets the day, and sees the hour.

No more presumptuous to foretell
Or fix the' appearing of my Lord,
Till Thou these heavy clouds dispel,
Darkly I hang upon Thy word,
Each moment for Thy presence sigh,
Whose glory fills both earth and sky.

Surely if Thou direct my heart
Into the expectation true,
Thou wilt to me Thy grace impart,
Thy Spirit's power in season due,
The forfeited dominion give,
And King in all Thy subjects live.

The view of heavenly things
Solid advantage brings;
But with a ready heart,
When order'd to depart,
We give our contemplation o'er,
And by obedience profit more.

The' ascending Son of God
Such grace on man bestow'd:
Its first effect they feel
Render'd more teachable:
And grace to all His church is given,
Which bows us to the voice of Heaven.

W HO can resist the Saviour's word,
The power of heaven's almighty Lord?
To stay its course in vain are join'd
The rage and wisdom of mankind;
When God commands it must prevail
O'er all the strength of earth and hell.

See from a single chamber spread
The gospel runs with rapid speed,
As lightning darted from the skies,
To temples, houses, streets it flies,
In markets, prisons, fields, and inns,
In camps, and courts the hearers wins.

Chariots it doth and ships ascend,
To villages and cities bend,
To islands wanders unconfined,
And challenges the ransom'd kind,
Asserts an universal claim,
And seizes all in Jesu's name.

Heathens it apprehends and Jews ,
People and magistrates subdues,
O'er soldiers and o'er generals reigns,
Eunuchs and slaves and captives gains,
Women and babes its net receives,
And faith to stubborn sailors gives.

Swiftly it runs from east to west,
Its power throughout the earth confess'd;
From realm to realm, from sea to sea,
Spreads the Redeemer's victory,
And glories finally to' o'ercome
Proud Athens and imperial Rome .

S EE the whole church retired in prayer,
In faith, and unity, and love
Expect that other Comforter
To bring His kingdom from above,
Of Christ the Lord to testify,
His precious promises to seal,
His words bring back, His blood apply,
And all the depths of God reveal.

The kinsmen of the Lord
Whom first they disbelieved,
The proofs of Christ to life restored
With faith at length received:
By their examples taught,
Deists accept His grace,
And whom ye once a madman thought,
Your Lord and God confess.

T REMENDOUS change! the reverend guide
Of souls doth Jesus' murderers head:
And oft his successors, allied
With hell, the band of ruffians lead:
Their Lord they barter and betray,
The foremost of His foes appear,
Seize and insult Him every day,
And slaughter in His members here.

T ERRIBLE Thy judgments are
On those who wealth procure
At their Lord's expense, and dare
Defraud Thee in the poor;
Greedy priests who pant for gain,
Partakers of the traitor's hire,
They their full reward obtain
In everlasting fire.

T WELVE at first must testify
Jesus risen from the dead;
Millions now their place supply,
Glad proclaim their living Head:
O might I their joy increase,
Soon the Holy Ghost receive,
Number'd with the witnesses
Least of all the faithful live!

T EACHER of hearts, 'tis Thine alone
Thine officers to' ordain,
Point out Thy instruments, unknown
To undiscerning men;
Our apostolic guides apprize
Of Thine unseen decree,
And stir them up to recognize
The men design'd by Thee.

The men whom Thou hast inly moved
Their charge to undertake,
And toil for precious souls, beloved
For their Redeemer's sake;
Thy chosen ministers reveal
With whom Thou always art,
And then their saving gospel seal
On every listening heart.

H E made the direful place his own,
For devils, not for man prepared,
Predestined by himself alone,
The traitor claim'd a fiend's reward,
Author of his own ruin fell
A bold intruder into hell.

W HEN reason can no further go,
And providential openings fail,
Dost Thou not, Lord, Thy counsel show,
Thy secret mind infallible,
To souls who in Thy ways stand still,
And dread to miss Thy perfect will?

In solemn doubts of import great,
We know, Thou wilt for us decide,
Thy people waiting at Thy feet
By sure unerring wisdom guide,
Dispose the lot, Thine own decree
To' explain, and clearly speak for Thee.