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398

THE JOURNAL OF BISHOP COKE.

procure, similar to that which we agreed to present to the Virginia assembly.

Thursday 2.  I met my brethren early in the morning, and at eleven o'clock endeavoured to enforce St. Paul's aw-ful exhortation to the elders of the church of Ephesus, Acts xx.  After which we ordained five elders, brothers Boyer, Tunnell, Pigman, Baxter and Foster.  The day before we ordained them deacons, as also brothers Ringold and Mi-chael Ellis.

And now I took my leave of my friends, and set off in a boat for the ship Olive-Branch, which had failed down the river the day before, and of which I got on board in the evening.  In my younger days one of the greatest afficti-ons in life to me during the time it lasted, was to be torn away from friends whom I dearly loved.  This, through the extensiveness of my acquaintance, and the constant change of my place of abode, and partly perhaps through the grace of GOD, has of late years considerably worn a-way.  Bit I think for many years I have not felt myself so effeminate (shall I call it) as I did on parting with my Ame-rican brethren, the preachers, and the sensation continued very painful for a considerable time after I left them.

Friday 3.--Sunday 12.  All this time we have been fail-ing about 70 Leagues, and have been for several days lock-ed up in a place called Moxat-Bay.  However, this delay gave me an opportunity of writing about forty or fifty let-ters to my friends on the continent.  There is no other pas-senger in the ship, so that I have the state-room always to myself, and the cabin most part of the day.  It is a blessed op-portunity for fellowship with GOD, and for the improvement of my mind.  O that I may husband it accordingly! That I may return to England in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

[The end of Bishop Coke's Journal.]

POETRY.

( 399 ) 

Poetry.

COMMUNION with GOD in Affliction.

In mercy, gracious Lord, thou dost chastise
Thy froward children, when they go astray;
O Father, let me never more despise
Thy rod, nor wander from the narrow way!

If in the furnace for a season tried,
Shew forth in me thy love's almighty power:
Or with thy servant in the flames abide!
And give me patience in the trying hour.

When throughly purg'd, let me as gold refin'd
Come forth, and shine before the fallen race:
A chosen vessel for thyself design'd,
To teach the world the lessons of thy grace.

O draw my heart from earth to things above,
And let my foul be ever fix'd on thee:
GIve me the blessing of thy perfect love;
O let me here thy great salvation see!

Whate'er offends thine eyes I now resign,
And cheerfully with all my idols part:
O let my will for evermore incline
To love and serve thee with an upright heart!

All worldly pomp and grandeur I despise,
And look on earthly kings with pity down:
My great ambition is in death to rise;
And wear above an everlasting crown.

O may I ever join the spotless band,
Who, fav'd by grace, through tribulation came;
And round thy throne with faints and angels stand,
To sing the praise of thy exalted name!

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