Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

Second Division.

THE CHARACTER, PROBATION, AND SALVATION

OF MAN.

333

2

334

HYMNS CONCERNING THE FALLEN CONDITION OF MAN.

UPR

[blocks in formation]

[PRIGHT, both in heart and will,
We by our God were made;
But we turned from good to ill,
And o'er the creature strayed;
Multiplied our wandering thought,
Which first was fixed on God alone;
In ten thousand objects sought
The bliss we lost in one.

From our own inventions vain
Of fancied happiness,
Draw us to Thyself again,

And bid our wanderings cease,
Jesus, speak our souls restored,
By Love's divine simplicity:
Re-united to our Lord,

(101)

BUR

And wholly lost in Thee!

L.M.

1 Cor. i. 30.

WATTS. 1709.

URIED in shadows of the night,
We lie, till Christ restores the light;
Wisdom descends to heal the blind,
And chase the darkness of the mind.
2 Our guilty souls are drowned in tears,
Till His atoning blood appears;
Then we awake from deep distress,
And sing-The Lord our righteousness.'
3 Jesus beholds where Satan reigns,
Binding his slaves in heavy chains;

R

He sets the prisoners free, and breaks
The iron bondage from their necks.
4 Poor helpless worms in Thee possess
Grace, wisdom, power, and righteousness:
Thou art our mighty All; and we

Give our whole selves, O Lord, to Thee!

335

HOW

[blocks in formation]

OW sad our state by nature is!
Our sin, how deep it stains!
And Satan binds our captive souls
Fast in his slavish chains.

2 But there's a voice of sovereign grace
Sounds from the sacred word:
"Ho! ye despairing sinners, come,
And trust upon the Lord!"

3 My soul obeys the' Almighty's call,
And runs to this relief:

I would believe Thy promise, Lord;
O help my unbelief!

4 To the blest fountain of Thy blood,
Incarnate God, I fly :

Here let me wash my spotted soul
From sins of deepest dye.

5 Stretch out Thy arm, victorious King!
My reigning sins subdue;

Drive sin and Satan from their seat,
My inmost soul renew.

6 A guilty, weak, and helpless worm,
Into Thy arms I fall;

Be Thou my strength and righteousness,
My Jesus, and my All.

336

(424)

Describing Formal Religion.

C.M.

C. WESLEY. 1740.

ONG have I seemed to serve Thee, Lord,
With unavailing pain:

Fasted, and prayed, and read Thy word,
And heard it preached in vain.
2 Oft did I with the' assembly join,
And near Thine altar drew;
A form of godliness was mine,
The power I never knew.

3 I rested in the outward law;
Nor knew its deep design :
The length and breadth I never saw,
And height, of love divine.

4 To please Thee thus, at length I see,
Vainly I hoped and strove :
For what are outward things to Thee,
Unless they spring from love?

5 I see the perfect law requires
Truth in the inward parts;

Our full consent, our whole desires,
Our undivided hearts.

6 But I of means have made my boast,
Of means an idol made;

The spirit in the letter lost,

The substance in the shade.

7 Where am I now, or what my hope?
What can my weakness do?
Jesus! to Thee my soul looks up:
'Tis Thou must make it new.

337

(331)

STI

[blocks in formation]

TILL for Thy lovingkindness, Lord
I in Thy temple wait

I look to find Thee in Thy word,
Or at Thy table meet.

2 Here, in Thine own appointed ways,
I wait to learn Thy will:
Silent I stand before Thy face,
And hear Thee say, "Be still!"

3"Be still

and know that I am God!"

"Tis all I live to know;

3 Thou pleadest in the living stones,
With speechless eloquence of groans,
Which pierce our pitying Father's ear;
The answer of Thy prayer we feel,
The glorious joy unspeakable,

And triumph in the Comforter.
4 True witness of our sonship,-Thee,-
We feel, from fear and sorrow free,
And Father, Abba, Father cry:
Seal of our endless bliss Thou art,
Foretaste and earnest in our heart,

Of pleasures that shall never die. 5 First-fruits of yonder land above, Celestial joy, seraphic love,

To us, to us in Thee are given;
And all that to the Spirit sow,
Shall of the Spirit reap, and know
The ripest happiness of heaven.

[blocks in formation]

SPH

Who didst Thy ancient saints inspire,
Shed in their hearts Thy love abroad,
And touch their hallowed lips with fire;
Our God from all eternity,

World without end, we worship Thee.

2 Still we believe, Almighty Lord,

Whose presence fills both earth and heaven, The meaning of the written word Is by Thy inspiration given: Thou only dost Thyself explain The secret mind of God to man. 3 Come, then, Divine Interpreter,

The Scriptures to our hearts apply;

324

And, taught by Thee, we God revere,
Him in Three Persons magnify,
In each the Tri-une God adore,
Who was, and is, for evermore.

THE

[blocks in formation]

HE heavens declare Thy glory, Lord,
In every star Thy wisdom shines;
But when our eyes behold Thy word,

We read Thy name in fairer lines.
2 The rolling sun, the changing light,
And night and day, Thy power confess;
But the blest volume Thou hast writ
Reveals Thy justice and Thy grace.
3 Sun, moon, and stars convey Thy praise
Round the whole earth, and never stand;
So when Thy truth began its race,

It touched and glanced on every land. 4 Nor shall Thy spreading gospel rest,

Till through the world Thy truth has run; Till Christ has all the nations blest, That see the light or feel the sun. 5 Great Sun of Righteousness, arise, Bless the dark world with heavenly light: Thy gospel makes the simple wise; Thy laws are pure, Thy judgments right. 6 The noblest wonders here we view,

In souls renewed, and sins forgiven: Lord, cleanse my sins, my soul renew, And make Thy word my guide to heaven.

325

(293)

L.M. 6 lines.

C. WESLEY. 1762.

NSPIRER of the ancient Seers,

Who wrote from Thee the sacred page, The same through all succeeding years, To us, in our degenerate age, The Spirit of Thy word impart, And breathe the life into our heart.

« AnteriorContinuar »