Behold what witnesses unseen encompass us around; Men, once like us, with suff’ring tried, but now with glory crowned. | Let us, with zeal like theirs inspired, begin the Christian race, And, freed from each encumb’ring weight, their holy footsteps trace. | Behold a witness nobler still, who trod affliction’s path, Jesus, at once the finisher and author of our faith. | He for the joy before him set, so gen’rous was his love, Endured the cross, despised the shame, and now he reigns above. | If he the scorn of wicked men with patience did sustain, Becomes it those for whom he died to murmur or complain? | Have ye like him to blood, to death, the cause of truth maintained? And is your heav’nly Father’s voice forgotten or disdained? | 147 My son, saith he, with patient mind endure the chast’ning rod; Believe, when by afflictions tried, that thou art loved by God. | His children thus most dear to him their heav’nly Father trains, Through all the hard experience led of sorrows and of pains. | We know he owns us for his sons, when we correction share; Nor wander as a bastard race, without our Father’s care. | A father’s voice with rev’rence we on earth have often heard; The Father of our spirits now demands the same regard. | Parents may err; but he is wise, nor lifts the rod in vain His chast’nings serve to cure the soul by salutary pain. | Affliction, when it spreads around, may seem a field of woe; Yet there, at last, the happy fruits of righteousness shall grow. | Then let our hearts no more despond, our hands be weak no more; Still let us trust our Father’s love, his wisdom still adore. | |