L. M. Humility Honoured.
BEHOLD how sinners disagree,
The publican and pharisee :
One doth his righteousness proclaim,
The other owns his guilt and shame.
2. This man at humble distance stands,
And cries for grace with lifted hands;
That boldly rises near the throne,
And talks of duties he has done.
3. The Lord their different language knows,
And different answers he bestows:
The humble soul with grace he crowns,
Whilst on the proud his anger frowns.
4. Dear Father, let me never be
Joined with the boasting pharisee;
I have no merits of my own,
But plead the sufferings of thy Son.
JOY is a fruit that will not grow
In nature's barren soil;
All we can boast, till Christ we know,
Is vanity and toil.
2. But where the Lord has planted grace,
And made his glories known;
There fruits of heavenly joy and peace
Are found, and there alone.
3. A bleeding Saviour seen by faith,
A sense of pardoning love,
A hope that triumphs over death,
Give joys like those above.
4. These are the joys which satisfy,
And sanctify the mind;
Which make the spirit mount on high,
And leave the world behind.
believers, mourn your
But if you are the Lord's,
Resign to them that know him not,
Such joys as earth affords.
354 S. M. Heavenly Joy on earth.
COME, we that love the Lord,
And let our joys be known;
Join in a song, with sweet accord,
And thus surround the throne.
The sorrows of the mind
Be banished from this place,
Religion never was designed
To make our pleasures less.
The God that rules on high,
And thunders when he please,
That rides upon the stormy sky,
And manages
This awful God is ours,
Our Father and our love,
He shall send down his heavenly powers,
To carry us above.
There we shall see his face,
And never never sin ;
There from the rivers of his grace,
Drink endless pleasures in.
6. Then let our songs abound,
And every tear be dry;
We're marching through Immanuel's ground,
To fairer worlds on high.
355 C. M. Longing for Heavenly Joy. STEELE.
HOW vain a thought is bliss below,
'Tis all an airy dream :
How empty are the joys that flow,
On pleasure's smiling stream!
2. O let my nobler wishes soar,
Beyond these seats of night;
In heaven substantial bliss explore
And permanent delight!
3. Here pleasure flows for ever clear!
And, rising to the view,
Such dazzling scenes of joy appear,
As fancy never drew.
4. No fleeting landscape cheats the gaze,
Nor airy form beguiles;
But everlasting bliss displays
Her undissembled smiles.
LET sinners boast of kindred joys,
The poor delights of sense;
'Tis Christ our inmost thoughts employs;
We draw our comforts thence.
2. With sweet contentment now we bid
Farewell to pleasures here;
With Christ in God our life is hid,
And all its springs are there.
3. 'Tis now concealed and lodged secure, In God's eternal Son;
From age to age shall it endure, Though to the world unknown. 4. Jesus, remove whate'er divides Our lingering souls from Thee, 'Tis fit that where the Head resides, The members too should be.
HAPPY the heart where graces reign,
Where love inspires the breast:
Love is the brightest of the train,
And strengthens all the rest.
2. Knowledge, alas ! 'tis all in vain,
And all in vain our fear;
Our stubborn sins will fight and reign,
If love be absent there.
3. 'Tis love that makes our cheerful feet
In swift obedience move;
The devils know, and tremble too,
But Satan cannot love.
4. This is the grace that lives and sings,
When faith and hope shall cease;
"Tis this shall strike our joyful strings,
In the sweet realms of bliss.
5. Before we quite forsake our clay,
Or leave this dark abode,
The wings of love bear us away,
To see our smiling God.
YES, I would love thee, blessed God!
Paternal goodness marks thy name !-
Thy praises, through thy high abode,
The heavenly hosts with joy proclaim.
2. Freely thou gav'st thy dearest Son
For man to suffer, bleed, and die :
And bid'st me, as a wretch undone,
For all I want on Him rely.
3. In Him thy reconciled face,
With joy unspeakable I see;
And feel thy powerful wondrous grace,
Draw and unite my soul to Thee.
4. Whene'er my foolish wandering heart,
Attracted by a creature's power,
Would from this blissful centre start,
Lord, fix it there, to stray no more.
C. M. Perfect Love.
YES, perfect love is perfect bliss,
Proof rises all around;
Nor shall felicity but this,
In earth or heaven be found.
2. This is the joy of joy I know,
That can delight impart ;
Warm, as the ruby tides that flow
Incessant from my heart.
3. This is the joy that angels feel,
Where harps celestial move;
And the fierce anguish known in hell,
Is perfect want of love!
|