6 Thou hast help'd in ev'ry need,
This emboldens me to plead;
After so much mercy past,
Canst thou let me sink at last?

7 No-I must maintain my hold,
"Tis thy goodness makes me bold;
I can no denial take

When I plead for Jesus' sake.

XI. Plenty in the time of Dearth. Chap. xii. 56.

1 My soul once had its plenteous years,

And throve, with peace and comfort fill'd,

Like the fat kine and ripen'd ears

Which Pharaoh in his dream beheld.

2 With pleasing frames and grace receiv'd,
With means and ordinances fed,
How happy for a while I liv'd,

And little fear'd the want of bread!

3 But famine came, and left no sign
Of all the plenty I had seen;
Like the dry ears and half-starv'd kine,
I then look'd wither'd, faint, and lean.

4 To Joseph the Egyptians went ;

To Jesus I made known my case;
He, when my little stock was spent,
Open'd his magazine of grace.

5 For he the time of dearth foresaw,
And made provision long before;
That famish'd souls like me might draw
Supplies from his unbounded store,

6 Now on his bounty I depend,

And live from fear of dearth secure ;
Maintain'd by such a mighty Friend,
I cannot want till he is poor.

7 O sinners, hear his gracious call!
His mercy's door stands open wide ;

He has enough to feed you all,

And none who come shall be deny'd.

XII. Joseph made known to his brethren. Chap. xli. 3, 4.

1 WHEN Joseph his brethren beheld,
Afflicted and trembling with fear,
His heart with compassion was fill'd;
From weeping he could not forbear.
Awhile his behaviour was rough,

To bring their past sin to their mind
But when they were humbled enough,
He hasten'd to show himself kind.

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 households 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'erwhelm'd and confounded by grace:
"Poor sinner, I know thee full well,
"By thee I was sold and was slain;
"But I dy'd to redeem thee from hell,
"And raise thee in glory to reign.

"I'm Jesus, whom thou hast blasphem'd,
"And crucify'd often afresh ;
"But let me henceforth be esteem'd,

66 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."

Oh, sinners, the message obey!

No more vain excuses pretend;
But come, without further delay,
To Jesus, our brother and friend,

EXODUS.

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 wo.

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 bealing 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 dy'd,
And conquer'd for his saints;
This is the tree, by faith apply'd,
Which sweetens all complaints.

6 Thousands have found the bless'd effect,
Nor 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 a gain from ev'ry loss,
And find the bitter sweet.

XIV. C. Jehovah Rophi,-I am the Lord that healeth thee,
Chap. xv.

1 HEAL us, Immanuel, 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 the Lord!

3 Remember him who once apply'd,
With trembling, for relief;

"Lord, I believe," with tears he cried,
"O help my unbelief."*

* Mark ix. 24.

VOL. II.

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

Was answer'd "Daughter, go in peace,
"Thy faith hath made thee whole."*
5 Conceal'd amid the gath'ring 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.

XV. Manna. Chap. xvi. 18.

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

2 (Thus though the corn and wine should fail,
And creature streams be dry,
The pray'r of faith will still prevail,
For blessings from on high.)

3 of his 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 provides
Our comforts and our cares;
His own unerring hand provides,
And gives us each our shares.

5 He knows how much the weak can beas,
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 try'd 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.

XVI. Manna hoarded. Chap. xvi. 20.

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.

* Mark v. 34.

58

2 In vain to hoard it up they try'd,
Against to-morrow came;
It then bred worms and putrefy'd,

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 supply'd again.

7 Dear Lord, while we in pray'r are found,

Do thou the Manna give;

Oh! let it fall on all around,
That we may eat and live.

XVII C. Jehovah Nissi,—The Lord my banner. Chap. xvii. 15.

1 By whom was David taught
To aim the dreadful blow,

When he Goliath fought,

And laid the Gittite low?

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 invaders' 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,

* Judges vii. 20.