Wo to the Wealthy and the proud,
Who hear a brother's cry,
But pity's eyes in darkness shroud,
And pass the suff'rer by!
Who turns from widows in distress,
And lets the orphan pine,
Can no sound piety possess,
Nor in true virtue shine.
How dwells the love of God in those
Who pass by human wo,
And all their kind compassions close,
Nor will the wretched know?
Christ makes his people stewards here,
And leaves with them the poor,
That they, like him, may kind appear
To those who want endure.
Let Christians, therefore, while they may,
To such as need do good, 7
Since he who lives in wealth to-day,
May know the want of food.
This will not make their means the less,
But may increase their store;
For God can all his servants bless,
And give them more and more.
Thus did the widow's meal remain,
On which Elijah fed;
While oil her household did sustain,
And sav'd them from the dead.
Then to the poor dispense thy bread,
And clothe them from the cold;
Let not the stranger want a bed,
Until thy goods be sold,
Be thou for eyes unto the blind,
And let the lame in thee
Behold a brother, always kind,-
A friend and father see.
ON ACKNOWLEDGING THE DIVINE
GOODNESS AT TABLE.
How oft, when looking to the God of grace,
A blush is seen upon the Christian's face,
As if to own a Benefactor's name
Could e'er by men be justly thought a shame!
But here to shame let each one bid adieu,
The Saviour's bright example to pursue :
Yea, rather, let us blush, if we should dine,
And eat our food unhallowed, like the swine!
The ox those hands that give him fodder knows, The stupid ass to whom his food he owes,
And makes him all the poor returns he can ;—
There's nought ungrateful in the world but man.
For many men, more stupid on the whole,
Know not the gracious Shepherd of their soul,
Who feeds them in his pastures green and gay,
And loads them with his blessings every day.
Do not the little birds their voices raise,
And for their food their benefactor praise?
With tuneful notes they laud him all day long,
And 'tis a bliss to listen to their song.
With emulation fir'd, on every spray,
They seem to strive throughout the live-long day,
Which best shall praise the bounteous God above,
Whose secret hand still feeds them in the grove.
But men are much more thankless and more dull,
Who, when the Lord has fed them to the full,
Do in his praise remain like fishes mute,
And more ungrateful than the meanest brute!
Do not such thankless souls as these deserve
From God's own world to be cast out and starve,
Since they will not their great Preserver know,
Nor thankful hearts for all his favours show?
Let not the Christian ever study, then,
To imitate so vile a set of men ;
But bless, with holy hands and lifted eyes,
The fountain whence his daily mercies rise.
A FAMILY, when ordered well,
Will in the fear of God excel,
And all its members yield a light,
Like stars, that gild the brow of night,
To bless the country far and near,
And teach mankind their course to steer.
But this requires a Master wise,
Who shall some proper plan devise,
And walk himself in God's own way,
While others own his wholesome sway.
Seek thou for servants to thy mind,
Who are to piety inclined;
Nor let a wicked person be
Retained in all thy family,
Then make a church of thy abode,
That all may learn the will of God;
And thus like holy angels be,
In serving Him while serving thee.
Each morn and night the Scriptures read,
Of whose instructions all have need;
And let no day thy eyes may see,
Without its pray'rs and praises be.
Perform thyself the prophet's part, 8
And on devotion set thy heart,
That those who in thy house are found,
May in the fear of God abound.
Let each one to the room repair;
Then watch them with a father's care,
That none be heedless, or supine,
And trifle thus with things divine.
Let those who at thy table eat,
First ask a blessing on their meat;
Nor ever quit the social board,
Till nature's God has been ador'd;
Since they are even worse than swine,
Who honour not the Power divine.
Let none be heard in vain discourse, Or be allowed to swear and curse;
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