The' accuser's cruel buffetings sustain,

Still of unconquerable sin complain,

With cries, and tears that seem'd to flow in vain?
Long in the fire, long in the desert tried,
He daily languish'd, and he daily died;
Long by the spirit of fear in prison bound,
Groan'd for relief, yet no deliverance found;
Till quite forsaken both of man and God,
And fainting underneath corruption's load,
His fastings, prayers, and struggles he gave o'er,
Sunk in despair, and gasp'd for help no more.

Then in the last extreme of hopeless grief,
JESUS appear'd, and help'd his unbelief,
Infused the faith which did his sins remove,
Assured his heart of God's forgiving love,

And fill'd with glorious joy, the joy of saints above.

Who but the souls that savingly believe,
The raptures of a faithful soul conceive?
The joy unspeakable, the love unknown,
The peace he felt, is understood by none,

By none but those who know their sins forgiven, Through God the Holy Ghost come down from heaven.

Born of the Spirit now, divinely led,

He hastes in his dear Saviour's steps to tread,
Eager his faith's sincerity to prove

By all the works of piety and love;

Fruits of repentance first, and legal fear,

They now the genuine marks of grace appear,
Their own superior principle maintain,
And justify his faith to God and man;
While listening to forlorn affliction's cries,
Swift to assist on wings of love he flies,
Help to the sick and needy prisoners gives,
And more than their external wants relieves ;
Alarms the souls that sleep secure in sin,
Till urged the one great business they begin,
Instructs them how to 'scape the judgment nigh,
"Ye must be born again, or dead for ever die!"

Nor let the scrup'lous sons of Levi fear
He thus invades the sacred character:
Thus every candidate should first be tried,
In doing good, in Jesu's steps abide,
Then exercise aright the Deacon's powers,
Son to his church, as Whitefield was to ours.

Moved by the Holy Ghost to minister,
And serve his altar, in the house of prayer,

Though long resolved for God alone to live,
The outward call He trembled to receive,
Shrunk from the awful charge, so well prepared,
The gift by apostolic hands conferr'd,

And cried, with deep, unfeign'd humility, "Send, Lord, by whom thou wilt, but send not me."

Yet soon he bows before the will divine,
Clearly demonstrating his own design,
Call'd by a Prelate good, no more delays
To' accept with awe the consecrating grace,
And offers up, through the Redeemer's blood,
His body, spirit, soul, a sacrifice to God.

He now begins, from every weight set free,
To make full trial of his ministry,

Breaks forth on every side, and runs and flies,
Like kindling flames that from the stubble rise,
Where'er the ministerial Spirit leads,

From house to house the heavenly fire he spreads,
Ranges through all the city-lanes and streets,
And seizes every prodigal he meets.

Who shall the will and work divine oppose ? His strength with his increasing labour grows: Workman and work the' Almighty hath prepared, And, sent of God, the servant must be heard, Rush through the opening door, on sinners call, Proclaim the truth, and offer Christ to all. "Sound an alarm, the Gospel-trumpet blow, Let all their time of visitation know; The Saviour comes!" (you hear his herald cry,) "Go forth, and meet the Friend of sinners nigh! Roused from the sleep of death, a countless crowd (Whose hearts like trees before the wind are bow'd, As a thick cloud, that darkens all the sky, As flocking doves, that to their windows fly) Press to the hallow'd courts with eager strife, Catch the convincing word, and hear for life, Parties and sects their endless feuds forget, And fall and tremble at the Preacher's feet; Prick'd at the heart, with one consent inquire, "What must we do to' escape the never-dying fire?"

Made apt to teach, he points them out the way,
And willing multitudes the truth obey;
He lets his light on all impartial shine,
And strenuously asserts the birth divine;
The Spirit freely given to all who claim
The promised Comforter in Jesu's name ;

The pardon bought so dear, by grace bestow'd,
Received through faith in the atoning blood.

While yet he speaks, the Lord himself comes down,
Applies, and proves the gracious word his own,

The Holy Ghost to thirsty souls imparts,
And writes forgiveness on the broken hearts.

But, lo, an ampler field appears in view,
And calls his champion forth to conquests new:
Nor toils nor dangers can his zeal repress,
Nor crowds detain him by his own success:
In vain his children tempt him to delay,
With prayers and tears invite his longer stay,
Or ask, as sharers of his weal or woe,
To earth's remotest bounds with him to go:
He leaves them all behind, at Jesu's word,
He finds them all again in his beloved Lord.

See where he flies! as if by Heaven design'd,
To' awake and draw our whole apostate kind!
He takes the eagle's with the morning's wings,
To other worlds the great salvation brings,
As sent, with joyful news of sins forgiven,
To every ransom'd soul on this side heaven!

With ready mind the' Americans receive
Their angel-friend, and his report believe,
So soon the servant's heavenly call they find,
So soon they hear the Master's feet behind:
He comes to wound and heal! At his descent
The mountains flow, the rocky hearts are rent;
Numbers, acknowledging their gracious day,
Turn to the Lord, and cast their sins away,
And faint and sink, beneath their guilty load,
Into the arms of a forgiving God.

His Son reveal'd they now exult to know,
And after a despised Redeemer go,

In all the works prepared their faith to prove,

In patient hope, and fervency of love.

How blest the messenger whom Jesus owns!
How swift with the commission'd word he runs!
The sacred fire shut up within his breast
Breaks out again; the weary cannot rest,
Cannot consent his feeble flesh to spare,
But rushes on, Jehovah's harbinger :
His one delightful work, and steadfast aim,
To pluck poor souls as brands out of the flame,
To scatter the good seed on every side,

To spread the knowledge of the Crucified,

From a small spark a mighty fire to raise,
And fill the continent with Jesu's praise.

What recompence for all his endless toil?
The Master pays him with a constant smile,

With peace, and power, and comforts from above,
Grace upon grace, and looks of rapturous love.
When often spent and spiritless he lies,
Jesus beholds him with propitious eyes,
And looks him back his strength, and bids arise,
Sends him again to run the lengthen'd race,
Prospers his work, and shines on all his ways.

The man of God, whom God delights to' approve
In his great labours of paternal love,

Love of the little ones-for these he cares,
The lambs, the orphans, in his bosom bears;
Knowing in whom he trusts, provides a place,
And spreads a table in the wilderness,
A father of the fatherless, supplies

Their daily wants-with manna from the skies,
In answer to his prayer, so strangely given,
His fervent prayer of faith that opens heaven.

What mighty works the prayer of faith can do!
The good of souls, and Jesus in his view,
He sees the basis sure, which cannot fail,
Laid by the true, divine Zerubbabel;

The rising house, built up by swift degrees,

The crowning-stone, brought forth with shouts, he sees:
The Lord hath finish'd what his hands begun;
Ascribe the gracious work to grace alone.

The house is built; and shall not God provide?
Plentiful help pours in on every side,
From hearts inclined the hungry lambs to feed,
By Him who satisfies the poor with bread;
Whose blessing makes the earth her riches yield,
The wilderness becomes a fruitful field,
Bids golden harvests round his house arise,
And turns a waste into a paradise.

With heart enlarged, with confidence increased,
In all his purposes and labours bless'd,
The steward wise, and faithful to his trust,
Gives God the praise, and sinks into the dust,
And cries, o'erwhelm'd his Master's smile to see,
"O when shall I begin to live for thee!"

More grace is on the humble man bestow'd,
More work on him that loves to work for God;