AROUND Bethesda's healing wave,
Waiting to hear the rustling wing
Which spoke the angel nigh, who gave
Its virtues to that holy spring,-
With earnest, fixed solicitude,
Were seen the afflicted multitude.
Among them there was one, whose eye
Had often seen the waters stirred,
Whose heart had often heaved the sigh,
The bitter sigh of hope deferred;
Beholding, while he suffered on,
The healing virtue given, and gone!
No power had he; no friendly aid
To him its timely succour brought,
But while his coming he delayed,
Another won the boon he sought ;-
Until the Saviour's love was shown,
Which healed him by a word alone.
Had they who watched and waited there,
Been conscious who was passing by,
With what unceasing, anxious care
Would they have sought his pitying eye;
And craved, with fervency of soul,
His sovereign power, to make them whole.
But habit and tradition swayed
Their minds to trust to sense alone; They only sought the angel's aid;
While in their presence stood, unknown,
A greater, mightier, far, than he,
With power from every pain to free.
Bethesda's pool has lost its power!
No angel, by his glad descent,
Dispenses that diviner dower
Which with its healing waters went :
But He, whose word surpass'd its wave,
Is still omnipotent to save.
THE golden palace of my God
Towering above the clouds I see:
Beyond the cherubs' bright abode,
Higher than angels' thoughts can be,
How can I in those courts appear
Without a wedding garment on?
Conduct me, thou Life-giver, there,
Conduct me to Thy glorious throne!
And clothe me with Thy robes of light,
And lead me through sin's darksome night,
My Saviour, and my God.
O THOU, to whose all-searching sight
The darkness shineth as the light,
Search, prove my heart, it pants for Thee;
Oh, burst these bonds, and set it free!
Wash out its stains, refine its dross,
Nail my affections to the Cross:
Hallow each thought! let all within
Be clean, as Thou, my Lord, art clean!
If in this darksome wild I stray,
Be Thou my Light, be Thou my Way!
No foes, no violence I fear,
No fraud, while Thou, my God, art near.
When rising floods my soul o'erflow,
When sinks my heart in waves of woe,
Jesus, thy timely aid impart,
And raise my head, and cheer my heart!
Saviour, where'er thy steps I see,
Dauntless, untir'd, I follow Thee:
Oh let thy hand support me still,
And lead me to thy holy hill.
If rough and thorny be the way,
My strength proportion to my day;
Till toil, and grief, and pain shall cease,
Where all is calm, and joy, and peace.
O LOVE! thou bottomless abyss,
My sins are swallow'd up in thee!
Cover'd is my unrighteousness,
From condemnation I am free:
For Jesu's blood, through earth and skies,
"Mercy, free boundless mercy!" cries.
By faith I plunge me in that sea:
Here are my hope, my joy, my rest:
Hither, when hell assaults, I flee-
I look into my Saviour's breast:
Away, sad doubts and anxious fear,
Mercy" is all that's written there!
Though waves and storms go o'er my head, Though strength and health and friends be gone, Though joys be wither'd all and dead,
Though every comfort be withdrawn
Father-thy mercy never dies.
Fix'd on this ground would I remain, Though my heart fail and flesh decay: This anchor shall my soul sustain, When earth's foundations melt away: Mercy's full power I then shall prove, Lov'd with an everlasting love.
WHY should I fear the darkest hour,
Or tremble at the Tempter's power?
Jesus vouchsafes to be my tower.
Though hot the fight, why quit the field?
Why must I either fly or yield,
Since Jesus is my mighty shield?
When creature comforts fade and die,
Worldlings may weep; but, why should I?
Jesus still lives, and still is nigh.
Though all the flocks and herds were dead,
My soul a famine need not dread,
For Jesus is my living bread.
I know not what may soon betide,
Or how my wants shall be supplied;
But Jesus knows, and will provide.
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