Watch! for all around thee dwell
Hosts of darkness sent from hell,
Evil spirits full of power,
Satan roaring to devour;
Watch! or thou shalt perish still,
Captive led at Satan's will.
Know the strength of man is weak,
Strength divine 't is thine to seek;
Therefore pray!" Almighty power,
"Save me in temptation's hour,
"Give me grace that I may stand
"Strengthened by my Saviour's hand."
Then at last thy conflict o'er,
Thou shalt watch and pray no more;
Prayer shall turn to endless praise,
Watching end in victory's lays,
And the Saviour's rest shall be
Thine throughout eternity.
WRITTEN IN A NEW TESTAMENT.
SAY! wouldst thou live? this hallow'd page shall tell
Where life's best joys, and holiest pleasures dwell;
Say! must thou die? then praise this sacred lore
That points to worlds where death shall reign no more;
Living or dying this shall soothe thy pain,
Teaching, "To live is Christ, to die is gain."
HENRY MARTYN.
Be glad ye heavens, thou earth rejoice,
Man! spread through every nation,
With joyful and triumphant voice,
The gospel of salvation :
Publish his glory, and his praise
Whose word his work sustaineth,
And gratefully this anthem raise,
Rejoice! the Lord yet reigneth!
Before his footstool prostrate fall,
Whose gracious bounty giveth
To each created object-all
On which enjoyment liveth :
From Him alone each good descends,
His arm each ill restraineth;
Then tell to earth's remotest ends,
The Lord in glory reigneth!
Praise Him for all that ye possess
Of riches, glory, power;
Ye who have neither, yet may bless
His goodness every hour:
His watchful and protecting eye
The meanest ne'er disdaineth,
Raise then, ye poor, your voice on high,
For you, for you, He reigneth.
But chiefly for salvation's gift,
Of which he is the donor,
Angels and men, your voices lift,
In songs of praise and honour;
O praise with gratitude His name,
Whose death our life regaineth,
The love of Jesus loud proclaim,
The Lord of glory reigneth.
CHRISTIAN, arise, depart!
For this is not your rest: Earth's joys are false and fleeting, Its treasures are unblest.
A world that sin o'erclouds,
A world from grief ne'er free,
Cannot for God's own children
A rest eternal be.
No: seek a better land,
Press towards a happier home,
And set your best affections
On blessings yet to come.
Seek joys that cannot fail,
Let all your strength be given
To gain the crown of righteousness-
The crown laid up in heaven.
I QUIT the world's fantastic joys,
Her honours are but worthless toys,
Her bliss an empty shade;
Like meteors in the midnight sky,
That glitter for a while and die,
Her glories flash and fade.
Let fools for riches strive and toil,
Let greedy minds divide the spoil,
'Tis all too mean for me:
Above the earth, above the skies,
My bold and fervent wishes rise,
My God, to heav'n and Thee.
O source of glory, light, and love!
When to thy courts I mount above,
On contemplation's wings,
I look with pity and disdain,
On all the pleasures of the vain,
On all the pomp of Kings.
Thy beauties, rising in my sight,
Divinely sweet, divinely bright,
With rapture fill my breast;
Though robbed of all my worldly store,
In Thee I never can be poor,
But must be ever blest.
THE HINDOO CONVERT'S REPLY,
WHEN ASKED HOW HE BORE HIS SORROWS FOR THE LOSS OF HIS PROPERTY AND FRIENDS.
You ask me of my sorrows;-
O Christian! what are they?
Can motes upon the sunbeam
Obscure the light of day?
Could all earth's storms and troubles
In darkness o'er me roll,
They could not dim the brightness
That shines upon my soul.
You ask me of my sorrows ;-
My earthly friends are gone,
But Christ, the friend unchanging,
Is more than all in one:
And though the world has robbed me
Of all that it had given,
My wealth is still remaining,
My treasure is in heaven.
You ask me of my sorrows;—
I fain would speak of joys;
Of peace which passeth knowledge,
Which nought on earth destroys;
Of realms of pure delight,-
Realms undefiled by sin,
Where pain and tribulation
Can never enter in.
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