This still has been my sweetest song, And whilst upon this world I stay, To all around I'll ever say, When through death's gloomy vale I walk, To him I'll sing, of him I'll talk. Could I, his praise e'en now I'd sound, As vast creation wide; But I shall sing on heav'nly ground, Yes, when to that blest land I mount, Through all eternity I'll shout, MY LOVE IS CRUCIFY'D ! Jan. 19, 1795. S. P." 00000000000 "THE GARDENER AND ROSE-TREE." "A FABLE." "Affectionately addressed to Mrs. J. H, on the death of her child, by her truly sympathizing friend, MARCH 12, 1798. "IN a sweet spot, which Wisdom chose, Grew an unique and lovely Rose; A flow'r so fair was seldom. borne A Rose almost without a thorn. S. P." "Sweet flow'r !" each lip was heard to say- Of all his garden this the pride, As months roll'd on, the spring appear'd, Offspring most dear (she fondly said,) The space around me—, -All shall be 'Abundantly made up in thee. What though my present charms decay, And passing strangers no more say 'Of me, Sweet flow' '-Yet thou shalt raise Thy blooming head, and gain the praise, 'And this reverberated pleasure Shall be to me a world of treasure. 'Cheerful I part with former merit, That it my darling may inherit. Haste then the hours which bid thee bloom, Thus had the Rose-tree scarcely spoken, ; 167313 Judge ye, who know a mother's cares Deep was the wound; nor slight the pain Thy charms scarce to thy mother known! Remov'd so soon !-So suddenly, 'Snatch'd from my fond maternal eye! What hadst thou done ?—dear offspring! say, What! gone for ever! seen no more! Ye dews descend, with tears supply • Or rather come some northern blast, Far from this spot, a wretched mother, Cease, beauteous flow'r, these useless cries And let my lessons make thee wise, • Art thou not mine? Did not my hand Unknown, and unadmir'd, I found, 寓 But now, because thy shoot I've taken, Thy best of friends must be forsaken. Know, flower belov'd e'en this affliction Shall prove to thee a benediction: Had I nor the young plant remov❜d, · (So fondly by thy heart belov'd) O me thy heart would scarce have thought, It's now transplanted there to shine • Nor shalt thou always be apart Be patient, then, till that set hour shall come When thou and thine shall in new beauties bloom: No more its absence shall thou then deplore, Together grow and ne'er be parted more.' These words to silence hush'd the plaintive Rose, With deeper blushes redd'ning now she glows, Submissive bow'd her unrepining head, Again her wonted, grateful fragrance shedCry'd, Thou hast taken only what's thine own, Therefore thy will, my Lord, not mine, be done.' K CHAP. IV. AN ACCOUNT OF HIS LAST AFFLICTION, AND THE HOLY AND HAPPY EXERCISES OF HIS MIND UNDER IT. EARLY in October, 1798, Mr. Pearce attended at the Kettering ministers' meeting, and preached from Psalm xc. 16, 17. Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us and establish thou the work of our hands upon us: yea, the work of our hands e. tablish thou it. He was observed to be singularly solemn and affectionate in that discourse. If he had known it to be the last time that he should address his brethren in that part of the country, he could scarcely have felt of spoken in a more interesting manner. It was a discourse full of instruc on, full of a holy unction, and that seemed to breathe an apostolical ardour. On his return, he preached a Market Harborough; and riding home the next day in company with his friend, Mr. Summers, of London, they were overtaken with rain. Mr. Pearce was wet through his clothes, and towards evening complained of a chillness. A slight hoarseness followed. He preached several times after this, which brought on an inflammation, and issued in a consumption. It is probable that if his constitution had not been previously impaired, such effects might not have followed in this instance. His own ideas on this subject, are expressed in a letter to Dr. Ryland, dated December 4, 1798, and in another to Mr. King, dated from Bristol, on his way to Plymouth, March 30, 1799. the former, he says," Ever since my Christmas In |