English

CHAPTER XIX.

P ASTORS , who live at ease
Without reproach or care
Preachers like Paul , with his,
Your services compare,
Your sloth with his extensive zeal,
And self-condemn'd the difference feel.

While the succession true
As wholly yours ye claim,

CHAPTER XVIII.

T HE persecuted pair
How bless'd in banishment,
By providential care
To an apostle sent!
Into the arms of mercy driven,
They find a plainer way to heaven.

Where are the venerable men
Who Paul for an example take,
Their living by their labour gain,
Of none expense the gospel make?

CHAPTER XVII.

His manner was, when it could be,
Their rules and orders to maintain,
Friend of external decency,
Jesus he preach'd, the Life of man,
First at the wonted time and place,
And then to all the ransom'd race.

R EASON he did not cast aside
As a vain gift on man bestow'd,
Nor deem'd it a sufficient guide
To' interpret all the mind of God,
But rightly used its glimmering ray

CHAPTER XVI.

W HO seeks the souls of men
Above all earthly views,
A fellow-labourer to gain
Will no occasion lose:
If Providence present
A man to preach the word,
He marks the chosen instrument,
And claims him for his Lord.

T HE pastor good and wise
Doth hindrances remove,

CHAPTER XIV.

They spake more boldly than before,
Demonstrating the Spirit's power
Who ready utterance gave;
They spake, commission'd from above
To publish their Redeemer's love,
And listening souls to save.

Gentiles and Jews at once believed,
And both into the fold received
Were in one body join'd
Through Jesus reconciled to God,
Whose grace on all alike bestow'd

CHAPTER XIII.

H APPY man with princes bred
Who knows his gracious day,
From a court's temptations freed
And clean escaped away!
With the choice of Moses bless'd,
The world he doth for Christ forego,
Suffers with His saints distress'd,
And serves His church below.

CHAPTER XI.

Let the true servant of the Lord
Be blamed for publishing the word
Which God vouchsafes to bless,
Let men from a false zeal gainsay,
And censure on the preacher lay
To balance his success.

Their narrowness of heart they show;
But God permits it should be so
In wisdom and in grace;
Better the Jews should still contend,
Than Jesus' minister commend,

CHAPTER X.

A MAN may his Creator fear,
Devout and truly wise
Train up his house with zeal sincere,
And point them to the skies;
May much accepted alms bestow
With constant prayer to God,
Who doth not yet his Saviour know,
Or feel the sprinkled blood.

Were his alms and ceaseless prayers
Splendid sins in God's esteem?
No: the Lord Himself declares

CHAPTER VI.

See the first fatal step to part
Men of one soul, and of one heart!
Undue respect of man,
Pride imperceptibly steals in,
Begets the discontented sin,
And mars the perfect plan.

Where are humility and peace?
The root of envious bitterness
Pride, only pride could prove:
Envy unkind suspicion wakes,
Suspicion all the murmurs makes
And poisons social love.

CHAPTER V.

How soon alas the selfish sin
The love of property comes in,
While man from God withholds a part,
Yet seems to give Him all his heart!
Deceived the' Omniscient cannot be
By avarice and hypocrisy,
Who lurking under love's disguise
Present detested sacrifice.

I N works of charity who hide
Their fraud and sacrilegious pride,
As not infallible they deem
The Holy Ghost, the God supreme:
Their hearts they think He cannot know