2 How little they thought it was he,
Whom they had ill-treated and sold!
How great their confusion must be,
As soon as his name he had told !
"I'm Joseph your brother," he said,
"And still to my heart you are dear;
You sold me, and thought I was dead,
But God, for your sakes, sent me here."
3 Though greatly distressed before,

When charg'd with purloining the cup,
They now were confounded much more,
Not one of them durst to look up.

"Can Joseph, whom we would have slain,
Forgive us the evil we did?

And will he our household maintain?
O, this is a brother indeed!"

4 Thus dragg'd by my conscience, I came,
And laden with guilt, to the Lord,
Surrounded with terror and shame,
Unable to utter a word.

At first he look'd stern and severe, What anguish then pierced my heart! Expecting each moment to hear The sentence "Thou cursed depart!" 5 But, oh! what surprise when he spoke, While tenderness beam'd in his face; My heart then to pieces was broke, O'erwhelmed and confounded by grace: "Poor sinner, I know thee full well, By thee I was sold and was slain; But I died to redeem thee from hell, And raise thee in glory to reign.

6 "I'm Jesus, whom thou hast blasphem'd, And crucified often afresh;

But let me henceforth be esteem'd
Thy brother, thy bone, and thy flesh:
My pardon I freely bestow,
Thy wants I will fully supply;
I'll guide thee and guard thee below,
And soon will remove thee on high.
7 "Go, publish to sinners around,

That they may be willing to come,
The mercy which now you have found,
And tell them that yet there is room."
O sinners! the message obey,
No more vain excuses pretend;
But come without further delay,
To Jesus our brother and friend.

EXODUS.

HYMN XIII.

The bitter Waters. Chap. xv. 23. 25.

1 BITTER, indeed, the waters are,

Which in this desert flow;
Though to the eye they promise fair,
They taste of sin and woe.

2 Of pleasing draughts I once could dream, But now awake, I find

That sin has poison'd ev'ry stream,

And left a curse behind.

3 But there's a wonder-working wood,
I've heard believers say,
Can make these bitter waters good,
And take the curse away.

4 The virtues of this healing tree
Are known and priz'd by few;
Reveal this secret, Lord, to me,
That I may prize it too.

5 The cross on which the Saviour died,
And conquer'd for his saints;
This is the tree, by faith applied,

Which sweetens all complaints.

6 Thousands have found the bless'd effect,
No longer mourn their lot:
While on his sorrows they reflect,
Their own are all forgot.

7 When they, by faith, behold the cross,
Though many griefs they meet;
They draw again from ev'ry loss,
And find the bitter sweet.

HYMN XIV.

Jehovah-Rophi; or, the Lord my Healer.
Chap. xv. 26.

1 HEAL us, Emmanuel, here we are,
Waiting to feel thy touch;
Deep-wounded souls to thee repair,
And Saviour we are such.

2 Our faith is feeble, we confess,
We faintly trust thy word;
But wilt thou pity us the less?
Be that far from thee, Lord!
3 Remember him who once applied
With trembling for relief;
"Lord, I believe," with tears he cried,*
"O help my unbelief!"

4 She too who touch'd thee in the press, And healing virtue stole,

Was answered, "Daughter go in peace, Thy faith hath made the whole."t 5 Conceal'd amid the gathering throng, She would have shunn'd thy view; And if her faith was firm and strong, Had strong misgivings too.

6 Like her, with hopes and fears, we come, To touch thee if we may;

Oh! send us not despairing home,
Send none unheal'd away!

HYMN XV.

Manna. Chap. xvi. 18.

1 MANNA to Israel well supplied The want of other bread; While God is able to provide, His people shall be fed.

C.

3 Of this kind care how sweet a proof!

It suited ev'ry taste;

Who gather'd most had just enough,
Enough who gather'd least.

4 'Tis thus our gracious Lord divides
Our comforts and our cares;
His own unerring hand provides,
And gives us each our shares.

5 He knows how much the weak can bear, And helps them when they cry;

The strongest have no strength to spare, For such he'll strongly try.

6 Daily they saw the manna come,

And cover all the ground;
But what they tried to keep at home,
Corrupted soon was found.

7 Vain their attempt to store it up,
This was to tempt the Lord;
Israel must live by faith and hope,
And not upon a hoard.

1 THE manna, favour'd Israel's meat,

Was gather'd day by day;
When all the host was serv'd, the heat
Melted the rest away.

2 In vain to hoard it up they tried,
Against to-morrow came;
It then bred worms and putrified,
And prov'd their sin and shame.

3 'Twas daily bread, and would not keep,
But must be still renew'd;

Faith should not want a hoard or heap,
But trust the Lord for food.

4 The truths by which the soul is fed,
Must thus be had afresh;
For notions resting in the head
Will only feed the flesh.

5 However true they have no life

Or unction to impart;

They breed the worms of pride and strife,

But cannot cheer the heart.

6 Nor can the best experience past
The life of faith maintain;

The brightest hope will faint at last,
Unless supplied again.

7 Dear Lord, while we in prayer are found,

Do thou the manna give;

Oh! let it fall on all around,

That we may eat and live!

No sword nor spear the stripling took,
But chose a pebble from the brook.

2 'Twas Israel's God and King
Who sent him to the fight;
Who gave
him strength to sling,
And skill to aim aright.

Ye feeble saints, your strength endures,
Because young David's God is yours.

3 Who order'd Gideon forth

To storm the invader's camp,*
With arms of little worth,
A pitcher and a lamp?

The trumpets made his coming known,
And all the host was overthrown.

4 Oh! I have seen the day,
When with a single word,
God helping me to say,

My trust is in the Lord,

My soul has quell'd a thousand foes,
Fearless of all that could oppose.
5 But unbelief, self-will,

Self-righteousness, and pride,
How often do they steal

My weapon from my side?
Yet David's Lord, and Gideon's friend,
Will help his servant to the end.

HYMN XVIII.

C.

The golden Calf. Chap. xxxii. 4. 21.
1 WHEN Israel heard the fiery law
From Sinai's top proclaim'd,
Their hearts seem'd full of holy awe,
Their stubborn spirits tam'd.
2 Yet, as forgetting all they knew,
Ere forty days were past,
With blazing Sinai still in view,
A molten calf they cast.

3 Yea, Aaron, God's anointed priest,
Who on the mount had been,
He durst prepare the idol beast,
And lead them on to sin.

4 Lord, what is man, and what are we, To recompense thee thus!

In their offence our own we see,
Their story points at us.

5 From Sinai's top we heard thee speak, And from mount Calv'ry_too;

And yet to idols oft we seek,
While thou art in our view.

6 Some golden calf, or golden dream,
Some fancied creature good,
Presumes to share the heart with him
Who bought the whole with blood.
7 Lord, save us from our golden calves,
Our sin with grief we own;
We would no more be thine by halves,
But live to thee alone.

Judges vii. 20.

2 The plate of gold which crowns his brows His holiness describes;

His breast displays, in shining rows,

The names of all the tribes.

3 With the atoning blood he stands

Before the mercy-seat;

And clouds of incense from his hands
Arise with odour sweet.

4 Urim and Thummim near his heart,
In rich engravings worn,

The sacred light of truth impart,

To teach and to adorn.

5 Through him the eye of faith descries
A greater priest than he:
Thus Jesus pleads above the skies,
For you, my friends, and me.

6 He bears the names of all his saints
Deep on his heart engrav'd;
Attentive to the state and wants
Of all his love has saved.

7 In him a holiness complete,

Light and perfections shine,
And wisdom, grace, and glory meet;
A Saviour all divine!

The blood, which as a priest he bears
For sinners, is his own:
The incense of his prayers and tears
Perfume the holy throne.

9 In him my weary soul has rest,

Though I am weak and vile,

I read my name upon his breast,
And see the Father smile.

NUMBERS.

HYMN XX.

Balaam's Wish.* Chap. xxiii. 10. 1 How bless'd the righteous are,

When they resign their breath; No wonder Balaam wish'd to share In such a happy death.

2 "Oh! let me die," said he,

"The death the righteous do; When life is ended, let me be

Found with the faithful few."

3 The force of truth, how great! When enemies confess,

2 Their stubborn neighbours, who, enrag'd, United war against them wag'd,

By Joshua soon were overthrown, For Gibeon's cause was now his own. 3 He from whose arm they ruin fear'd, Their leader and ally appear'd; An emblem of the Saviour's grace, To those who humbly seek his face. 4 The men of Gibeon wore disguise, And gain'd their peace by framing lies; For Joshua had no power to spare, If he had known from whence they were. 5 But Jesus invitation sends,

Treating with rebels as his friends;
And holds the promise forth in view,
To all who for his mercy sue.

6 Too long his goodness I disdain'd,
Yet went at last, and peace obtained;
But soon the noise of war I heard,
And former friends in arms appear'd.
7 Weak in myself, for help I cried,
Lord, I am press'd on every side;
The cause is thine, they fight with me,
But every blow is aimed at thee.
8 With speed to my relief he came,
And put my enemies to shame:
Thus sav'd by grace, I live to sing
The love and triumphs of my King.

JUDGES.

HYMN XXII.

Jehovah-Shalom; or, the Lord is Peace.

Chap. vi. 24.

A solid hope possess.

Book III. Hymn ixxi.

To satisfy the law's demand,

By thee from guilt and wrath redeem'd, Before the Father's face I stand.

2 To reconcile offending man,
Make Justice drop her angry rod;
What creature could have form'd the plan,
Or who fulfil it, but a God?

3 No drop remains of all the curse,

For wretches who deserv'd the whole;
No arrows dipt in wrath to pierce
The guilty, but returning soul.

4 Peace by such means so dearly bought,
What rebel could have hop'd to see?
Peace, by his injur'd Sovereign wrought,
His Sovereign fastened to the tree.
5 Now, Lord, thy feeble worm prepare!
For strife with earth and hell begins;
Confirm and gird me for the war,
They hate the soul that hates his sins.
6 Let them in horrid league agree!
They may assault, they may distress;
But cannot quench thy love to me,
Nor rob me of the Lord, my peace. C.

HYMN XXIII.

Gideon's Fleece. Chap. vi. 37-40.
1 THE signs which God to Gideon gave
His holy sovereignty made known,
That he alone has power to save,
And claims the glory as his own.

2 The dew which first the fleece had fill'd,
When all the earth was dry around,
Was from it afterwards withheld,
And only fell upon the ground.

3 To Israel thus the heavenly dew

Of saving truth was long restrain'd;
Of which the Gentiles nothing knew,
But dry and desolate remain'd.

4 But now the Gentiles have receiv'd
The balmy dew of gospel-peace;
And Israel, who his Spirit griev'd,
Is left a dry and empty fleece.
5 This dew still falls at his command,
To keep his chosen plants alive;
They shall, though in a thirsty land,

66

Like willows by the waters thrive."* 6 But chiefly when his people meet, To hear his word and seek his face, The gentle dew, with influence sweet, Descends, and nourishes their grace. 7 But, ah! what numbers still are dead, Though under means of grace they lie! The dew still falling round their head, And yet their heart untouch'd and dry. 8 Dear Saviour! hear us when we call, To wrestling prayer an answer give; Pour down thy dew upon us all, That all may feel, and all may live.

HYMN XXIV.

Samson's Lion. Chap. xiv. 8. 1 THE lion that on Samson roar'd, And thirsted for his blood,

* Isa. xliv. 4.

With honey afterwards was stor'd,

And furnish'd him with food.

2 Believers, as they pass along,

With many lions meet,

But gather sweetness from the strong,
And from the eater meat.

3 The lions rage and roar in vain,
For Jesus is their shield;

Their losses prove a certain gain,
Their troubles comfort yield.

4 The world and Satan join their strength, To fill their souls with fears;

But crops of Joy they reap at length,
From what they sow in tears.

5 Afflictions make them love the word,
Stir up their hearts to prayer,
And many precious fruits afford
Of their Redeemer's care.

6 The lions roar, but cannot kill;
Then fear them not, my friends,
They bring us, though against their will,
The honey Jesus sends.

I. SAMUEL.

HYMN XXV.

Hannah; or,

The Throne of Grace.
Chap. i. 18.

1 WHEN Hannah, press'd with grief,
Pour'd forth her soul in prayer,
She quickly found relief,

And left her burden there:

Like her, in ev'ry trying case,

Let us approach the throne of grace.
2 When she began to pray,
Her heart was pain'd and sad;
But ere she went away,
Was comforted and glad:

In trouble what a resting-place

Have they who know the throne of grace;

3 Though men and devils rage,
And threaten to devour,

The saints, from age to age,

Are safe from all their power; Fresh strength they gain to run their race, By waiting at the throne of grace.

4 Eli her case mistook;

How was her spirit mov'd
By his unkind rebuke!

But God her cause approv'd.
We need not fear a creature's face,
While welcome at a throne of grace.

5 She was not fill'd with wine,
As Eli rashly thought;
But with a faith divine,

And found the help she sought: Though men despise and call us base, Still let us ply the throne of grace.

6 Men have not power or skill
With troubled souls to bear;

Though they express good-will, Poor comforters they are: But swelling sorrows sink apace, When we approach the throne of grace. 7 Numbers before have tried,

And found the promise true;
Nor yet one been denied,

Then why should I or you?
Let us by faith their footsteps trace,
And hasten to the throne of grace.
8 As fogs obscure the light,
And taint the morning air,
But soon are put to flight,

If the bright sun appear: Thus Jesus will our troubles chase, By shining from the throne of grace.*

HYMN XXVI.

Dagon before the Ark. Chap. v. 4, 5.
I WHEN first to make my heart his own,
The Lord reveal'd his mighty grace;
Self reigned like Dagon on the throne,
But could not long maintain its place.
2 It fell, and own'd the power divine,
(Grace can with ease the victory gain)
But soon this wretched heart of mine
Contriv'd to set it up again.

3 Again the Lord his name proclaimed,
And brought the hateful idol low;
Then self, like Dagon, broken, maimed,
Seemed to receive a mortal blow.

4 Yet self is not of life bereft,
Nor ceases to oppose his will;
Though but a maimed stump be left
"Tis Dagon, 'tis an idol still.
5 Lord, must I always guilty prove,
And idols in my heart have room?†
Oh! let the fire of heavenly love
The very stump of self consume!

HYMN XXVII.

The Milch-kine Drawing the Ark:--Faith's Surrender of all. Chap. vi. 12.

1 THE kine unguided went

By the directest road,

When the Philistines homeward sent
The ark of Israel's God.

2 Lowing they passed along,

And left their calves shut up;
They felt an instinct for their young
But would not turn or stop.

3 Shall brutes, devoid of thought,
Their Maker's will obey,
And we who by his grace are taught,
More stubborn prove than they?

4 He shed his precious blood,

To make us his alone;
If wash'd in that atoning flood,
We are no more our own.

Book II. Hymn Ixi.

5 If he his will reveal,

Let us obey his call;

And think, whate'er the flesh may feel, His love deserves our all.

6 We should maintain in view
His glory, as our end;

Too much we cannot bear or do,
For such a matchless friend.
7 His saints should stand prepared
In duty's path to run;
Nor count their greatest trials hard,
So that his will be done.

8 With Jesus for our guide,

The path is safe, though rough; The promise says, "I will provide," And faith replies, "Enough."

HYMN XXVIII.

Saul's Armour. Chap. xvii. 38-40.
1 WHEN first my soul enlisted
My Saviour's foes to fight,
Mistaken friends insisted
I was not arm'd aright.
So Saul advised David,

He certainly would fail,
Nor could his life be saved,

Without a coat of mail.

2 But David, though he yielded
To put the armour on,
Soon found he could not wield it,
And ventur'd forth with none.
With only sling and pebble,

He fought the fight of faith;
The weapons seem'd but feeble,
Yet prov'd Goliah's death.
3 Had I by him been guided,
And quickly thrown away
The armour men provided,

I might have gain'd the day;
But arm'd as they advis'd me,
My expectations fail'd;
My enemy surpris'd me,

And had almost prevail'd.

4 Furnish'd with books and notions,
And arguments and pride,
I practis'd all my motions,
And Satan's pow'r defied;
But soon perceiv'd with trouble,
That these would do no good;
Iron to him is stubble,

And brass like rotten wood.

5 I triumph'd at a distance,

While he was out of sight;
But faint was my resistance,
When fore'd to join in fight:
He broke my sword in shivers,
And pierc'd my boasted shield;
Laugh'd at my vain endeavours,
And drove me from the field.

↑ Job xli. 27.