SELF-EXAMINATION.

SELF-CONDEMNATION.

"If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things." I JOHN iii. 20.

L

ORD, many times I am a-weary quite

Of my own self,

Yet be not Thou, or I

my fin and vanity;

am loft outright,

Weary of me.

And hate against myself I often bear,

And enter with myself in fierce debate ;Take Thou my part against myself, nor share In that just hate.

Beft friends might loathe us, if what things perverse We know of our own selves they also knew; Lord, Holy One! if Thou, who knoweft worse,

Shouldft loathe us too!
R. C. Trench.

FOR a closer walk with God,
A calm and heavenly frame,
A light to fhine upon the road
That leads me to the Lamb!

What peaceful hours I once enjoyed!
How sweet their memory still!

But now I find an aching void
The world can never fill.

Return, O holy Dove, return,
Sweet meffenger of rest;

I hate the fins that made thee mourn,
And drove thee from my breast.

The dearest idol I have known,
Whate'er that idol be,

Help me to tear it from thy throne,
And worship only thee.

So fhall my walk be close with God,
Calm and serene my frame;
So purer light fhall mark the road

That leads me to the Lamb.

Wm. Cowper. 1779.

GROWING IN GRACE.

"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." 2 PETER iii. 18.

HIS did not once so trouble me,

TH

That better I could not love Thee;
But now I feel and know,

That only when we love, we find
How far our hearts remain behind
The love they should beftow.

While we had little care to call
On Thee, and scarcely prayed at all,
We seemed enough to pray;
But now we only think with fhame,
How seldom to Thy glorious name
Our lips their offerings pay.

And when we gave yet flighter heed
Unto our suffering brother's need,
Our hearts reproached us then
Not half so much as now, that we
With such a careless eye can see
The woes and wants of men.

In doing is this knowledge won,
To see what yet remains undone ;
With this our pride repress;

And give us grace, a growing store,
That day by day we may do more,
And may esteem it less.

R. C. Trench.

THE WORLD.

"And when he is come, he will reprove the world of fin, and of rightcousness, and of judgment." - JOHN xvi. 8.

HE world is wise, for the world is old;

THE

Five thousand years their tale have told;

Yet the world is not happy, as the world might be,
Why is it? why is it? O, answer me!

The world is kind if we afk not too much;

It is sweet to the taste, and smooth to the touch;
Yet the world is not happy, as the world might be,
Why is it? why is it? O, answer me!

The world is ftrong, with an awful ftrength,
And full of life in its breadth and length;

Yet the world is not happy, as the world might be,
Why is it? why is it? O, answer me!

The world is so beautiful one may fear

Its borrowed beauty might make it too dear;

Yet the world is not happy, as the world might be,
Why is it? why is it? O, answer me!

The world is good in its own poor way,

There is reft by night and high spirits by day;
Yet the world is not happy, as the world might be,
Why is it? why is it? O, answer me!

The Cross fhines fair, and the church-bell rings,
And the earth is peopled with holy things;

Yet the world is not happy, as the world might be, Why is it? why is it? O, answer me!

What lackest thou, world? for God made thee of old; Why, thy faith hath gone out, and thy love grown cold; Thou art not happy, as thou mighteft be,

For the want of Chrift's fimplicity.

It is blood that thou lackeft, thou poor old world! Who fhall make thy love hot for thee, frozen old world? Thou art not happy, as thou mighteft be,

For the love of dear Jesus is little in thee.

Poor world! if thou craveft a better day,
Remember that Chrift must have his own way;
I mourn thou art not as thou mighteft be,
But the love of God would do all for thee.

Frederick Faber.