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MEMOIRS OF MR. PEARCE.

has not patience to wait for it, nor discernment to know the way in which it is obtained. One pursues the shade, and it flies from him; while another turns his back upon it, and it follows him. The one aims to climb the rock, but falls ere he reaches the summit; the other, in pursuit of a different object, ere he is aware, possesses it: seeking the approbation of his God, he finds with it that of his fellow-christians.

HYMNS

BY MR. PEARCE.

The following was written soon after his Conversion.

O how sweet it is to me,
'Fore my gracious Lord to fall,
Talk with him continually,
Make my blessed Jesus all.

Other pleasures I have sought,
Tried the world a thousand times,
Peace pursu'd, but found it not,
For I still retained my crimes.

Never could my heart be bless'd,
Till from guilt I found it freed,
Jesus now has me releas'd,
I in him am free indeed.

Saviour, bind me to thy cross,
Let thy love possess my heart;
All besides I count but dross,
Christ and I will never part.

In his blood such peace I find,
In his love such joy is given,
He, who is to Jesus join'd,
Finds on earth a little heav'n.

The following lines appear to have been written soon after, if not before, his entrance on the work of the ministry:

EXCITEMENT TO EARLY DUTY,

OR

The Lord's-day Morning.

Whene'er I look into thy word,
And read about my dearest Lord,
The Friend of sinful man,
And trace my Saviour's footsteps there;
What humble love, what holy fear,
Through all his conduct ran!

If I regard the matchless grace
He show'd unto the human race,
How he for them became
A poor sojourner here below,
Oppress'd by pain and sorrow too,
I can't but love his name.

And when I view his love to God,
Those steps in which the Saviour trod,

I long to read them too;
I long to be inspir'd with zeal,
To execute my Father's will,
As Jesus us'd to do.

I read, that he, on duty bent,
To lonely places often went,
To seek his Father there:
The early morn and dewy ground,
Can witness they the Saviour found
Engag'd in fervent prayer.

And did my Saviour use to pray,
Before the light unveil'd the day;
And shall I backward be?
No, dearest Lord, forbid the thought,
Help me to fight as Jesus fought,
Each foe that hinders me.

And you, my friends, who love his name,
Who love to imitate the Lamb,

And more of Jesus know;

Come, let us all surround his throne,

And see what blessings on his own
Our Saviour will bestow.

Though fears be great, temptations strong,
And though we oft have waited long,
Perhaps he may design

This morn to give each soul to see,
And say with Paul," he died for me,"
And my Redeemer's mine.

Now cheerful we'll begin to pray,
That he will wash our sins away
In his atoning blood;

That he his blessing may bestow,
And give each sinner here to know
That he's a child of God.

ON THE SCRIPTURES.

Stupendous love in Christ doth dwell,
Love which no mortal tongue can tell?
But yet so gracious is the Lord,
He tells his people in his word.

Here, in those lines of love, I see,
What Christ my Saviour did for me;
Here I behold the wond'rous plan
By which he saves rebellious man.

Here we may view the Saviour, God,
Oppress'd by pain, o'erwhelm'd with blood;
And if we ask the reason, why;

He kindly says, "For you I die?"

Here love and mercy, truth and grace,
Conspicuous shine in Jesus' face;
Here we may trace the wond'rous road,
By which a sinner comes to God.

O boundless grace! O matchless love?
That brought the Saviour from above,
That caus'd the God for man to die,
Expiring in an agony.

Then say, my soul, canst thou engage
In tracing o'er the sacred page,
And there his love and mercy see,
And not love him who died for thee?

O stupid heart! O wretched soul!
So cold, so languid, and so dull;
Angels desire this love to know,
I feel those longings too!

O may

Descend, thou Spirit of the Lord,
Thy light, and help, and grace afford;
And while I read these pages o'er,
Constrain my soul to love thee more.

LINES

Written on the words of Ignatius

MY LOVE IS CRUCIFIED."

Meum Desiderium Crucifixum Est.

Warm was his heart, his faith was strong,
Who thus in rapture cried
When on his way to martyrdom,

My love is crucified.

* When Ignatius, pastor of the church at Antioch, was condemned by the Emperor Trajan to suffer death at Rome, he was apprehensive that the Christians there, out of their affection for him, might endeavour to prevent his martyrdom; and therefore wrote a letter from Smyrna to the Roman Christians, which he sent on before him, wherein he earnestly beseeches them to take no measures for the continuance of his life; and amongst other things says, "I long for death," adding as a reason why he was desirous of thus testifying his affection to Christ, "My love is crucified," meaning that his beloved had suffered before him.