and the verse which here stands first, begins:

"Now it belongs not to my care."

One of the verses omitted below contains a beautiful figure, appropriate to the unfulfilled purposes of life:

"If death shall bruise this springing seed
Before it come to fruit ;

The will with Thee goes for the deed,
My life was in the root."

C.M.

LORD, it belongs not to my care

Whether I die or live;

To love and serve Thee is my share,
And this Thy grace must give.
If life be long, I will be glad,

That I may long obey;

If short, yet why should I be sad,
That shall have the same pay?

Christ leads me through no darker rooms
Than He went through before;

He that unto God's kingdom comes
Must enter by this door.

Come, Lord! when grace has made me

meet

Thy blessed face to see;

For if Thy work on earth be sweet, What must Thy glory be?

Then shall I end my sad complaints,
And weary, sinful days,
And join with the triumphant saints,
That sing Jehovah's praise.
My knowledge of that life is small,
The eye of faith is dim ;

But it's enough that Christ knows all,
And I shall be with Him.

RICHARD BAXTER.

371.-The Blessed Life.

GALATIANS ii. 20.

L.M.
BLESSED Life! the heart at rest,
When all without tumultuous
seems;

That trusts a higher Will, and deems That higher Will, not mine, the best.

O blessed Life! the mind that sees,
Whatever change the years may bring,
A mercy still in everything,
And shining through all mysteries.

O blessed Life! the soul that soars,
When sense of mortal sight is dim,
Beyond the sense-beyond to Him
Whose love unlocks the heavenly doors.

O blessed Life! heart, mind, and soul
From self-born aims and wishes free,
In all at one with Deity,

And loyal to the Lord's control.

O Life! how blessed!-how divine !-
High Life, the earnest of a higher :
Saviour! fulfil my deep desire,
And let this blessed Life be mine.

For what blessings the tribute of gratitude bring?

Shall I praise Thee for plenty, for health, and for ease,

For the spring of delight, and the sunshine of peace?

Shall I praise Thee for flowers that bloomed on my breast,

For joys in perspective, and pleasures possessed?

For the spirits that heightened my days of delight,

And the slumbers that sat on my pillow by night?

For this would I praise Thee! but if only for this

I should leave half untold the donation of bliss:

I thank Thee for sickness, for sorrow, care,

for

For the thorns I have gathered, the anguish I bear:

Joy is like restless day ; but peace divine

Like quiet night;

IIS.

O,

shine

IN the dark and stormy night When far from land I cry with fear, Shine o'er the waves, thou holy Light,

Then, O my Saviour, be Thou near! Though from afar, let me but see

Dim through the dark Thy gliding form, And bright the gloomy hour will be

That brought Thy presence in the storm.

Then lift Thy hand, and bid me come,

And higher though the tempest blow, I, through the wind and through the gloom, To Thy loved side will gladly go. The wind is fair that blows to Thee, The wave is firm that bears me on ; And stronger still that love to me

Which many waters could not drown.

Or, for Thy coming bid me wait;

My soul in patience shall abide;
And though the storm may not abate,
I will not seek another guide.
With Thee I fear no angry blast,

With Thee my course points ever home; And in good time, all perils past,

To the Fair Havens I shall come. JAMES D. BURNS.

376.-"I would not live alway." JOB vii. 16.

N abridgment from a longer poem which is given by Dr. Schaff, Christ in Song, p. 525. A great favourite with the churches in America. The Plymouth Collection gives the Hymn in a yet shorter form and with several various readings.

below;

O no, I'll not linger when bidden to go: The days of our pilgrimage granted us here,

Are enough for life's woes, full enough for its cheer.

I would not live alway; I ask not to stay Where storm after storm rises dark o'er the way;

Where, seeking for rest, we but hover around,

Like the patriarch's bird, and no resting is found.

I would not live alway, thus fettered by sin, Temptation without and corruption within :

E'en the rapture of pardon is mingled with fears,

And the cup of thanksgiving with peni

tent tears.

I would not live alway; no, welcome the tomb,

Since Jesus hath lain there, I dread not its gloom;

There sweet be my rest till He bid me arise,

To hail Him, in triumph descending the skies.

Who, who would live alway?—Away from his God,

Away from yon heavens, that blissful abode

Where the rivers of pleasure flow o'er the bright plains,

And the noontide of glory eternally reigns:

Where the saints of all ages in harmony meet,

Their Saviour and brethren transported

to greet;

dove,

To adore Him, be near Him, enwrapt with His love;

They come from realms of peace above,

From homes of never-fading light, From blissful mansions ever bright.

They come to watch around us here, To soothe our sorrow, calm our fear, They come to speed us on our way; God willeth them with us to stay.

But chiefly at its journey's end. 'Tis theirs the spirit to befriend, And whisper to the willing heart, "O Christian soul, in peace depart."

Blest Jesus! Thou whose groans and tears
Have sanctified frail nature's fears;
To earth in bitter sorrow weighed
Thou didst not scorn Thine angel's aid.

To us the zeal of angels give

With love to serve Thee while we live ;
To us an angel guard supply
When on the bed of death we lie.

So when the toils of earth are past We may attain to bliss at last, And with the choirs of angels sing Glory to the eternal King.

ROBERT CAMPBELL.