470
3d P. M. 4 6s & 2
The witness of the Spirit.
ARNEST of future bliss,
E hail;
Fountain of holiness,
Whose comforts never fail;
The cleansing gift on saints bestow'd,
The witness of their peace with God.
2 By thee, on earth, we know
Ourselves in Christ renew'd;
Brought by thy grace into
The family of God;
Of his adopting love the seal,
And faithful teacher of his will.
3 Great Comforter, descend
In gentle breathings down;
Preserve us to the end,
That no man take our crown;
Our Guardian still vouchsafe to be,
Nor suffer us to go from thee.
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The inward witness.
THOU great mysterious God unknown,
Whose love hath gently led me on,
E'en from my infant days;
Mine inmost soul expose to view,
And tell me if I ever knew
Thy justifying grace.
2 If I have only known thy fear,
And follow'd, with a heart sincere,
Thy drawings from above;
Now, now the further grace bestow,
And let my sprinkled conscience know
Thy sweet forgiving love.
would not stop,
3 Short of thy love
A stranger to the Gospel hope,
The sense of sin forgiven;
I would not, Lord, my soul deceive,
Without the inward witness live,
That ante-past of heaven.
4 If now the witness were in me,
Would he not testify of thee,
In Jesus reconciled?
And should I not with faith draw nigh,
And boldly, Abba, Father, cry,
And know myself thy child?
5 Father, in me reveal thy Son,
And to my inmost soul make known
How merciful thou art;
The secret of thy love reveal,
And by thy hall'wing Spirit dwell
Forever in my heart.
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Delightful assurance.
SOV'REIGN of all the worlds on high, Allow my humble claim;
Nor while, unworthy, I draw nigh,
Disdain a Father's name.
2 My Father, God! that gracious word Dispels my guilty fear;
Not all the notes by angels heard
Could so delight my ear.
3 Come, Holy Ghost, thyself impress
On my expanding heart;
And show that in the Father's grace
I share a filial part.
4 Cheer'd by that witness from on high, Unwav'ring I believe ;
And Abba, Father, humbly cry;
Nor can the sign deceive.
The bliss of assurance.
how secure and blest are Who feel the joys of pardon'd sin; Should storms of wrath shake earth and sea, Their minds have heaven and peace within. 2 The day glides sweetly o'er their heads, Made up of innocence and love; And soft, and silent as the shades, Their nightly minutes gently move. 3 Quick as their thoughts, their joys come on, But fly not half so swift away: Their souls are ever bright as noon,
And calm as summer evenings be.
4 How oft they look to the' heavenly hills,
Where groves of living pleasure grow;
And longing hopes, and cheerful smiles,
Sit undisturb'd upon their brow.
5 They scorn to seek earth's golden toys, But spend the day, and share the night, In numb'ring o'er the richer joys
That heaven prepares for their delight. 474
ARISE, my soul, arise;
Shake off thy guilty fears;
The bleeding Sacrifice
In my behalf appears:
Before the throne my Surety stands,
My name is written on his hands.
2 He ever lives above,
For me to intercede;
His all-redeeming love,
His precious blood, to plead ;
His blood atoned for all our race,
And sprinkles now the throne of grace.
3 Five bleeding wounds he bears,
Received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers,
They strongly plead for me :-
Forgive him, O forgive, they cry,
Nor let that ransom'd sinner die.
4 The Father hears him pray,
His dear anointed One:
He cannot turn away
The presence of his Son:
His Spirit answers to the blood,
And tells me I am born of God.
5 My God is reconciled;
His pard'ning voice I hear:
He owns me for his child;
I can no longer fear:
With confidence I now draw nigh,
And Father, Abba, Father, cry.
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L. M.
Filial confidence and joy.
REAT God, indulge my humble claim; Be thou my hope, my joy, my rest; The glories that compose thy name Stand all engaged to make me blest.
2 Thou great and good, thou just and wise, Thou art my Father and my God; And I am thine by sacred ties,
Thy son, thy servant bought with blood.
3 With heart and eyes, and lifted hands,
For thee I long, to thee I look;
As travellers in thirsty lands
Pant for the cooling water-brook.
4 I'll lift my hands, I'll raise my voice, While I have breath to pray or praise: This work shall make my heart rejoice, And fill the remnant of my days.
The antepast of heaven.
WHERE shall my wond'ring soul begin?
A slave redeem'd from death and sin,-
A brand pluck'd from eternal fire,—
How shall I equal triumphs raise,
Or sing my great Deliv'rer's praise?
2 O how shall I the goodness tell,
Father, which thou to me hast show'd?
That I, a child of wrath and hell,
I should be call'd a child of God,
Should know, should feel my sins forgiven,
Blest with this ante-past of heaven.
3 And shall I slight my Father's love,
Or basely fear his gifts to own?
Unmindful of his favours prove?
Shall I, the hallow'd cross to shun,
Refuse his righteousness to' impart,
By hiding it within my heart?
4 No: though the ancient dragon rage,
And call forth all his hosts to war;
Though earth's self-righteous sons engage,
Them and their god alike I dare;
Jesus, the sinner's Friend, proclaim;
Jesus, to sinners still the same.
477
The revealing and witnessing Spirit.
PIRIT of faith, come down,
Reveal the things of God;
And make to us the Godhead known,
And witness with the blood:
"Tis thine the blood to' apply,
And give us eyes to see,
That He who did for sinners die,
Hath surely died for me.
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