Not the dark prison, or the sword, The shackle, or the weary chain.
3 But from our spirits there must flow A love that will the wrong outweigh;. Our lips must only blessings know, And wrath and sin shall die away.
4 'T was heaven that formed the holy plan To win the wanderer back by love; Thus let us save our brother, man, And imitate our God above.
1 So let our lips and lives express The holy Gospel we profess, So let our works and virtues shine, To prove the doctrine all divine.
2 Thus shall we best proclaim abroad The honors of our Saviour, God, When the salvation reigns within, And grace subdues the power of sin.
3 Our flesh and sense must be denied, Passion and envy, lust and pride, While justice, temperance, truth, and love Our inward piety approve.
4 Religion bears our spirits up,
While we expect that blessed hope,- The bright appearance of the Lord, And faith stands leaning on his word.
Joy and Peace in believing.
1 SOMETIMES a light surprises The Christian while he sings; It is the Lord, who rises With healing on his wings: When comforts are declining, He grants the soul again A season of clear shining, To cheer it after rain.
2 In holy contemplation,
We sweetly then pursue The theme of God's salvation, And find it ever new; Set free from present sorrow, We cheerfully can say,
"E'en let the unknown to-morrow Bring with it what it may!
3 "It can bring with it nothing But he will bear us through; Who gives the lilies clothing Will clothe his people too; Beneath the spreading heavens No creature but is fed, And he who feeds the ravens Will give his children bread.
4 "Though vine nor fig-tree neither Their wonted fruit shall bear, Though all the field should wither, Nor flocks nor herds be there,
Yet, God the same abiding, His praise shall tune my voice; For while in him confiding, I cannot but rejoice.
Christian Courage and Self-denial.
1 AM I a soldier of the cross, A follower of the Lamb? And shall I fear to own his cause, Or blush to speak his name?
2 Must I be carried to the skies On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize, And sailed through bloody seas ?
3 Are there no foes for me to face? Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace, To help me on to God?
4 Sure I must fight, if I would reign ; Increase my courage, Lord! I'll bear the toil, endure the pain, Supported by thy word.
5 Thy saints, in all this glorious war, Shall conquer, though they 're slain: They see the triumph from afar, And soon with Christ shall reign.
The Christian's Life and his Hope.
1 A SOLDIER's course from battles won To new-commencing strife; A pilgrim's, restless as the sun, Behold the Christian's life!
O let us seek our heavenly home, Revealed in sacred lore;
The land whence pilgrims never roam, Where soldiers war no more;·
Where grief shall never wound, nor death, Beneath the Saviour's reign; Nor sin with pestilential breath His holy realm profane ;-
4 The land where, suns and moons unknown, And night's alternate sway, Jehovah's ever-burning throne Upholds unbroken day; -
5 Where they who meet shall never part; Where grace achieves its plan;
And God, uniting every heart, Dwells face to face with man.
THE Christian warrior, see him stand In the whole armor of his God; The Spirit's sword is in his hand; His feet are with the Gospel shod:
2 In panoply of truth complete, Salvation's helmet on his head, With righteousness, a breastplate meet, And faith's broad shield before him spread. 3 With this omnipotence he moves, From this the alien armies flee; Till more than conqueror he proves, Through Christ, who gives him victory. 4 Thus strong in his Redeemer's strength, Sin, death, and hell he tramples down, Fights the good fight, and wins at length, Through mercy, an immortal crown.
1 ALL-SEEING God! 't is thine to know The springs whence wrong opinions flow; To judge from principles within,
When frailty errs, and when we sin.
2 Who among men, great Lord of all, Thy servant to his bar shall call?
Judge him, for modes of faith, thy foe, And doom him to the realms of woe?
3 Who with another's eye can read? Or worship by another's creed? Trusting thy grace, we form our own, And bow to thy commands alone.
4 If wrong, correct; accept, if right; While faithful, we improve our light, Condemning none, but zealous still To learn and follow all thy will.
« IndietroContinua » |