Of want, disease, and helpless wretchedness With Thee, that men may fear Thee. Let the light Of thy serene and blessed countenance shine May praise Thee! and be strengthen'd and refresh'd With foretastes of the glory, joy, and peace, Which are at Thy right hand for evermore, Which Thou hast purchas'd, and prepar'd, to strive With earnest zeal for that inheritance, Unfading, incorruptible and pure, Reserv'd in heaven for them who by Thy pow'r Are kept, through faith, unto salvation. There We shall behold Thee as Thou art, and be, To love the glorious Lord, who hath redeem'd us. A body, fit to be the instrument Of its pure actings in that perfect state; And every act of love and adoration Shall be an act of power! Faith shall be lost In sight, and hope in full fruition. All, With one consent, with all our inward powers, That there are myriads of immortal souls, From the overflowing fulness of Thy love, Communications of intense delight! And our whole life and being shall be no more Adoring thankfulness, and fervent love, [Those who are acquainted with the works of Howe, will readily perceive to whom the writer of the above has been indebted for his best ideas, especially in the latter part. Had he studied compression more, his lines would certainly have gained, in a poetical point of view; but he was not disposed to be at all careful about poetical reputation. In some states of feeling, he found, that he wrote verse more fluently than prose; and (at such times) he put down his thoughts in that form for after-polish and correction he had neither time nor inclination. The foregoing lines however, (such as they are) have sometimes proved a refreshment to myself, when tempted and depressed; and this induces me to insert them here, in the hope that they may sometimes prove so to one or other of my brethren.] 128 4 THOUGHTS IN AFFLICTION. "Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded, one towards another, according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." "Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen." Rom. xv. 5, 6, 13, 33. "The God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. "To Him be glory and dominion for ever and Amen." 1 Pet. v. 10, 11. ever. THE END. L. B. SEELEY AND SONS, THAMES DITTON, SURRY. |