And finding nothing to commend herself,
But what might damn her, her embezzled pelf,
At sov'reign grace's feet does prostrate fall,
Content to be in Jesus' debt for all.
Her noised virtues vanish out of sight,
As starry tapers at meridian light;
While sweetly, humbly, she beholds at length
Christ, as her only righteousness and strength.
He with the view throws down his loving dart,
Imprest with pow'r into her tender heart.
The deeper that the law's fierce dart was thrown,
The deeper now the dart of love goes down:
Hence, sweetly pain'd, her cries to heav'n do flee:
"O none but Jesus, none but Christ for me:
O glorious Christ, O beauty, beauty rare,
Ten thousand thousand heav'ns are not so fair.
In him at once all beauties meet and shine,
The white and ruddy, human and divine.
As in his low, he's in his high abode,
The brightest image of the unseen God.*
How justly do the harpers sing above,
His doing, dying, rising, reigning love?
How justly does he, when his work is done,
Possess the centre of his Father's throne ?
How justly does his awful throne before
Seraphic armies prostrate him adore;
That's both by nature and donation crown'd,
With all the grandeur of the Godhead round?
"But wilt thou, Lord, in very deed come dwell
With me, that was a burning brand of hell?
With me, so justly reckon'd worse and less
Than insect, mite, or atom can express ?
Wilt thou debase thy high imperial form,
To match with such a mortal, crawling worm?
Yea, sure thine errand to our earthly coast,
Was in deep love to seek and save the lost;*
And since thou deign'st the like of me to wed,
O come and make my heart thy marriage-bed.
Fair Jesus, wilt thou marry filthy me?
Amen, amen, amen; so let it be."
THE FRUITS OF THE BELIEVER'S MARRIAGE WITH CHRIST,
PARTICULARLY GOSPEL HOLINESS AND OBEDIENCE TO THE LAW AS A RULE.
THE SWEET SOLEMNITY OF THE MARRIAGE NOW OVER, AND THE SAD EFFECTS OF THE REMAINS OF A LEGAL SPIRIT.
THE match is made, with little din 't is done,
But with great power, unequal prizes won.
The Lamb has fairly won his worthless bride;
She her great Lord, and all his store beside.
He made the poorest bargain, though most wise;
And she, the fool, has won the worthy prize.
Deep floods of everlasting love and grace,
That under ground ran an eternal space,
Now rise aloft 'bove banks of sin and hell,
And o'er the tops of massy mountains swell.
In streams of blood are tow'rs of guilt o'erflown,
Down with the rapid purple current thrown.
The bride now as her all can Jesus own,
And prostrate at his footstool cast her crown,
Disclaiming all her former groundless hope,
While in the dark her soul did weary grope.
Down tumble all the hills of self-conceit,
In him alone she sees herself complete;
Does his fair person with fond arms embrace,
And all her hopes on his full merit place;
Discard her former mate, and henceforth draw
No hope, no expectation from the law.
Though thus her new-created nature soars,
And lives aloft on Jesus' heav'nly stores;
Yet apt to stray, her old adult'rous heart
Oft takes her old renounced husband's part:
A legal cov'nant is so deep ingrain'd,
Upon the human nature laps'd and stain'd,
That, till her spirit mount the purest clime,
She's never totally divorc'd in time.
Hid in her corrupt part's proud bosom, lurks
Some hope of life still by the law of works.
Hence flow the following evils more or less;
Preferring oft her partial holy dress,
Before her Husband's perfect righteousness.
Hence joying more in grace already giv'n
Than in her Head and stock that's all in Heav'n.
Hence grieving more the want of frames and grace, Than of himself the spring of all solace.
Hence guilt her soul imprisons, lusts prevail,
While to the law her rents insolvent fail,
And yet her faithless heart rejects her Husband's bail.
Hence foul disorders rise, and racking fears,
While doubtful of his clearing past arrears;
Vain dreaming, since her own obedience fails,
His likewise little for her help avails.
Hence duties are a task, while all in view
Is heavy yoke of laws, or old or new:
Whereas, were once her legal bias broke,
She'd find her Lord's commands an easy yoke.
No galling precepts on her neck he lays,
Nor any debt demands, save what he pays
By promis'd aid; but, lo! the grievous law,
Demanding brick, wont aid her with a straw.
Hence also fretful, grudging, discontent,
Crav'd by the law, finding her treasure spent,
And doubting if her Lord will pay the rent.
Hence pride of duties too does often swell, Presuming she perform'd so very well.
Hence pride of graces and inherent worth Springs from her corrupt legal bias forth;
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