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.
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