Part 32 (2/2)

”Grace all the work shall crown, Through everlasting days; It lays in heaven the topmost stone, And well deserves the praise.”

”My G.o.d, the spring of all my joys, The life of my delights, The glory of my brightest days, And comfort of my nights:

”In darkest shades, if thou appear, My dawning is begun; Thou art my soul's sweet Morning-star, And thou my rising Sun.

”The opening heavens around me s.h.i.+ne With beams of sacred bliss, While Jesus shows his heart is mine, And whispers I am his.

”My soul would leave this heavy clay, At that transporting word; Run up with joy the s.h.i.+ning way, T' embrace my dearest Lord.

”Fearless of h.e.l.l and ghastly death, I'd break through every foe; The wings of love, and arms of faith, Should bear me conqueror through.”

”Backward with humble shame I look, On my original; How is my nature dashed and broke, In our first father's fall.

”To all that's good averse and blind, But p.r.o.ne to all that's ill; What dreadful darkness veils my mind, How obstinate my will.

”Conceived in sin: O wretched state; Before I drew my breath, My first young pulse began to beat Iniquity and death.

”How strong in my degenerate blood The old corruption reigns; And mingling with the crooked flood, Wanders through all my veins.

”Yet, mighty G.o.d, thy wondrous love Can make my nature clean; While Christ and grace prevail above The tempter, death, and sin.

”The second Adam shall restore The ruins of the first; Hosanna to that sovereign power, That new-creates our dust.”

JORDAN.*

Joshua 1:11, chapter 3; Psalm 23:4; 73:24.

*The three following effusions by Mrs. Graham, const.i.tuting a part of her ”Provision,” were found in a separate paper after her funeral sermon was preached. The hymn of Newton which she had annexed to the first, was selected by Dr. Mason and sung on that occasion; and the circ.u.mstances described at the beginning of the third, page 434, occurred at her death, as narrated in the memoir, though the existence of this paper was then unknown.

The solemn hour, my soul, draws near, The holy ark and priests appear; They forward move to Jordan's flood, The type, thou knowest, thy covenant G.o.d.

The signal too to thee is known; Obey, remove, and follow on; The ark appears, thy hallowed guide; Shrink not, but face the rolling tide.

The waves toss high their foaming heads, But can'st thou perish? Jesus leads.

This way before I ne'er did pa.s.s, But Jesus thy forerunner has.

When all its banks it overflowed, All nature wrapt in midnight cloud; While darkness held its awful power, And all G.o.d's billows pa.s.sed him o'er.

The waves for him must not divide, Deep calls to deep on every side; Around his head the surges roll, And rush into his inmost soul.

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