3 The gospel bids the sin-sick soul
Look up to Jesus and be whole;
In him are peace and pardon found;
O may I know the joyful sound!
4 It stems the tide of swelling grief,
Affords the needy sure relief;
Releases those by Satan bound;
0 may I know the joyful sound!
THE GOSPEL'S WELCOME.
NOW begin the heavenly theme,
Sing aloud in Jesus' name;
Ye, who his salvation prove,
Triumph in redeeming love.
2 Ye, who see the Father's grace
Beaming in the Saviour's face,
As to Canaan on ye move,
Praise and bless redeeming love.
3 Mourning souls, dry up your tears;
Banish all your guilty fears;
See your guilt and curse remove,
Cancelled by redeeming love.
4 Ye, alas! who long have been
Willing slaves to death and sin,
Now from bliss no longer rove,
Stop and taste redeeming love.
5 Welcome all, by sin oppressed,
Welcome to his sacred rest;
Nothing brought him from above,
Nothing but redeeming love.
6 When his Spirit leads us home,
When we to his glory come,
We shall all the fulness prove
Of our Lord's redeeming love.
133 THE GOSPEL IS THE POWER OF GOD L. M.
HAT shall the dying sinner do,
That seeks relief for all his woe?
Where shall the guilty conscience find
Ease for the torment of the mind?
2 How shall we get our crimes forgiven,
Or form our nature fit for heaven?
Can souls, all o'er defiled with sin,
Make their own powers and passions clean?
3 In vain we search, in vain we try,
Till Jesus brings his gospel nigh;
'Tis there that power and glory dwell,
That save rebellious souls from hell.
4 This is the pillar of our hope,
That bears our fainting spirits up;
We read the grace, we trust the word,
And find salvation in the Lord.
THE EXCELLENCY OF THE CHRISTIAN L. M.
ET everlasting glories crown
Thy head, my Saviour, and my
Thy hands have brought salvation down,
And writ the blessings in thy word.
2 In vain the trembling conscience seeks
Some solid ground to rest upon :
With long despair the spirit breaks,
Till we apply to Christ alone.
3 How well thy blessed truths agree!
How wise and holy thy commands!
Thy promises, how firm they be!
How firm our hope and comfort stands!
4 Should all the forms that men devise
Assault my faith with treacherous art,
I'll call them vanity and lies,
And bind the gospel to my heart.
135 EXCELLENCY OF THE GOSPEL.
! HAPPY is the man who hears
O' Instruction's warning voice,
And who celestial wisdom makes
His early, only choice.
2 For she has treasures greater far
Than eastern climes unfold;
More precious are her bright rewards
Than gems or stores of gold.
3 Her right hand offers to the just
Immortal, happy days;
Her left, imperishable wealth
And heavenly crowns displays.
4 And, as her holy labours rise,
So her rewards increase;
Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
136 THE GOSPEL OBEYED OR RESISTED. L. M.
HUS saith the wisdom of the Lord,
'Blest is the man that hears my word, Keeps daily watch before my gates,
And at my feet for mercy waits.
2 "The soul that seeks me shall obtain Immortal wealth and heavenly gain; Immortal life is his reward,
Life, and the favour of the Lord.
3 "But the vile wretch that flies from me,
Does his own soul an injury;
Fools, that against my grace rebel,
Seek death and love the road to hell."
OW rich are thy provisions, Lord,
Thy table furnished from above;
The fruits of life o'erspread the board,
The cup o'erflows with heavenly love.
2 Thine ancient family, the Jews,
Were first invited to the feast;
We humbly take what they refuse,
And Gentiles thy salvation taste.
3 We are the poor, the blind, the lame,
And help was far, and death was nigh;
But at the gospel call we came,
And every want received supply.
4 From the highway that leads to hell,
From paths of darkness and despair,
Lord, we are come with thee to dwell,
Glad to enjoy thy presence here.
5 What shall we pay the eternal Son,
That left the heaven of his abode,
And to this wretched earth came down,
To bring us wanderers back to God?
6 It cost him death to save our lives;
To buy our souls, it cost his own;
And all the unknown joys he gives,
Were bought with agonies unknown.
7 Our everlasting love is due
To him that ransomed sinners lost:
And pitied rebels, when he knew
The vast expense his love would cost.
THE Lord, descending from above,
Invites his children near;
While power and truth, and boundless love, Display their glories here.
2 Here, in thy gospel's wondrous frame,
Fresh wisdom we pursue;
A thousand angels learn thy name,
Beyond whate'er they knew.
3 Thy name is writ in fairest lines,
Thy wonders here we trace;
Wisdom through all the mystery shines,
And shines in Jesus' face.
4 The law its best obedience owes
To our incarnate God;
And thy revenging justice shows
Its honours in his blood.
5 But still the lustre of thy grace
Our warmer thoughts employs,
Gilds the whole scene with brighter rays,
And more exalts our joys.
WARNINGS, INVITATIONS, &C.
AWAKENING APPEAL TO THE SINNER. L. M.
THOU eternal, glorious Lord,
Thy gracious presence now afford:
To all our souls thine influence bring,
While of eternity we sing.
2 Eternity, stupendous theme!
Compared with which our life's a dream;
Eternity! O awful sound,
A deep where all our thoughts are drowned.
3 Eternity! the dread abode
And habitation of our God!
His glory fills the vast expanse,
Beyond the reach of mortal sense.
4 But an eternity there is,
Of dreadful woe, or joyful bliss;
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