Whene'er the angry passions rise,
And tempt our thoughts or tongues to strife,
To Jesus let us lift our eyes,-
Bright pattern of the christian life!
Oh how benevolent and kind!
How mild, how ready to forgive!
Be this the temper of our mind,
And these the rules by which we live.
To do his heavenly Father's will,
Was his employment and delight;
Humility and holy zeal
Shone through his life, divinely bright.
Dispensing good where'er he came,
The labour of his life was love:
If then we love the Saviour's name,
Let his divine example move.
BEHOLD where, in the friend of man,
Appears each grace divine;
The virtues, all in Jesus met,
With mildest radiance shine.
The largest love of human kind
Inspir'd his godlike breast;
In deeds of mercy, words of peace,
His kindness was exprest.
To spread the rays of heavenly light,
To give the mourner joy,
To preach glad tidings to the poor,
Was his divine employ.
Lowly in heart, to all his friends
A friend and servant found,
He wash'd their feet, he wip'd their tears,
And heal'd each bleeding wound.
'Midst keen reproach and cruel scorn,
Patient and meek he stood;
His foes ungrateful sought his life,-
He labour'd for their good.
To GOD he left his righteous cause,
And still his task pursu❜d,
While humble prayer, and holy faith,
His fainting strength renew'd.
In the last hour of deep distress,
Before his Father's throne,
With soul resign'd he bow'd and said,
Thy will, not mine, be done.'
Be Christ our pattern, and our guide!
His image may we bear!
Oh may we tread his sacred steps,
And his bright glories share!
108. L. M.
The Example of Christ.
I read my duty in the word
Of my Deliverer and my Lord;
But in his life the law appears
Drawn out in living characters.
What zeal his mission to fulfil!
What deference to his Father's will!
His love and meekness how divine!
I would transcribe and make them mine.
Cold mountains and the midnight air
Witness'd the fervour of his prayer;
The desert his temptations knew,
His conflicts and his victories too.
He is my pattern; may I bear
More of his gracious image here!
And let me trace the steps he trod,
Which lead to virtue, and to God.
Contemplation of the Character of Jesus. WITH warm delight and grateful joy Let all our best affections move,
When we on Christ our thoughts employ,On him whom though unseen we love.
How bright a pattern, and how pure,
Hath he in all things kindly given
To make our path of duty sure,
And guide our wandering steps to heaven!
What constancy, what pious zeal,
To do his heavenly Father's will,
His love and mercy to reveal,
And his all-gracious plans fulfil!
In all, with gratitude we view
The steady purpose of his soul,
Our worldly passions to subdue,
And all the powers of sin control,
Father of all! his GoD and ours!
Accept the humble, joyful praise,
Which, with our souls' united powers,
For thy rich grace through him, we raise.
'SEE how he lov'd!' exclaim'd the Jews,
When Jesus o'er his Lazarus wept;
My grateful heart the words shall use,
While on his life my eye is kept.
See how he lov'd, who travel'd on
Teaching the doctrine from the skies;
Who bade disease and pain be gone,
And call'd the sleeping dead to rise.
See how he lov'd, who firm, yet mild,
Patient endur'd the scoffing tongue;
Who, oft provok'd, yet ne'er revil'd,
Or did his greatest foe a wrong.
See how he lov'd, who never shrank
From toil or danger, pain or death;
Who all the cup of sorrow drank,
And meekly yielded up his breath.
See how he lov'd, who died for man;
Who labour'd thus, and thus endur'd,
To finish the all-gracious plan,
Which life and heaven to man secur'd.
And shall such love not meet return?
Not prompt the conduct, move the breast?
Shall not our grateful bosoms burn,
To prove our love by every test?
Yes our great Master will we love,
Who every generous feeling knew;
His faithful followers ever prove,
And keep his pattern still in view.
Death and Resurrection of Jesus.
He dies, the friend of sinners dies;
Lo! Salem's daughters weep around;
A solemn darkness veils the skies;
A sudden trembling shakes the ground:
Here's love and grief beyond degree;
The Lord of glory dies for men;
But lo! what sudden joys we see,-
Jesus, the dead, revives again.
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