241. Boasting Excluded. C. M. IN all the acts of sov'reign grace Jehovah can display; Free grace alone exalted is, And boasting done away. Since creature-deeds can't gain the crown, From sin to God could sinners turn, But where the sov'reign grace of God His only hope is Jesu's blood, Thus grace triumphant keeps the throne, 242. The Returned Prodigal. C. M. WHEN to the Father's fond embrace The Prodigal return'd, The tears bedew'd his aged face, He kiss'd him with a Father's love, For him the fatted calf they slew, The Father's grace to prove; While on the rebel's hand we view The tokens of his love. "In royal robes my son array, His shame, his folly, and his sin, His thoughts, his ways, his acts unclean, The guests surround the sumptuous board, Nor feast without a song ; Yet he sat nearest to his Lord, Who did his Father wrong. Thus shall the Father's sov'reign grace, Bring all th' apostate ransom'd race With weeping to his throne. And when from Satan's vile employ The sinner hastes away, The saints shall sing their hymns of joy, 243 Ye are all one in Christ. IN union with the Lamb, From condemnation free, In cov'nant, from of old, S. M. Its bonds shall never break 'Tho' earth's old columns bow; The strong, the tempted, and the weak, Are one in Jesus now. With joy lift up your heads, Ye highly favour'd few, When thro' the earth destruction spreads, For what shall injure you? When storms or tempests rise, Or sins our peace assail, Your hope in Jesus never dies, "Tis cast within the vail. Here let the weary rest, Who love the Saviour's name; Tho' with no sweet enjoyment blest, This cov'nant stands the same. 244. The Freeness and Fulness of God's Grace no Cloak to Licentiousness. S. M. SHALL Israel's ransom'd race, Abuse Jehovah's sov'reign grace, What! shall the heirs of heav'n To hell, from whence it came, Whene'er by sin distress'd, To Jesu's blood we go ; If such on earth are found, 245. The Building of Mercy completed. 8.8.6. WHEN, mercy's building to complete, Then shouting grace, the blood-wash'd throng, Shall rend the vaulted skies. Then shall the Church, while seraphs gaze, Founded in grace, for ever sure, In God's great will, the scheme was laid, Transporting thought! awake my soul, 246. Jesus the Tree of Life. L. M. JESUS the Plant, of old renown'd, Whose sacred leaves are healing found; Throughout the world, we'll tell of thee, For thou art Life's fair Healing Tree. |