Chapter XII: Introduction: And Close of Worship (5)

3 "With deep repentance I'll return
And seek my Father's face;
Unworthy to be called a son,
I'll ask a servant's place."

4 Far off the Father saw him move,
In pensive silence mourn,
And quickly ran with arms of love,
To welcome his return.

5 O, let thy boundless mercy shine
On my benighted soul,
Correct my passions, mend my heart,
And all my fears control.

325. L. M. 6l. Wesley's Coll.

Imploring Forgiveness and Renewal of Heart.

1 Forgive us for thy mercy's sake;
Our multitude of sins forgive;
And for thy own possession take,
And bid us to thy glory live;
Live in thy sight and gladly prove
Our faith by our obedient love.

2 The covenant of forgiveness seal,
And all thy mighty wonders show;
Our hidden enemies expel,
And conquering them to conquer go,
Till all of pride and wrath be slain,
And not one evil thought remain.

3 O, put it in our inward parts
The living law of perfect love:
Write the new precept on our hearts;
We shall not then from thee remove,
Who in thy glorious image shine,
Thy people, and forever thine.

326. L. M. Beddome.

Inconstancy Lamented.

1 The wandering star and fleeting wind
Are emblems of the fickle mind;
The morning cloud and early dew
Bring our inconstancy to view.

2 But cloud and wind and dew and star,
Only a faint resemblance bear;
Nor can there aught in nature be
So changeable and frail as we.

3 Our outward walk and inward frame
Are scarcely through an hour the same:
We vow, and straight our vows forget,
And then those very vows repeat.

4 With contrite hearts, Lord, we confess
Our folly and unsteadfastness:
When shall these hearts more stable be,
Fixed by thy grace alone on thee?

327. S. M. Jervis.

God's Mercy to the Penitent.

1 Sweet is the friendly voice
Which speaks of life and peace;
Which bids the penitent rejoice,
And sin and sorrow cease.

2 No balm on earth like this
Can cheer the contrite heart;
No flattering dreams of earthly bliss
Such pure delight impart.

3 Still merciful and kind,
Thy mercy, Lord, reveal:
The broken heart thy love can bind,
The wounded spirit heal.

4 Thy presence shall restore
Peace to my anxious breast:
Lord, let my steps be drawn no more
From paths which thou hast blessed.

328. L. M. Doddridge.

Returning to God.

1 Lord, we have wandered from thy way,
Like foolish sheep have gone astray,
Our pleasant pastures we have left,
And of their guard our souls bereft.

2 Exposed to want, exposed to harm,
Far from our gentle Shepherd's arm;
Nor will these fatal wanderings cease,
Till thou reveal the paths of peace.

3 O seek thy thoughtless servants, Lord,
Nor let us quite forget thy word;
Our erring feet do thou restore,
And keep us that we stray no more.

329. L. M. Steele.

Sense of Sin.

1 Jesus demands this heart of mine,
Demands my love, my joy, my care,
But ah, how dead to things divine,
How cold my best affections are!

2 'Tis sin, alas! with dreadful power,
Divides my Saviour from my sight;
O, for one happy, shining hour
Of sacred freedom, sweet delight!

3 Come, gracious Lord; thy love can raise
My captive powers from sin and death,
And fill my heart and life with praise,
And tune my last, expiring breath.

330. C. M. Breviary.

The True Penitent.

1 O sinner! bring not tears alone,
Or outward form of prayer:
But let it in thy heart be known
That penitence is there.

2 To beat the breast, the clothes to rend,
God asketh not of thee:
Thy secret soul he bids thee bend
In true humility.

3 O righteous Judge! if thou wilt deign
To grant us what we need;
We pray for time to turn again,
And grace to turn indeed.

331. L. M. Richter.

Translated by J. Wesley.

Devout Penitence.

1 My soul before thee prostrate lies;
To thee, her source, my spirit flies;
My wants I mourn, my chains I see;
O let thy presence set me free.

2 In life's short day, let me yet more
Of thy enlivening power implore;
My mind must deeper sink in thee,
My foot stand firm from wandering free.

3 Take full possession of my heart;
The lowly mind of Christ impart;
I still will wait, O Lord, on thee,
Till, in thy light, the light I see.

4 One only care my soul should know,
Father, all thy commands to do;
Oh! deep engrave it on my breast,
That I in thee alone am blest.

332. C. M. C. Wesley.

Vain Repentance.

1 Times without number have I prayed,
"This only once forgive;"
Relapsing when thy hand was stayed,
And suffered me to live.

2 Yet now the kingdom of thy peace,
Lord, to my heart restore;
Forgive my vain repentances,
And bid me sin no more.

333. P. M. Heber.

"There is Joy in Heaven over one Sinner that Repenteth."

1 There was joy in heaven!
There was joy in heaven!
When this goodly world to frame,
The Lord of light and mercy came:
Shouts of joy were heard on high,
And the stars sang from the sky,
"Glory to God in heaven!"

2 There was joy in heaven!
There was joy in heaven!
When of love the midnight beam
Dawned on the towers of Bethlehem;
And along the echoing hill
Angels sang--"On earth good will,
And glory in the heaven!"

3 There is joy in heaven!
There is joy in heaven!
When the sheep that went astray
Turns again to virtue's way;
When the soul by grace subdued
Sobs its prayer of gratitude,
Then is there joy in heaven!

334. 7s. M. Merrick.

Freedom from Error, Guilt and Folly.

1 Blest Instructor! from thy ways
Who can tell how oft he strays?
Save from error's growth our mind,
Leave not, Lord, one root behind.

2 Purge us from the guilt that lies
Wrapt within our heart's disguise;
Let us thence, by thee renewed,
Each presumptuous sin exclude.

3 Let our tongues, from error free,
Speak the words approved by thee:
To thine all-observing eyes,
Let our thoughts accepted rise.

4 While we thus thy name adore,
And thy healing grace implore,
Blest Instructor! bow thine ear:
God our strength! propitious hear.

335. 6s. & 4s. M. R. Palmer.

For Divine Guidance.

1 O God, thy grace impart!
Revive my fainting heart;
My zeal inspire;
Reveal thyself to me,
And may my love to thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,--
A living fire.

2 While life's dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow's tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From thee aside.

3 When ends life's transient dream,
When death's cold sullen stream
Shall o'er me roll,
O Father, then in love,
Fear and distress remove,
And bear me safe above,--
A ransomed soul.

336. C. P. M. Henry Moore.

Pardon.

1 Soft are the fruitful showers that bring
The welcome promise of the spring,
And soft the vernal gale:
Sweet the wild warblings of the grove,
The voice of nature and of love,
That gladden every vale.

2 But softer in the mourner's ear
Sounds the mild voice of mercy near,
That whispers sins forgiven;
And sweeter far the music swells,
When to the raptured soul she tells
Of peace and promised heaven.

3 Fair are the flowers that deck the ground;
And groves and gardens blooming round,
Unnumbered charms unfold:
Bright is the sun's meridian ray,
And bright the beams of setting day,
That robe the clouds in gold.

4 But far more fair the pious breast,
In richer robes of goodness dressed,
Where heaven's own graces shine;
And brighter far the prospects rise,
That burst on faith's delighted eyes,
From glories all divine.

337. L. M. Cowper.

Peace after a Storm.

1 When darkness long has veiled my mind,
And smiling day once more appears,
Then, my Creator! then I find
The folly of my doubts and fears.

2 Straight I upbraid my wandering heart,
And blush that I should ever be
Thus prone to act so base a part,
Or harbor one hard thought of thee.

3 O! let me then at length be taught,
What I am still so slow to learn,--
That God is love, and changes not,
Nor knows the shadow of a turn.

4 Sweet truth, and easy to repeat!
But when my faith is sharply tried,
I find myself a learner yet,
Unskilful, weak, and apt to slide.

5 But, O my God! one look from thee
Subdues the disobedient will,
Drives doubt and discontent away,
And thy rebellious child is still.

338. L. M. Mrs. Cotterill.

For a Life devoted to God's Glory.

1 O thou, who hast at thy command
The hearts of all men in thy hand!
Our wayward, erring hearts incline
To have no other will but thine.

2 Our wishes, our desires, control;
Mould every purpose of the soul;
O'er all may we victorious be
That stands between ourselves and thee.

3 Thrice blest will all our blessings be,
When we can look through them to thee,
When each glad heart its tribute pays
Of love, and gratitude, and praise.

4 And while we to thy glory live,
May we to thee all glory give,
Until the final summons come,
That calls thy willing servants home.

CHRISTIAN CHARACTER AND LIFE.

339. L. M. Watts.

"Ye shall know them by their Fruits."

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.

340. C. M. Gisborne.

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!

2 O! let us seek our heavenly home,
Revealed in sacred lore;
The land whence pilgrims never roam,
Where soldiers war no more;

3 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.

341. L. M. E. Taylor.

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God."

1 "Thus shalt thou love the Almighty Lord,
With all thy heart, and soul, and mind:"
So speaks to man that sacred word,
For counsel and reproof designed.

2 "With all thy heart;" no idol thing,
Though close around the heart it twine,
Its interposing shade must fling,
To darken that pure love of thine.

3 "With all thy mind;" each varied power,
Creative fancy, musings high,
And thoughts that glance behind, before,
These must religion sanctify.

4 "With soul and strength;" thy days of ease,
While vigor nerves each youthful limb,
And hope and joy, and health and peace,
All must be freely brought to him.

342. C. M. Doddridge.

Walking with God.

1 Thrice happy souls, who, born from heaven,
While yet they sojourn here,
Do all their days with God begin,
And spend them in his fear.

2 'Midst hourly cares, may love present
Its incense to thy throne;
And while the world our hands employs,
Our hearts be thine alone.

3 As sanctified to noblest ends,
Be each refreshment sought;
And by each various providence
Some wise instruction brought.

4 When to laborious duties called,
Or by temptations tried,
We'll seek the shelter of thy wings,
And in thy strength confide.

5 In solid, pure delights like these,
Let all our days be past;
Nor shall we then impatient wish,
Nor shall we fear, the last.

343. S. M. Heath.

Watchfulness and Prayer inculcated.

1 My soul, be on thy guard;
Ten thousand foes arise;
The hosts of sin are pressing hard
To draw thee from the skies.

2 O, watch, and fight, and pray;
The battle ne'er give o'er;
Renew it boldly every day,
And help divine implore.

3 Ne'er think the victory won,
Nor lay thine armor down:
Thy arduous work will not be done
Till thou obtain thy crown.

4 Fight on, my soul, till death
Shall bring thee to thy God;
He'll take thee, at thy parting breath,
To his divine abode.

344. L. M. Watts.

The Beatitudes.

1 Blest are the humble souls that see
Their emptiness and poverty;
Treasures of grace to them are given,
And crowns of joy laid up in heaven.

2 Blest are the souls that thirst for grace,
Hunger and long for righteousness;
They shall be well supplied and fed
With living streams and living bread.

3 Blest are the pure, whose hearts are clean
From the defiling power of sin;
With endless pleasure they shall see
A God of spotless purity.

4 Blest are the men of peaceful life,
Who quench the coals of growing strife;
They shall be called the heirs of bliss,
The sons of God, the God of peace.

5 Blest are the sufferers who partake
Of pain and shame for Jesus' sake;
Their souls shall triumph in the Lord;
Glory and joy are their reward.

345. L. M. Rippon's Coll.

Patience.

1 Patience, O, 't is a grace divine,
Sent from the God of peace and love,
That leans upon our Father's arm,
As through the wilds of life we rove.

2 By patience, we serenely bear
The troubles of our mortal state,
And wait, contented, our discharge,
Nor think our glory comes too late.

3 O, for this grace to aid us on,
And arm with fortitude the breast,
Till, life's tumultuous voyage o'er,
We reach the shores of endless rest.

4 Faith into vision shall resign,
Hope shall in full fruition die,
And patience in possession end,
In the bright worlds of bliss on high.

346. 7s. M. Merrick.

"Who shall abide in thy tabernacle?" Ps. 15.

1 Who shall towards thy chosen seat
Turn, O Lord, his favored feet?
Who shall at thine altar bend?
Who shall Zion's hill ascend?
Who, great God, a welcome guest,
On thy holy mountain rest?

2 He whose heart thy love has warmed,
He whose will, to thine conformed,
Bids his life unsullied run;
He whose word and thought are one;
Who, from sin's contagion free,
Lifts his willing soul to thee.

3 He who thus, with heart unstained,
Treads the path by thee ordained,
He shall towards thy chosen seat
Turn, O Lord, his favored feet;
He thy ceaseless care shall prove,
He shall share thy constant love.

347. C. M. Tate & Brady.

The Same.

1 Lord, who's the happy man, that may
To thy blest courts repair,
Not, stranger-like, to visit them,
But to inhabit there?

2 'Tis he whose every thought and deed
By rules of virtue moves;
Whose generous tongue disdains to speak
The thing his heart disproves;

3 Who never did a slander forge,
His neighbor's fame to wound;
Nor hearken to a false report,
By malice whispered round;

4 Who to his plighted vows and trust
Has ever firmly stood;
And though he promise to his loss,
He makes his promise good.

5 The man who by this steady course
Has happiness ensured,
When earth's foundations shake, shall stand
By Providence secured.

348. S. M. Anonymous.

"Blessed are the Meek."

1 "Blest are the meek," he said,
Whose doctrine is divine;
The humble-minded earth possess,
And bright in heaven will shine.

2 While here on earth they stay,
Calm peace with them shall dwell,
And cheerful hope and heavenly joy
Beyond what tongue can tell.

3 The God of peace is theirs;
They own his gracious sway;
And yielding all their wills to him,
His sovereign laws obey.

4 O gracious Father, grant,
That we this influence feel,
That all we hope, or wish, may be
Subjected to thy will.

349. L. M. Scott.

The Blessing of Meekness.

1 Happy the meek, whose gentle breast,
Clear as the summer's evening ray,
Calm as the regions of the blest,
Enjoys on earth celestial day.

2 His heart no broken friendships sting,
No storms his peaceful tent invade;
He rests beneath th' Almighty wing,
Hostile to none, of none afraid.

3 Spirit of grace, all meek and mild,
Inspire our breasts, our souls possess;
Repel each passion rude and wild,
And bless us as we aim to bless.

350. C. M. M. W. Hale.

The Pure Heart.

1 Whatever dims thy sense of truth,
Or stains thy purity,
Though light as breath of summer air
Count it as sin to thee.

2 Preserve the tablet of thy thoughts
From every blemish free,
While the Redeemer's lowly faith
Its temple makes with thee.

3 And pray of God, that grace be given
To tread time's narrow way:--
How dark soever it may be,
It leads to cloudless day.

351. S. M. Keble.

"Blessed are the Pure in Heart."

1 Blest are the pure in heart
For they shall see our God;
The secret of the Lord is theirs,
Their soul is Christ's abode.

2 Still to the lowly soul
He doth himself impart,
And for his temple and his throne
Chooseth the pure in heart.

352. C. M. Watts.

Prudence.

1 O, 't is a lovely thing to see
A man of prudent heart,
Whose thoughts and lips and life agree
To act a useful part.

2 When envy, strife, and wars begin,
In fierce, contentious souls,
Mark how the sons of peace come in,
And quench the kindling coals.

3 Their minds are humble, mild, and meek,
Nor let their anger rise;
Nor passion moves their lips to speak,
Nor pride exalts their eyes.

4 Their lives are prudence mixed with love;
Good works employ their day;
They join the serpent with the dove,
But cast the sting away.

353. L. M. 6l. Montgomery.

Humility.

1 The bird that soars on highest wing
Builds on the ground her lowly nest;
And she that doth most sweetly sing
Sings in the shade when all things rest:--
In lark and nightingale we see
What honor hath humility.

2 When Mary chose the better part,
She meekly sat at Jesus' feet;
And Lydia's gently opened heart
Was made for God's own temple meet:--
Fairest and best adorned is she
Whose clothing is humility.

3 The saint that wears heaven's brightest crown
In deepest adoration bends;
The weight of glory bows him down
Then most when most his soul ascends:--
Nearest the throne itself must be
The footstool of humility.

354. C. M. Watts.

Humility and Submission.

1 Is there ambition in my heart?
Search, gracious God, and see;
Or do I act a haughty part?
Lord, I appeal to thee.

2 I charge my thoughts, be humble still,
And all my carriage mild;
Content, my Father, with thy will
And quiet as a child.

3 The patient soul, the lowly mind,
Shall have a large reward:
Let saints in sorrow lie resigned,
And trust a faithful Lord.

355. L. M. Watts.

Love to God and our Neighbor.

1 Thus saith the first, the great command,
"Let all thy inward powers unite
To love thy Maker and thy God
With utmost vigor and delight.

2 "Then shall thy neighbor next in place
Share thine affections and esteem;
And let thy kindness to thyself
Measure and rule thy love to him."

3 This is the sense that Moses spoke;
This did the prophets preach and prove,
For want of this the law is broke,
And the whole law's fulfilled by love.

4 But, O, how base our passions are!
How cold our charity and zeal!
Lord, fill our souls with heavenly fire,
Or we shall ne'er perform thy will.

356. S. M. L. H. Sigourney.

Active Piety.

1 Servants of Christ, arise,
And gird you for the toil;
The dew of promise from the skies
Already cheers the soil.

2 Go where the sick recline,
Where mourning hearts deplore;
And where the sons of sorrow pine,
Dispense your hallowed lore.

3 Urge, with a tender zeal,
The erring child along,
Where peaceful congregations kneel,
And pious teachers throng.

4 Be faith, which looks above,
With prayer, your constant guest,
And wrap the Saviour's changeless love
A mantle round your breast.

5 So shall you share the wealth,
That earth may ne'er despoil,
And the blest gospel's saving health
Repay your arduous toil.

357. L. M. Steele.

Example of the Saviour.

1 And is the gospel peace and love?
So let our conversation be;
The serpent blended with the dove,
Wisdom and meek simplicity.

2 Whene'er the angry passions rise,
And tempt our thoughts or tongues to strife,
On Jesus let us fix our eyes,
Bright pattern of the Christian life!

3 O, how benevolent and kind!
How mild! how ready to forgive!
Be this the temper of our mind,
And his the rules by which we live.

4 Dispensing good where'er he came,
The labors of his life were love;
If, then, we love our Saviour's name
Thus let us our relation prove.

358. S. M. Doddridge.

"Again, I say--Watch!"

1 Ye servants of the Lord,
Each in his office wait,
Observant of his heavenly word,
And watchful at his gate.

2 Let all your lamps be bright,
And trim the golden flame;
Gird up your loins, as in his sight,
For awful is his name.

3 Watch,--'tis your Lord's command;
And while we speak, he's near;
Mark the first signal of his hand,
And ready all appear.

4 O, happy servant he,
In such a posture found!
He shall his Lord with rapture see
And be with honor crowned.

359. S. M. Bulfinch.

The Use of Present Opportunities.

1 Children of light, awake,
At Jesus' call arise,
Forth with your leader to partake
His toils, his victories.

2 Ye must not idly stand,
His sacred voice who hear;
Arm for the strife the feeble hand,
The holy standard rear.

3 Nought doth the world afford,
But toil must be the price;
Wilt thou not, servant of the Lord,
Then toil for paradise?

4 Awake, ye sons of light,
Strive till the prize be won;
Far spent already is the night;
The day comes brightening on.

360. C. M. H. K. White.

The Christian's Contest, Rest, and Hope.

1 Through sorrow's night and danger's way
Amid the deepening gloom,
The soldiers of an injured King
Are marching to the tomb.

2 Their service done, securely laid
In this their last retreat,
Unheeded o'er their silent dust
The storms of life shall beat.

3 Yet not thus lifeless in the grave
The vital spark shall lie;
O'er nature's ruins it shall rise,
To reach its kindred sky.

4 Then heaven's soft dew o'er every eye
Shall shed its mildest rays;
And the long silent dust shall wake
In strains of endless praise.

361. C. M. Anonymous.

The whole Armor.

1 O, speed thee, Christian, on thy way,
And to thy armor cling;
With girded loins the call obey
That grace and mercy bring.

2 There is a battle to be fought,
An upward race to run,
A crown of glory to be sought,
A victory to be won.

3 O, faint not, Christian, for thy sighs
Are heard before His throne;
The race must come before the prize,
The cross before the crown.

362. L. M. Montgomery.

The Christian Warrior.

1 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 takes at length,
Through mercy, an immortal crown.

363. L. M. G. Rogers.

Religion.

1 Religion! in its blessed ray
All thought of hopeless sorrow flies,
Despair and anguish melt away
Where'er its healing beams arise.
How dark our sinful world would be--
A flowerless desert, dry and drear!
Did not this light, O God, from thee
Its gloom dispel, its aspect cheer.

2 Oh! by it many a heart is soothed,
Which else would be with sorrow crushed,
And many a dying pillow smoothed,
And sob of parting anguish hushed.
Across the troubled sky of time
It doth the bow of promise bend,
A symbol of that cloudless clime
That waits the soul when time shall end.

3 Religion! may its holy light
Our footsteps guide to paths of peace!
Our solace in deep sorrow's night,
Our stay as mortal powers decrease.
With this our guide, we care not when
Death's signal to depart is given;
Its word shall bring our spirits then
The calm and holy peace of heaven.

364. L. M. Watts.

The Humble and Pure Accepted.

1 Thus saith the high and lofty One:
"I sit upon my holy throne;
My name is God, I dwell on high,
Dwell in my own eternity.

2 "But I descend to worlds below;
On earth I have a mansion too;
The humble spirit, and contrite,
Is an abode of my delight.

3 "The humble soul my words revive;
I bid the mourning sinner live;
Heal all the broken hearts I find,
And ease the sorrows of the mind.

4 "The soul that seeks me shall obtain
Immortal wealth and heavenly gain;
Eternal life is his reward,
Life, and the favor of the Lord."

365. 7s. M. Methodist Coll.

A Call to Prayer.

1 They who seek the throne of grace
Find that throne in every place;
If we love a life of prayer,
God is present everywhere.

2 In our sickness, in our health;
In our want or in our wealth,
If we look to God in prayer,
God is present everywhere.

3 When our earthly comforts fail,
When the woes of life prevail,
'Tis the time for earnest prayer,
God is present everywhere.

4 Then, my soul, in every strait,
To thy Father, come and wait;
He will answer every prayer,
God is present everywhere.

366. C. M. Anonymous.

Secret Prayer.

1 Sweet is the prayer whose holy stream
In earnest pleading flows!
Devotion dwells upon the theme,
And warm and warmer glows.

2 Faith grasps the blessing she desires;
Hope points the upward gaze;
And Love, celestial Love, inspires
The eloquence of praise.

3 But sweeter far the still, small voice,
Unheard by human ear,
When God has made the heart rejoice,
And dried the bitter tear.

4 No accents flow, no words ascend;
All utterance faileth there;
But Christian spirits comprehend,
And God accepts the prayer.

367. L. M. Mrs. Barbauld.

The Warfare of the Soul.

1 Awake, my soul! lift up thine eyes!
See where thy foes against thee rise,
In long array a numerous host;
Awake, my soul! or thou art lost.

2 See where rebellious passions rage,
And fierce desires and lusts engage;
The meanest foe of all the train
Has thousands and ten thousands slain.

3 Come then, my soul! now learn to wield
The weight of thine immortal shield;
Put on the armor from above,
Of heavenly truth and heavenly love.

4 The terror and the charm repel,
And powers of earth and powers of hell,
The man of Calvary triumphed here;--
Why should his faithful followers fear?

368. C. M. Doddridge.

The Christian Race.

1 Awake, my soul! stretch every nerve,
And press with vigor on;
A heavenly race demands thy zeal,
And an immortal crown.

2 A cloud of witnesses around
Hold thee in full survey;
Forget the steps already trod,
And onward urge thy way.

3 'T is God's all-animating voice
That calls thee from on high;
'T is his own hand presents the prize
To thine aspiring eye;--

4 That prize with peerless glories bright,
Which shall new lustre boast,
When victors' wreaths and monarchs' gems
Shall blend in common dust.

369. C. M. Watts.

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 Sure I must fight, if I would reign;
Increase my courage, Lord!
I'll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by thy word.

4 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.

5 When that illustrious day shall rise,
And all thy armies shine
In robes of victory through the skies,
The glory shall be thine.

370. L. M. Watts.

The Christian Race.

1 Awake, our souls, away, our fears;
Let every trembling thought be gone;
Awake and run the heavenly race,
And put a cheerful courage on.

2 True 'tis a strait and thorny road,
And mortal spirits tire and faint;
But they forget the mighty God,
That feeds the strength of every saint.

3 From thee, the overflowing spring,
Our souls shall drink a fresh supply,
While such as trust their native strength,
Shall melt away, and droop, and die.

4 Swift as an eagle cuts the air,
We'll mount aloft to thine abode;
On wings of love our souls shall fly,
Nor tire amidst the heavenly road.

371. C. M. Montgomery.

What is Prayer?

1 Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,
Uttered or unexpressed,
The motion of a hidden fire,
That trembles in the breast.

2 Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear,
The upward glancing of an eye,
When none but God is near.

3 Prayer is the simplest form of speech
That infant lips can try,
Prayer the sublimest strains that reach
The Majesty on high.

4 Prayer is the Christian's vital breath,
The Christian's native air,
The watchword at the gates of death;
He enters heaven with prayer.

5 Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice,
Returning from his ways;
While angels in their songs rejoice,
And cry "Behold, he prays!"

372. 7s. M. Mrs. Hemans.

"I will that men pray everywhere."

1 Child, amidst the flowers at play,
While the red light fades away;
Mother, with thine earnest eye
Ever following silently;
Father, by the breeze of eve
Called thy daily work to leave;
Pray! ere yet the dark hours be,
Lift the heart and bend the knee!

2 Traveller, in the stranger's land,
Far from thine own household band;
Mourner, haunted by the tone
Of a voice from this world gone;
Captive, in whose narrow cell
Sunshine hath not leave to dwell;
Sailor, on the darkening sea--
Lift the heart and bend the knee!

373. 7s. & 6s. M. Edin. Lit. Review.

Pray without ceasing.

1 Go when the morning shineth,
Go when the noon is bright,
Go when the eve declineth,
Go in the hush of night;
Go with pure mind and feeling,
Cast earthly thought away,
And, in thy closet kneeling,
Do thou in secret pray.

2 Remember all who love thee,
All who are loved by thee;
Pray, too, for those who hate thee,
If any such there be;
Then for thyself, in meekness,
A blessing humbly claim,
And blend with each petition
Thy great Redeemer's name.

3 Or, if 'tis e'er denied thee
In solitude to pray,
Should holy thoughts come o'er thee
When friends are round thy way,
E'en then the silent breathing,
Thy spirit raised above,
Will reach his throne of glory,
Where dwells eternal love.

4 O, not a joy or blessing
With this can we compare,--
The grace our Father gave us
To pour our souls in prayer:
Whene'er thou pin'st in sadness,
Before his footstool fall;
Remember, in thy gladness,
His love who gave thee all.

374. L. M. Watts.

"We walk by faith, not by sight."

1 'T is by the faith of joys to come
We walk through deserts dark as night;
Till we arrive at heaven, our home,
Faith is our guide, and faith our light.

2 The want of sight she well supplies;
She makes the pearly gates appear;
Far into distant worlds she flies,
And brings eternal glories near.

3 Cheerful we tread the desert through,
While faith inspires a heavenly ray;
Though lions roar and tempests blow,
And rocks and dangers fill the way.

4 So Abraham, by divine command,
Left his own house to walk with God;
His faith beheld the promised land,
And fired his zeal along the road.

375. C. M. Salisbury Coll.

The Power of Faith.

1 Faith adds new charms to earthly bliss,
And saves us from its snares;
Its aid in every duty brings,
And softens all our cares.

2 The wounded conscience knows its power
The healing balm to give;
That balm the saddest heart can cheer,
And make the dying live.

3 Wide it unveils celestial worlds,
Where deathless pleasures reign,
And bids us seek our portion there,
Nor bids us seek in vain.

4 On that bright prospect may we rest,
Till this frail body dies;
And then, on faith's triumphant wings,
To endless glory rise.

376. S. H. M. Christian Watchman.

Excellence of Faith.

1 Faith is the Christian's prop
Whereon his sorrows lean;
It is the substance of his hope,
His proof of things unseen;
It is the anchor of his soul
When tempests rage and billows roll.

2 Faith is the polar star
That guides the Christian's way,
Directs his wanderings from afar
To realms of endless day;
It points the course where'er he roam,
And safely leads the pilgrim home.

3 Faith is the rainbow's form,
Hung on the brow of heaven,
The glory of the passing storm,
The pledge of mercy given;
It is the bright, triumphal arch,
Through which the saints to glory march.

377. C. M. Bath Coll.

Prayer for Strong Faith.

1 O, for a faith that will not shrink
Though pressed by every foe,
That will not tremble on the brink
Of any earthly woe!--

2 That will not murmur nor complain
Beneath the chastening rod,
But, in the hour of grief or pain,
Will lean upon its God;--

3 A faith that shines more bright and clear
When tempests rage without;
That when in danger knows no fear,
In darkness feels no doubt;--

4 Lord, give us such a faith as this,
And then, whate'er may come,
We'll taste, e'en here, the hallowed bliss
Of an eternal home.

378. C. M. Sidney.

Hope.

1 Borne o'er the ocean's stormy wave,
The beacon's light appears,
When yawns the seaman's watery grave,
And his lone bosom cheers.

2 Then, should the raging ocean foam,
His heart shall dauntless prove,
To reach, secure, his cherished home,
The haven of his love.

3 So, when the soul is wrapt in gloom,
To worldly grief a prey,
Thy beams, blest Hope, beyond the tomb,
Illume the pilgrim's way.

4 They point to that serene abode
Where holy faith shall rest,
Protected by the sufferer's God,
And be forever blest.

379. 7s. M. Cennick.

The Christian rejoicing in Hope.

1 Children of the Heavenly King,
As ye journey, sweetly sing;
Sing your Saviour's worthy praise,
Glorious in his works and ways.

2 Ye are travelling home to God,
In the way the fathers trod;
They are happy now, and ye
Soon their happiness shall see.

3 Shout, ye little flock, and blest;
You on Jesus' throne shall rest;
There your seat is now prepared,
There your kingdom and reward.

4 Lord, submissive make us go,
Ready, leaving all below;
Only thou our Leader be,
And we still will follow thee.

380. C. M. H. H. Hawley.

The Hope, the Star, the Voice.

1 There is a hope, a blesséd hope,
More precious and more bright
Than all the joyless mockery
The world esteems delight.

2 There is a star, a lovely star,
That lights the darkest gloom,
And sheds a peaceful radiance o'er
The prospects of the tomb.

3 There is a voice, a cheering voice,
That lifts the soul above,
Dispels the painful, anxious doubt,
And whispers, "God is love."

4 That voice, aloud from Calvary's height,
Proclaims the soul forgiven;
That star is revelation's light;
That hope, the hope of heaven.

381. C. M. Drennan.

Law of Love.

1 All nature feels attractive power,
A strong, embracing force;
The drops that sparkle in the shower,
The planets in their course.

2 Thus, in the universe of mind,
Is felt the law of love;
The charity both strong and kind,
For all that live and move.

3 In this fine sympathetic chain
All creatures bear a part;
Their every pleasure, every pain,
Linked to the feeling heart.

4 More perfect bond, the Christian plan
Attaches soul to soul;
Our neighbor is the suffering man,
Though at the farthest pole.

5 To earth below, from heaven above,
The faith in Christ professed,
More clearly shows that God is love,
And whom he loves is blessed.

382. C. M. Doddridge.

The Same.

1 O, may our sympathizing breasts
The generous pleasure know,
Kindly to share in others' joy,
And weep for others' woe!

2 Where'er the helpless sons of grief
In low distress are laid,
Soft be our hearts their pains to feel,
And swift our hands to aid.

3 O, be the law of love fulfilled
In every act and thought,
Each angry passion far removed,
Each selfish view forgot!

4 Be thou, my heart, dilated wide
With this kind, social grace,
And, in one grasp of fervent love,
All earth and heaven embrace.

383. C. M. Watts.

Love to God.

1 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 This is the grace that lives and sings,
When faith and hope shall cease;
'Tis this shall strike our joyful strings
In realms of endless peace.

4 Before we quite forsake our clay,
Or leave this dark abode,
The wings of love bear us away
To see our gracious God.

384. L. M. Browne.

Love to all Mankind.

1 O God, my Father, and my King,
Of all I have, or hope, the spring!
Send down thy spirit from above,
And fill my heart with heavenly love.

2 May I from every act abstain,
That hurts or gives another pain:
And bear a sympathizing part,
Whene'er I meet a wounded heart.

3 And let my neighbor's prosperous state
A mutual joy in me create;
His virtuous triumph let me join;
His peace and happiness be mine.

4 And though my neighbor's hate I prove,
Still let me vanquish hate with love;
And every secret wish suppress,
That would abridge his happiness.

5 Let love through all my conduct shine,
An image fair, though faint, of thine!
Thus let me his disciple prove,
Who came to manifest thy love.

385. C. M. Roscoe.

The Two Commandments.

1 This is the first and great command--
To love thy God above;
And this the second--as thyself
Thy neighbor thou shalt love.

2 Who is my neighbor? He who wants
The help which thou canst give;
And both the law and prophets say,
This do, and thou shalt live.

386. C. M. Watts.

Christ's Love to Enemies our Example.

1 God of our mercy and our praise,
Thy glory is our song;
We'll speak the honors of thy grace
With a rejoicing tongue.

2 When Christ among the sons of men
In humble form was found,
With cruel slanders, false and vain,
They compassed him around.

3 Their miseries his compassion moved,
Their peace he still pursued;
They rendered hatred for his love,
And evil for his good.

4 Their malice raged without a cause;
Yet, with his dying breath,
He prayed for murderers on his cross,
And blest his foes in death.

5 O, may his conduct, all divine,
To us a model prove:
Like his, O God, our hearts incline
Our enemies to love.

387. C. M. Christian Psalmist.

Faith, Hope and Charity.

1 Faith, hope, and love, now dwell on earth,
And earth by them is blest;
But faith and hope must yield to love,
Of all the graces best.

2 Hope shall to full fruition rise,
And faith be sight above;
These are the means, but this the end,
For saints forever love.

388. L. M. Montgomery.

The Christian Graces.

1 Faith, hope, and charity, these three,
Yet is the greatest charity;
Father of lights, these gifts impart
To mine and every human heart.

2 Faith, that in prayer can never fail,
Hope, that o'er doubting must prevail,
And charity, whose name above
Is God's own name, for God is love.

3 The morning star is lost in light,
Faith vanishes at perfect sight,
The rainbow passes with the storm
And hope with sorrow's fading form.

4 But charity, serene, sublime,
Beyond the reach of death and time,
Like the blue sky's all-bounding space,
Holds heaven and earth in its embrace.

389. C. M. Watts.

A Living and a Dead Faith.

1 Mistaken souls! that dream of heaven,
And make their empty boast
Of inward joys, and sins forgiven,
While they are slaves to lust.

2 Vain are our fancies, airy flights,
If faith be cold and dead;
None but a living power unites
To Christ the living head.

3 'T is faith that purifies the heart;
'T is faith that works by love;
That bids all sinful joys depart,
And lifts the thoughts above.

4 This faith shall every fear control
By its celestial power,
With holy triumph fill the soul
In death's approaching hour.

390. L. M. Scott.

"Two men went up into the temple to pray."

1 The uplifted eye, and bended knee,
Are but vain homage, Lord, to thee;
In vain our lips thy praise prolong,
The heart a stranger to the song.

2 The pure, the humble, contrite mind,
Sincere, and to thy will resigned,
To thee a nobler offering yields,
Than Sheba's groves, or Sharon's fields.

3 Love God and man--this great command,
Doth on eternal pillars stand;
This did thine ancient prophets teach,
And this thy Well-Belovéd preach.

391. H. M. Montgomery.

Brotherly Love. Ps. 133.

1 How beautiful the sight
Of brethren who agree
In friendship to unite,
And bonds of charity!
'T is like the precious ointment shed
O'er all his robes from Aaron's head.

2 'Tis like the dews that fill
The cups of Hermon's flowers;
Or Zion's fruitful hill,
Bright with the drops of showers;
When mingling odors breathe around,
And glory rests on all the ground.

3 For there the Lord commands
Blessings, a boundless store,
From his unsparing hands,
Yea, life for evermore.
Thrice happy they who meet above
To spend eternity in love!

392. 7s. M. C. Wesley.

The Harmony of Love.

1 Lord! subdue our selfish will;
Each to each our tempers suit,
By thy modulating skill,
Heart to heart, as lute to lute.

2 Sweetly on our spirits move;
Gently touch the trembling strings:
Make the harmony of love,
Music for the King of kings!

393. S. M. Watts.

The Bond of Peace.

1 Blest are the sons of peace,
Whose hearts and hopes are one;
Whose kind designs to serve and please
Through all their actions run.

2 Blest is the pious house
Where zeal and friendship meet;
Their songs of praise, their mingled vows,
Make their communion sweet.

3 Thus on the heavenly hills
The saints are blest above,
Where joy like morning dew distils,
And all the air is love.

394. C. M. Montgomery.

"The unity of the spirit in the bond of peace."

1 The glorious universe around,
The heavens with all their train,
Sun, moon, and stars, are firmly bound
In one mysterious chain.

2 The earth, the ocean, and the sky,
To form one world agree,
Where all that walk, or swim, or fly,
Compose one family.

3 In one fraternal bond of love,
One fellowship of mind,
The saints below and saints above
Their bliss and glory find.

4 Here in their house of pilgrimage,
Thy statutes are their song;
There, through one bright, eternal age,
Thy praises they prolong.

395. C. M. C. Wesley.

The Church on Earth and in Heaven, One.

1 The saints on earth and those above
But one communion make:
Joined to their Lord in bonds of love,
All of his grace partake.

2 One family, we dwell in him;
One church above, beneath;
Though now divided by the stream,
The swelling stream of death.

3 One army of the living God,--
To his command we bow;
Part of the host have crossed the flood,
And part are crossing now.

4 O God, be thou our constant guide!
And when the word is given,
Sustain us o'er the fearful tide,
And bring us safe to heaven.

396. S. M. Beddome.

Christian Unity.

1 Let party names no more
The Christian world o'erspread;
Gentile and Jew, and bond and free,
Are one in Christ their head.

2 Among the saints on earth
Let mutual love be found;
Heirs of the same inheritance,
With mutual blessings crowned.

3 Let envy and ill-will
Be banished far away;
Those should in holy friendship dwell,
Who the same Lord obey.

4 Thus will the church below
Resemble that above;
Where streams of pleasure always flow,
And every heart is love.

397. L. M. Barbauld.

Christian Friendship.

1 How blest the sacred tie that binds
In union sweet according minds!
How swift the heavenly course they run,
Whose hearts, and faith, and hopes are one!

2 To each the soul of each how dear!
What jealous love, what holy fear!
How doth the generous flame within
Refine from earth, and cleanse from sin!

3 Their streaming eyes together flow
For human guilt and mortal woe;
Their ardent prayers together rise
Like mingling flames in sacrifice.

4 Together shall they seek the place
Where God reveals his awful face:
How high, how strong, their raptures swell
There's none but kindred souls can tell.

398. L. M. Anonymous.

Charitable Judgment.

1 Omniscient God, 'tis thine to know
The springs whence wrong opinions flow;
To judge from principles within,
When frailty errs, and when we sin.

2 Who with another's eye can read,
Or worship by another's creed?
Revering thy command alone,
We humbly seek and use our own.

3 If wrong, forgive; accept, if right,
Whilst faithful, we obey our light,
And judging none, are zealous still
To follow, as to learn, thy will.

4 When shall our happy eyes behold
Thy people, fashioned in thy mould?
And charity our kindred prove
Derived from thee, O God of love?

399. L. M. Watts.

The Same.

1 Not different food, nor different dress,
Compose the kingdom of our Lord;
But peace, and joy, and righteousness,
Faith, and obedience to his word.

2 When weaker Christians we despise,
We do the gospel mighty wrong;
For God, the gracious and the wise,
Receives the feeble with the strong.

3 Let pride and wrath be banished hence,
Meekness and love our souls pursue,
Nor shall our practice give offence
To saints, the Gentile or the Jew.

400. S. M. Scott.

Private Judgment and Accountability.

1 Imposture shrinks from light,
And dreads the curious eye;
But sacred truths the test invite,
They bid us search and try.

2 With understanding blest,
Created to be free,
Our faith on man we dare not rest,
Subject to none but thee.

3 Lord, give the light we need;
With soundest knowledge fill;
From noxious error guard our creed,
From prejudice our will.

4 The truth thou shalt impart,
May we with firmness own;
Abhorring each evasive art,
And fearing thee alone.

401. C. M. Newton.

True Zeal.

1 Zeal is that pure and heavenly flame
The fire of love supplies;
Whilst that which often bears the name,
Is self but in disguise.

2 True zeal is merciful and mild,
Can pity and forbear;
The false is headstrong, fierce and wild,
And breathes revenge and war.

3 While zeal for truth the Christian warms,
He knows the worth of peace;
But self contends for names and forms,
Its party to increase.

4 Zeal has attained its highest aim,
Its end is satisfied,
If sinners love the Saviour's name,--
Nor seeks it aught beside.

5 This idol self, O Lord, dethrone,
And from our hearts remove;
And let no zeal by us be shown
But that which springs from love.

402. C. M. Needham.

Moderation.

1 Happy the man whose cautious steps
Still keep the golden mean;
Whose life by wisdom's rules well formed,
Declares a conscience clean.

2 To sect or party his large soul
Disdains to be confined;
The good he loves of every name,
And prays for all mankind.

3 His business is to keep his heart;
Each passion to control;
Nobly ambitious well to rule
The empire of his soul.

4 Not on the world his heart is set,
His treasure is above;
Nothing beneath the sovereign good
Can claim his highest love.

403. L. M. Sir H. Wotton.

The Independent and Happy Man.

1 How happy is he born or taught,
Who serveth not another's will;
Whose armor is his honest thought,
And simple truth his highest skill;

2 Whose passions not his masters are;
Whose soul is still prepared for death;
Not tied unto the world with care
Of prince's ear or vulgar breath;

3 Who God doth late and early pray
More of his grace than goods to lend,
And walks with man from day to day,
As with a brother and a friend.

4 This man is freed from servile bands
Of hope to rise, or fear to fall;
Lord of himself, though not of lands,
And having nothing, yet hath all.

404. C. M. Logan.

Wisdom.

1 O happy is the man, who hears
Instruction's warning voice;
And who celestial wisdom makes
His early, only choice.

2 Her treasures are of more esteem
Than east or west unfold;
And her rewards more precious are
Than all their mines of gold.

3 In her right hand she holds to view
A length of happy days;
Riches with splendid honors joined,
Her left hand full displays.

4 She guides the young with innocence
In pleasure's path to tread;
A crown of glory she bestows
Upon the hoary head.

5 According as her labors rise,
So her rewards increase;
Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.

405. C. M. Campbell's Coll.

"They shall walk and not faint."

1 Mere human power shall fast decay,
And youthful vigor cease;
But they who wait upon the Lord
In strength shall still increase.

2 They with unwearied feet shall tread
The path of life divine,
With growing ardor onward move,
With growing brightness shine.

3 On eagles' wings they mount, they soar;
Their wings are faith and love;
Till, past the cloudy regions here,
They rise to heaven above.

406. C. M. Watts.

Hidden Life of the Christian.

1 O happy soul that lives on high,
While men lie grovelling here!
His hopes are fixed above the sky,
And faith forbids his fear.

2 His conscience knows no secret stings,
While grace and joy combine
To form a life whose holy springs
Are hidden and divine.

3 He waits in secret on his God;
His God in secret sees;
Let earth be all in arms abroad,
He dwells in heavenly peace.

4 His pleasures rise from things unseen,
Beyond this world and time;
Where neither eyes nor ears have been,
Nor thoughts of mortals climb.

5 He wants no pomp nor royal throne
To raise his honors here;
Content and pleased to live unknown,
Till Christ, his life, appear.

407. 8s. M. C. Wesley.

"That they also may be one in us."

1 Lord, from whom all blessings flow,
Perfecting the church below!
Steadfast may we cleave to thee;
Love the mystic union be.
Join our faithful spirits, join
Each to each, and all to thine:
Lead us through the paths of peace,
On to perfect holiness.

2 Sweetly may we all agree,
Touched with softest sympathy:
There is neither bond nor free,
Great nor servile, Lord, in thee;
Love, like death, hath all destroyed
Rendered all distinctions void!
Names, and sects, and parties fall:
Thou, O Christ, art all in all!

408. S. M. Steele.

Religion a Support in Life.

1 Religion can assuage
The tempest of the soul;
And every fear shall lose its rage
At her divine control.

2 Through life's bewildered way,
Her hand unerring leads;
And o'er the path her heavenly ray
A cheering lustre sheds.

3 When reason, tired and blind,
Sinks helpless and afraid,
Thou blest supporter of the mind,
How powerful is thine aid!