Temptation. Matt. 4. 3-10; 1 Cor. 10. 13; Heb. 4. 15
J. Hart S.M.
1
Ye tempted souls, reflect
Whose name ‘tis you profess;
Your Master’s lot you must expect –
Temptations more or less.
2
Dream not of faith so clear
As shuts all doubtings out;
Remember how the devil dared
To tempt e’en Christ to doubt.
3
[“If thou’rt the Son of God,”
(O what an IF was there!)
“These stones here, speak them into food,
And make that Sonship clear.”]
4
[View that amazing scene!
Say, could the tempter try
To shake a tree so sound, so green?
Good God, defend the dry!]
5
Think not he now will fail
To make us shrink and droop;
Our faith he daily will assail,
And dash our every hope.
6
[That impious IF he thus
At God incarnate threw,
No wonder if he cast at us,
And make us feel it too.]
7
To cause despair’s the scope
Of Satan and his powers;
Against hope to believe in hope,
My brethren, must be ours.
8
Buts, ifs, and hows are hurled
To sink us with the gloom
Of all that’s dismal in this world,
Or in the world to come.
9
But here’s our point of rest:
Though hard the battle seem,
Our Captain stood the fiery test,
And we shall stand through him.
