193. L. M. Gibbons.
Divine Forgiveness. Luke vii. 47
FORGIVENESS! 'tis a joyful sound
To malefactors doom'd to die;
Publish the bliss the world around:
Ye seraphs, shout it from the sky!
2 "Tis the rich gift of love divine;
"Tis full, out-measuring every crime:
Unclouded shall its glories shine,
And feel no change by changing time.
3 O'er sins unnumber'd as the sand,
And like the mountains for their size,
The seas of sovereign grace expand-
The seas of sovereign grace arise.
4 For this stupendous love of heaven
What grateful honour shall we show?
Where much transgression is forgiven,
Let love in equal ardours glow.
5 By this inspired, let all our days
With various holiness be crown'd;
Let truth and goodness, prayer and praise,
In all abide, in all abound.
Adoption. 1 John iii. 1-3. Gal. iv. 6. BEHOLD what wondrous grace
The Father hath bestow'd
On sinners of a mortal race,
To call them sons of God!
2 Nor doth it yet appear
How great we must be made;
But when we see our Saviour here,
We shall be like our Head.
3 A hope so much divine
May trials well endure,
May purge our souls from sense and sin,
As Christ the Lord is pure.
4 If in my Father's love
I share a filial part,
Send down the Spirit like a dove,
To rest upon my heart.
195. C. M. Watts.
Characters of the Children of God.
S new-born babes desire the breast
To feed, and
grow, and thrive;
So saints with joy the gospel taste,
And by the gospel live.
2 Grace, like an uncorrupted seed,
Abides and reigns within;
Immortal principles forbid
The sons of God to sin.
3 Not by the terrors of a slave
Do they perform his will,
But with the noblest powers they have,
His sweet commands fulfil.
4 They find access at every hour,
To God within the veil;
Hence they derive a quick'ning power,
And joys that never fail.
5 Lord, I address thy heavenly throne,
Call me a child of tnine;
Send down the Spirit of thy Son,
To form my heart divine.
6 There shed celestial joys abroad,
And make my comforts strong;
Then shall I say, 'My Father, God!'
With an unwavering tongue.
196. L. M. Watts.
Christ our Wisdom, Righteousness, &c. BURIED 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 drown'd in tears,
Till his atoning blood appears;
Then we awake from deep distress,
And sing the Lord our righteousness.'
3 Our very frame is mixt with sin;
His Spirit makes our natures clean;
Such virtues from his sufferings flow,
At once to cleanse and pardon too.
4 Jesus beholds where Satan reigns,
Binding his slaves in heavy chains;
He sets the prisoners free, and breaks
The iron bondage from our necks.
5 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.
197. C. M. Watts.
The Saint's Trial and Safety.
UNSHAKEN as the Sacred Hill,
And firm as mountains be; Firm as a rock the soul shall rest That leans, O Lord, on thee.
2 Not walls nor hills could guard so well
Old Salem's happy ground,
As those eternal arms of love
That every saint surround.
3 Deal gently, Lord, with souls sincere,
And lead them safely on
To the bright gates of Paradise,
Where Christ their Lord is
198. C. M. Watts.
Mercies and Thanks.
TOW can I sink with such a prop
As my eternal God,
Who bears the earth's huge pillars up,
And spreads the heavens abroad?
2 How can I die while Jesus lives,
Who rose and left the dead?
Pardon and grace my soul receives
From mine exalted Head.
3 All that I am, and all I have,
Shall be for ever thine;
Whate'er my duty bids me give,
My cheerful hands resign.
4 Yet, if I might make some reserve,
And duty did not call,
I love my God with zeal so great,
That I should give Him all.
199. C. M. Relief Hymns.
Justification and Safety.
HERE is the judge that shall condemn
Whom God has justified?
Who shall charge those with guilt or crime,
For whom the Saviour died?
2 The Saviour died, but rose again
Triumphant from the grave;
And pleads our cause at God's right hand,
Omnipotent to save.
3 Who, then, can e'er divide us more
From Jesus and his love,
Or break the sacred chain that binds
Our souls to heaven above?
4 Nor death, nor life, nor earth, nor hell,
Nor time's destroying sway,
Can e'er efface us from his heart,
Or make his love decay.
The fear of God. Prov. xiv. 16.
HAPPY beyond description he
Who fears the Lord his God;
Who hears his threats with holy awe,
And trembles at his rod.
2 Fear, sacred passion, ever dwells
With its fair partner, love;
Blending their beauties, both proclaim
Their source is from above."
3 Let terrors fright th' unwilling slave,
The child with joy appears;
Cheerfui he does his father's will,
And loves as much as fears.
4 Let fear and love, most holy God!
Possess this soul of mine;
Then shall I worship thee aright,
And taste thy joys divine.
201. C. M. Turner.
The Power of Faith.
AITH adds new charms to earthly bliss,
And saves me from its snares;
Its aid in every duty brings,
And softens all my cares:
2 Extinguishes the thirst of sin,
And lights the sacred fire
Of love to God, and heavenly things,
And feeds the pure desire.
3 The wounded conscience knows its power,
The healing balm to give;
That balm the saddest heart can cheer.
And make the dying live.
4 Wide it unveils celestial worlds,
Where deathless pleasures reign;
And bids me seek my portion there,
Nor bids me seek in vain :
5 Shows me the precious promise, seal'd
With the Redeemer's blood;
And helps my feeble hopes to rest
Upon a faithful God.
6 There, there unshaken, would I rest
Till this vile body dies,
And then, on faith's triumphant wings,
At once to glory rise!
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