Classic Poem

CHAPTER XIV.

They spake more boldly than before,
Demonstrating the Spirit's power
Who ready utterance gave;
They spake, commission'd from above
To publish their Redeemer's love,
And listening souls to save.

Gentiles and Jews at once believed,
And both into the fold received
Were in one body join'd
Through Jesus reconciled to God,
Whose grace on all alike bestow'd
The Saviour of mankind.

Who now dispense the pardoning word,
So let us speak and preach the Lord,
That numbers may embrace
Their Saviour in their hearts reveal'd,
And live with all His Spirit fill'd,
With all His life of grace.

M ADE by persecution strong
If Christ His strength bestows,
There we shall continue long
Where infidels oppose,
Confident our Lord proclaim,
Our Peace and Advocate with God,
Preach salvation through His name,
And pardon in His blood.

Bold in our almighty Lord,
While Thee we testify,
Present to confirm the word
We on Thyself rely:
Thou Thy confessors confess,
The truth in sinners' hearts reveal,
Welcome news of saving grace
By Thy own Spirit seal.

More than outward wonders show
On those that humbly hear,
Let their souls the witness know
The' indwelling Comforter;
Let their lives resemble Thine
And preach the kingdom from above,
Holy joy and peace Divine,
And pure unbounded love.

Thus Thy testimony give
To all who speak for Thee,
Thus let thousands turn and live
In faith's sincerity;
Through our ministerial hands
Ten thousand more with grace supply,
Power to practise Thy commands,
And live for God and die.

N OT peace but a divisive sword
On earth the Saviour sends;
His enemies are by the word
Distinguish'd from His friends;
But if the world refuse to know
The joys His people feel,
Better, that part to heaven should go,
Than all rush on to hell.

No neuters in the Christian war,
But all are friends or foes;
And lo, I for the truth declare;
I have my party chose;
Safe on the apostolic side,
(For there my Lord I see,)
Jesus, I still resolve to' abide
In life and death with Thee.

T HE flight of those by Jesus sent
That sinners may His grace obtain,
To some a fearful punishment,
To others is an heavenly gain;
To every faithful soul that hears
Christ in His exiled messengers.

A ND let the world His servants chase
Who spread the news of Jesus' love,
We travel on from place to place,
And Jesus preach where'er we rove;
Rejoice what we receive to give
Who only by the gospel live.

P RAISE is the proof, the touchstone praise
Which Jesus' faithful servants tries:
To sinners who dispense His grace,
Dare ye refuse their sacrifice?
The most refined applause of men
Incense prepared with nicest art,
Can ye reject with just disdain,
Can ye abhor with all your heart?

A S in the watery glass
Face corresponds to face,
The heart of man to man
In pleasure and in pain,
With strictest sympathy agrees,
And feels the same infirmities.

Even saints by grace renew'd
Dread to be counted good,
Confess their own desert
When God hath cleansed their heart,
When all His image they regain
They rank themselves with sinful men.

M AN from adoring man
Can scarcely be withheld,
Yet urged a thousand times in vain
His due we will not yield
To God, who left the skies
Our sins and us to part,
And asks no other sacrifice
Than a poor broken heart
.
W HO can the sudden turns explain,
Or trust the various hearts of men?
This hour they cry with sacred fear,
The gods in human shape appear!
The next, they contradict the word,
And persecute whom they adored,
Curses instead of praises give,
And stone the wretch not fit to live.

A ND can a messenger be proud,
Extoll'd by the admiring crowd,
Honours Divine with joy receive,
Which sinners blasphemously give?
Ah, no: the praise that comes from men
Exchanging for reproach and pain,
He would be like the' apostle tried,
And rather slain than deified.

O FT in deaths before he dies
A dying life he lives,
Oft repeats his sacrifice,
And all to Jesus gives;
Breathes again, of breath bereft,
And starts afresh his course to run,
Never by his Saviour left
Till all his work is done.

W HEN the work and cause of God
No more require his stay,
To the torrent of the crowd
A minister gives way;
Outraged by their fierce despite,
Not obstinate his foes to brave,
So he saves himself by flight,
Immortal souls to save.

W HO his Lord and pattern knows
Will render good for ill,
Seek again his cruel foes,
Through him they sought to kill:
To his charge he hastens back,
His faith in thickest dangers proves,
Cannot finally forsake
Whom more than life he loves.

S AVIOUR , Thy preaching servants bless,
When most we suffer in Thy cause
Our labours crown with full success,
And spread the doctrine of Thy cross;
As vessels of confirming grace
Give us to build Thy people up,
To root and ground the pardon'd race
In loving faith, and patient hope.

O may we still the truth declare
Which flesh and blood cannot receive,
Our brethren for the lot prepare
Of all resolved in Thee to live;
Teach us their calling here to show
Which ascertains the glittering prize,
The narrow path of sacred woe
That leads Thy followers to the skies.

This is the consecrated way,
The true and royal way to God;
Here will we with our Captain stay,
And strive, resisting unto blood:
The suffering and reward are sure;
And who Thy daily cross sustain,
And faithful unto death endure,
We, only we, Thy crown shall gain.

E LDERS if the church ordain,
Ministers in things Divine,
All should strive the grace to' obtain,
All in prayer and fasting join,
Faithfully approach the throne,
Bring the heavenly blessing down.

Every soul for them should plead,
Who the common burden bear,
Each desire their work may speed
Who for every sinner care,
Men by Christ Himself design'd
Christ to spread through all mankind.

M AY we not trust our flock to Him,
To Him our children leave,
Who did their precious souls redeem,
Who did their pardon give?
Jesus the saving grace bestow'd,
And will His saints defend,
Who hang on their redeeming God,
Till faith in vision end.

W HEN ministers make known
What God by them hath done,
We who pray'd for their success,
Thankful for our answer'd prayer,
Testify His faithfulness,
All His gracious works declare.

With joy we now approve
The truth of Jesus' love,
God, the universal God
He the door hath open'd wide,
Faith on sinners poor bestow'd,
Wash'd them in His bleeding side.

Purged from the stains of sin,
By faith they enter'd in,
Purchased and redeem'd of old,
Added to the chosen race,
Now received into the fold
Heathens sing their Saviour's praise.

With them we lift our voice,
Partakers of their joys,
Conscious of the blood applied,
Freely all through faith forgiven;
Faith renews the justified,
Faith unfolds the gates of heaven.

O FT an evangelic guide
Finds his work diversified,
Useful still by all confess'd;
Change of labour is his rest:
Where he makes his long abode
Building up the church of God,
God by him His power displays,
Stablishes our hearts with grace.