377

1

C. M.

Regeneration by the Spirit.

WATTS.

NOT all the outward forms on earth,

Nor rites that God has given,

Nor will of man, nor blood, nor birth,
Can raise a soul to heaven.

2 The sovereign will of God alone
Creates us heirs of grace,
Born in the image of his Son,
A new, peculiar race.

3 The Spirit, like some heavenly wind,
Breathes on the sons of flesh,
Creates anew the carnal mind,"
And forms the man afresh.

4 Our quickened souls awake and rise
From their long sleep of death;
On heavenly things we fix our eyes,
And praise employs our breath.

378

God working in the Soul.

IS God the Spirit leads
In paths before unknown:

The work to be performed is ours;
The strength is all his own.

2 Supported by his grace,

We still pursue our way,
And hope at last to reach the prize,
Secure in endless day.

3 'Tis he that works to will;
'Tis he that works to do;

The power by which we act is his,
And his the glory too.

Sovereignty of the Spirit.

C. M.

BEDDOME.

379

1

and where he please:

HE blesséd Spirit, like the wind,

How happy are the men who feel
The soul-enlivening breeze!

2 He moulds the carnal mind afresh,
Subdues the power of sin,

Transforms the heart of stone to flesh,
And plants his grace within.

3 He sheds abroad the Father's love,
Applies redeeming blood,

Bids both our guilt and fear remove,
And brings us home to God.

4 Lord, fill each dead, benighted soul
With light, and life, and joy:
None can thy mighty power control,
Or shall thy work destroy.

380

1

The Spirit entreated not to depart.

STAY, thou insulted Spirit, stay
Though I have done thee such despite;
Cast not a sinner quite away,

Nor take thine everlasting flight.

2 Though I have most unfaithful been
Of all who e'er thy grace received,-
Ten thousand times thy goodness seen,
Ten thousand times thy goodness grieved,

3 Yet, O, the chief of sinners spare,
In honor of my great High Priest;
Nor, in thy righteous anger, swear
I shail not see thy people's rest.

4 My weary soul, O God, release;
Uphold me with thy gracious hand;
O, guide me into perfect peace,
And bring me to the promised land.

381

The Holy Spirit grieved.

1 THE God of grace will never leave
Tor cast away his own;

And yet, when we his Spirit grieve,
His comforts are withdrawn.

2 If noisy war, or strife, abound,
We grieve the peaceful Dove;
His gracious aid is ever found
In paths of truth and love.

3 Should we indulge one secret sin,
Or disregard his laws,

His succors and support, within,
The Spirit, vexed, withdraws.

4 Forbid it, gracious Lord, that we,
Who, from thy hand, receive
The Spirit's power to make us free,
Should ere that Spirit grieve.

382

1

C. M.

The Earnest of Heaven.

WATTS.

HY should the children of a King
Go mourning all their days?

Great Comforter, descend and bring
Some tokens of thy grace.

2 Dost thou not dwell in all thy saints,
And seal them heirs of heaven?
When wilt thou banish my complaints,
And show my sins forgiven?

3 Assure my conscience of her part
In my Redeemer's blood,

And bear thy witness, with my heart,
That I am born of God.

4 Thou art the earnest of his love,
The pledge of joys to come;
And thy soft wings, celestial Dove,
Will safely bear me home.

383

L. M.

T. SCOTT.

Prayer for the Return of the Spirit.

LORD, and shall our fainting souls
Thy just displeasure ever mourn?

Thy Spirit grieved, and long withdrawn,
Will he no more to us return?

2 Great Source of light and peace, return,
Nor let us mourn and sigh in vain;
Come, repossess our longing hearts
With all the graces of thy train.

3 This temple, hallowed by thine hand,
Once more be with thy presence blest;
Here be thy grace anew displayed;
Be this thine everlasting rest.

384

1

PIRIT of holiness, descend;
Thy people wait for thee;

Thine ear, in kind compassion, lend;
Let us thy mercy see.

2 Behold, thy weary churches wait,
With wishful, longing eyes;
Let us no more lie desolate;

O, bid thy light arise.

3 Thy light, that on our souls hath shone, Leads us in hope to thee;

Let us not feel its rays alone-
Alone thy people be.

4 O, bring our dearest friends to God;
Remember those we love;

Fit them, on earth, for thine abode;
Fit them for joys above.

5 Spirit of holiness, 't is thine
To hear our feeble prayer;

Come, for we wait thy power divine,-
Let us thy mercy share.

385

1

SPIRIT of holiness, look down,

Our fainting hearts to cheer;

And, when we tremble at thy frown,
O, bring thy comforts near.

2 The fear which thy convictions wrought, O, let thy grace remove;

And may the souls which thou hast taught
To weep, now learn to love.

3 Now let thy saving mercy heal
The wounds it made before;
Now on our hearts impress thy seal,
That we may doubt no more.

4 Complete the work thou hast begun,
And make our darkness light,
That we a glorious race may run,
Till faith be lost in sight.

5 Then as our wondering eyes discern
The Lord's unclouded face,
In fitter language we shall learn
To sing triumphant grace.

THE SCRIPTURES.

386

C. M.

Excellency of the Scriptures.

WATTS.

1LET all the heathen writers join

To form one perfect book;

Great God, if once compared with thine,
How mean their writings look!

2 Not the most perfect rules they gave
Could show one sin forgiven,
Nor lead a step beyond the grave;
But thine conduct to heaven.

3 I've seen an end of what we call
Perfection here below-

How short the powers of nature fall,
And can no farther go.

Yet men would fain be just with God,
By works their hands have wrought,
But thy commands, exceeding broad,
Extend to every thought.