Then be not thou difquieted my fou!
Have lively faith, and faith will make thee whole,
When Heaven afflicts, with calmness bear the fioke,
Since to repine is only to provoke ;
Learn to adore the Being of thy GOD,
And kifs the facred hand that holds the rod.
That facred hand which firft the heart explores,
Probes every wound and fearches all its fores;
Then the right med'cine properly applies,
To cleanse the part where all the' infection lies.
Hear this, thou coward, man, don't dread the fmart,
Which tho' it ftings will purify the heart;
For refignation will promote the cure,
And tho' the means are sharp, the end is fure.
Since then afflictions are thro' mercy fent
To be of good the happy inftrument,
Since for the nobleft end they are design'd,
To form the judgment and improve the mind,
To curb our paffions, to direct our love,
To awe mankind,---to fpeak a GOD above;
O may I view them with religious eye,
Without a murmur, and without reply!
Hence fhall I tafle the sweets that evils bring,
And fuck the honey while I feel the fting;
Hence fhall I learn the bitter cup to blefs,
And drink it as a draught of happiness,
A wholefome portion, which, tho' mix'd with gall,
May still preferve my life, my foul, my all.
So tho' the promis'd fruit fhould fail the vine,
The fig-tree ficken and its bloom decline,
The labours of the olive prove in vain,
And flocks infected perifh on the plain,
The corn and oil and wine, at once decrease,
The fields grow barren, and the harvest cease,
Tho' baffled hinds their fruitless toil deplore,
And vales unchearful laugh and fing no more,
Yet ftill with gladnefs would I ferve the Lord,
Adore his wifdom, and obey his word.
Hear then, O GOD! regard a fuppliant's prayer,
Sooth all my pangs, and foften my defpair:
Illuminate my foul with gladfome rays,
And tune my voice to thy eternal praise;
Difpel the clouds of darknefs from my eyes,
And let me know, that to be good,---is wife.
Let chriftian precepts all my foul employ,
And be not more my duty than my joy;
Let confcience, void of art, and free from guile,
Still in my bofom innocently fmile;
Her chearful beams fhall gild the gloom of fate,
And make me happy in whatever state.
Hence fhall I learn my tribute to improve,
If poor---by patience, and if rich---by love:
If fortune fmile, let me be virtue's friend,
And where I go let charity attend;
Within my bofom let compaffion dwell,
To foften all the woes that others feel,
To affuage by kind relief afflicting fighs,
And wipe the falling tear from widow's eyes,
To feed the hungry, the diftrefs'd to chear,
The needy fuccour, and the feeble rear.
Hence fhall my mind, inflam'd by public good,
Unfhaken ftand in midft of plenty's flood;
Hence fhall I fcorn temptation's gilded bait,
Look with difdain upon the pomp of ftate,
And by humility be truly great.
But if it be thy bleffed Will to fpread
Clouds of thick darkness low'ring o'er my head;
Let me have Grace to know in my diftrefs,
I ftill to Thee may have a free access,
And be an heir, tho' all the world should frown,
Of heav'nly Glory, and a future Crown.
From these reflections true contentment flows,
Contentment fuch as grandeur feldom knows.
Hence in the lowly cot a relifh fprings,
Above the taste of courts or pride of kings.
Thus in the flood of wealth be Thou my Guide,
And fleer my courfe 'twixt avarice and pride:
mind
Or in the ebb of fortune teach
my
To know its duties, and to be refign'd.
Prepare me to receive the good or ill,
As the refult of thy Almighty Will;
Thy Will, whofe chief delight and general plan
Is to promote the happiness of man.
Be every fenfual appetite fupprefs'd,
Nor the leaft taint lie lurking in my breaft;
Let fteady reafon my affections guide,
And calm content fit fmiling by my fide;
Teach me with fcorn to view the things below,
As guady phantoms and as empty fhow;
But fix my mind upon the things above,
As the fole object of a chriftian's love;
Make me reflect on an eternal home,.
A dying Saviour, and a world to come!
Direct me Virtue's happy course to run,
And let me be inftructed by thy Son,.
In every station fay, THY WILL BE DONE!
Arminian Magazine,
For MARCH 1796.
Of the Experience of Mr. WILLIAM AVER.
WAS born at Tregony in Cornwall, in December, 1767. When I was about three or four years old, my parents became ferious; fo that having the advantage of their example and inftruc tions, I entertained a regard for perfons of a religious character, and an averfion to vice and wickednefs. During my childhood, I was frequently induced by the preventing grace of God, to leave my companions, and in fecret to pray for pardon for what I had done amifs. Often at the approach of evening, I was terrified with thoughts concerning Death and Hell, and the wicked one. But thefe diftreffing thoughts left me as I grew up, and even good impreffions in a great meafure wore off, though at certain times I felt ftrong defires to know and ferve the Lord, that I might go to heaven; and I was always much afraid of Death and Judg
In the 19th year of my age, while meditating one night on a fermon I had just heard from Mr. Myles, my confcience condemned me for not living as I ought to have done, and I formed a refolution to lead a new life. But not using the Grace which the Lord then gave me, and particularly neglecting prayer, I loft my good defires and gracious determination, in two or three days. About a fortnight after the Lord mercifully vifited me again; I now faw the neceffity of prayer, and began to feek the Lord morning and evening. Although I was confcious of the need of a reformation, yet at that time I did not fee the importance of an inward change. In a few days I found it expedient to retire many times in a day for fecret devotion; and having opportunity of conver fing with perfons who were truly devoted to the service of God, I was foon made fenfible that I was a fallen, guilty creature, and that there were no happiness for me, either in this world or the next, unless I obtained from God, the forgiveness of my fins, and the renewing and fanctifying influences of his holy Spirit. When I first obtained this important difcovery, I was greatly aftonifhed that I had never seen these things before: And now the adverfary of fouls began to affault me with manifold temptations; fometimes fuggefting that it was foon enough to turn to the Lord; ahat if I became a Methodist I fhould be deprived of all my pleaVOL. XIX. 1796.
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