On the Death of Mr. John Matthews, December 28, 1764, Part 3

O That a portion of his grace
Might on his old companions rest,
Who the same precious Christ embrace,
With pardon and salvation bless'd!
O that his meek and lowly mind,
His wise discerning love, were given
To men, instructors of the blind.
Our patterns and our guides to heaven!

We want the spirit of humble fear,
Our fleshly confidence to stay.
Lest, swift to speak, and slow to hear.
We swerve from the celestial way.
In en-or's endless mazes rove,
As fancy, self, and Satan guide.
And take our grace for perfect love,
When Jesus sees it perfect pride.

Jesus, Thy ministers inspire.
Thy people, with the knowing zeal;
We then shall quench wild nature's fire,
And Satan's flaming darts repel,
Retract our confidence in men,
(The men we worshipp'd heretofore,)
No more on verbal goodness lean,
And trust to broken reeds no more.

O that we might our faith sincere
By doing, not by talking, show;
(While all the fruits of grace appear.
And tell the tree on which they grow;)
Our Saviour, not ourselves, commend,
His sole perfections testify,
Or bid the world our works attend,
And hearken to our life's reply!

Partakers of Thy nature made,
Thy tempers. Lord, we long to' express.
And show, throughout our lives display'd,
The power of real godliness;
As followers of the silent Lamb,
To breathe Thy meek humility,
And always feel, " I nothing am,
But a poor worm redeem'd by Thee."

What have I else whereof to boast?
A sinner by myself undone,
And still without Thy mercy lost,
I glory in Thy cross alone;
Conform'd to my expiring Head,
I share Thy passion on the tree;
And now I to the world am dead,
And now the world is dead to me.

As pilgrims to the world unknown,
Acknowledged by the sinners' Friend,
Jesus, the Lover of Thine own,
Wilt Thou not love us to the end?
No help in our weak selves we have.
But in Thy strength and yearning zeal,
Mere sinners by Thy blood to save.
And stamp us with Thy Spirit's seal.

In lowly confidence Divine,
That Thou wilt never let us go,
We now into Thy hands resign
Our souls, so dearly bought below:
With Thee we trust them to that day
When, summon'd from the flesh, we part.
And drop our corruptible clay.
And soar to see Thee as Thou art.