THE great Jehovah, from His glorious throne,
Stoops down
to make His love and mercy known;
And bids the chosen tribes
of Israel meet
Where He reveals the glories of His feet.
He sends His heralds forth in Jesus' name,
To publish
peace, and pard'ning love proclaim;
Yea, He goes with
them, and applies His word,
And makes it life, and health,
and joy afford.
Where, then, is that ungrateful sinner found,
Who slights
and disregards the gospel sound?
Who, when Jehovah in His
courts draws near,
Neglects within those holy courts'
appear?
Can those who once have tasted Jesus' grace
Choose
to be absent when He shows His face?
Shall a few drops of
rain, or dirty road,
Prevent their public intercourse with
God?
Shall gossip-calls, or some inferior things
Detain, when
sumon'd by the King of kings?
Blush, brethren, at the
God-insulting thought,
And prove in conduct you are better
taught.
Remember, every time the house of prayer
Is open for
the saints, the Lord is there
To hold communion with the
heaven-born race,
And give them, from His fullness, grace
for grace.
Let not such sacred seasons be forgot
Say to each worldly
care, "Detain me not!"
A feast is held, and I
must share a part,
I'll not be robb'd, nor grieve
my pastor's heart.
See Satan's slaves to scenes of riot go,
By day and
night, through rain, or hail, or snow!
And shall some visitor,
or worldly care,
Detain believers from the house of prayer?
Forbid it, Lord! revive thy people's zeal;
The lukewarm
plague among thy children heal;
Ye heirs of bliss, whom
Jesus often meets,
Whene'er His house is open, fill
your seats.
Jehovah loves the temple of His grace,
More than the
tents of all His chosen race;
Bless'd is the man whose
seeking spirit waits
On all the means of grace in Zion's
gates.
Bear with me while I say, the crime is great
Of those
who practise coming very late;
As if God's service was
by far too long,
And they omit the first and closing song.
Shall pew-doors rattle, hats and pattens move,
To show
how you the service disapprove?
Disturbing those who come
to praise the Lord?
And even while they listen to His word?
A little less indulgence in the bed
A little more contrivance
in the head
A little more devotion in the mind
Would
quite prevent your being so behind.
Suppose an earthly prince should condescend
To bid you
to his banquet, as a friend,
Would you not try all means
within your power
To be in court at the appointed hour?
Shall such attention to a worm be given,
And be refused
to the God of heaven?
Who can expect to be by Jesus bless'd,
If absent when He comes to meet His guests?
Oh! what a pleasing sight it would afford,
If, when the
clerk says, "Let us praise the Lord,"
Each seat
were occupied, and all the throng
Were waiting to unite
in their first song.
My brethren, this might mostly be the case,
If we were
lively in the Christian race;
Then every hindrance would
be laid aside,
To see and hear of Jesus crucified.
If you complain you have so far to come
Set out a little
sooner from your home;
But those who dwell hard by have
no excuse,
Except in idleness, or sleep, or use.
I grant, lest I should seem to be severe,
There are domestic
cases, here and there
Age, illness, service, things quite
unforeseen,
To censure which I surely do not mean.
But such will not (unless I greatly err),
Among the prudent,
very oft occur;
And, when they do, you surely should endeavour
To come at last'tis better late than never.