2 Rash and unsuspecting youth
Thinks to find thee always smooth,
Always kind, till better taught,
By experience dearly bought.
3 So the calm, but faithless sea,
(Lively emblem, world, of thee,)
Tempts the shepherd from the shore,
Foreign regions to explore.
4 While no wrinkled wave is seen,
While the sky remains serene,
Fill'd with hopes and golden schemes,
Of a storm he little dreams.
5 But ere long the tempest raves,
Then he trembles at the waves;
Wishes then he had been wise,
But too late-he sinks and dies.
6 Hapless thus are they, vain world,
Soon on rocks of ruin hurl'd,
Who, admiring thee, untry'd,
Court thy pleasures, wealth, or pride.
7 Such a shipwreck had been mine,
Had not Jesus, (name divine!)
Sav'd me with a mighty hand,
And restor'd my soul to land.
8 Now, with gratitude, I raise
Ebenezers to his praise;
Now my rash pursuits are o'er,
I can trust thee, world, no more.
C. The Enchantment dissolved.
1 BLINDED in youth by Satan's arts,
The world to our unpractis'd hearts
A flatt'ring prospect shows;
Our fancy forms a thousand schemes
Of gay delights, and golden dreams,
And undisturb'd repose.
2 So in the desert's dreary waste,
By magic pow'r produc'd in haste,
(As ancient fables say,)
Castles, and groves, and music sweet,
The senses of the trav'ller meet,
And stop him in his way.
3 But while he listens with surprise,
The charm dissolves, the vision dies,
'Twas but enchanted ground;
Thus if the Lord our spirit touch,
The world, which promis'd us so much,
A wilderness is found.
4 At first we start, and feel distress'd,
Convinc'd we never can have rest
In such a wretched place ;
But he whose mercy breaks the charm,
Reveals his own Almighty arm,
And bids us seek his face.
5 Then we begin to live indeed,
When from our sin and bondage freed
By this beloved Friend;
We follow him from day to day,
Assur'd of grace through all the way,
And glory at the end.
ON THE RISE, PROGRESS, CHANGES, AND
COMFORTS OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE;
I. SOLEMN ADDRESSES TO SINNERS.
HYMN I. Expostulation.
No words can declare,
No fancy can paint,
What rage and despair,
What hopeless complaint,
Fill Satan's dark dwelling,
The prison beneath;
What weeping and yelling,
And gnashing of teeth!
2 Yet sinners will choose
This dreadful abode ;
Each madly pursues
The dangerous road;
Though God give them warning,
They onward will go,
They answer with scorning,
And rush upon wo.
3 How sad to behold
The rich and the poor,
The young and the old,
All blindly secure !
All posting to ruin,
Refusing to stop;
Ah! think what you're doing,
While yet there is hope !
4 How weak is your hand,
To fight with the Lord!
How can you withstand
The edge of his sword?
What hope of escaping
For those who oppose,
When hell is wide gaping
To swallow his foes!
His blood has such virtue,
For all that believe,
That nothing can hurt you,
If him you receive.
1 STOP, poor sinner! stop and think
Before you further go!
Will you sport upon the brink
Of everlasting wo?
Once again, I charge, you stop!
For, unless you warning take,
Ere you are aware, you drop
Into the burning lake !
2 Say, have you an arm like God,
That you his will oppose?
Fear you not that iron rod
With which he breaks his foes?
Can you stand in that dread day,
When he judgment shall proclaim,
And the earth shall melt away
Like wax before the flame?
3 Pale-fac'd death will quickly comę,
To drag you to his bar;
Then to hear your awful doom
Will fill you with despair.
All your sins will round you crowd,
Sins of a blood-crimson dye;
Each for vengeance crying loud,
And what can you reply?
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