2 'Twas he, who taught me thus to pray,
And he, I trust, has answer'd prayer;
But answer came in such a way,
As almost drove me to despair.
3 I hop'd that in some favour'd hour,
At once he'd grant me my request;
And by his love's constraining pow'r
Subdue my sins and give me rest.
4 Instead of this, he made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry pow'rs of hell,
Assault my soul in ev'ry part.
5 Yea more; with his own hand he seem'd Intent to aggravate my woe;
Cross'd all the fair designs I schem❜d, Blasted my gourds, and laid me low. 6 "Lord, why is this?" I trembling cried, "Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death! ""Tis in this way," the Lord replied, "I answer prayer for grace and faith: 7" These inward trials I employ, "From self and pride to set thee free; "And break thy schemes of earthly joy, "That thou mayest seek thine all in me."
HYMN 137. L. M.
The Triumph of faith.
HO shall the Lord's elect condemn ?
'Tis God that justifies their souls;
And mercy like a mighty stream,
O'er all their sins divinely rolls.
2 Who shall adjudge the saints to hell?
'Tis Christ that suffer'd in their stead:
And the salvation to fulfil,
Behold him rising from the dead.
3 He lives! he lives! and sits above, Forever interceding there :
Who shall divide us from his love, Or what should tempt us to despair? 4 Shall persecution or distress,
Famine, or sword, or nakedness? He, that hath lov'd us, bears us through, And makes us more than conq'rors too. 5 Faith hath an overcoming pow'r, It triumphs in the dying hour: Christ is our life, oùr joy, our hope; Nor can we sink with such a prop. 6 Not all that men on earth can do, Nor pow'rs on high, nor pow'rs below, Shall cause his mercy to remove, Nor wean our hearts from Christ our love HYMN 138. C. M.
The Summary of Faith.
N God the Father I believe,
Who heav'n and earth did frame,
By his almighty word; his praise.
And glory to proclaim.
2 I do believe in Jesus Christ,
God's only Son, our Lord,
Begotten from eternity,
The everlasting Word.
3 I in the Holy Ghost believe,
A Person true, and one;
In essence, pow'r, eternity,
With Father and with Son.
4 An holy catholic Church I own,
The heirs of heav'n design'd;
By union all to Christ their head,
And one another join'd.
5 Redemption thro' the blood of Christ
I heartily embrace;
A full forgiveness of my sins,
The gift of sov'reign grace.
6 The Resurrection of the dead,
Sincerely I maintain;
My soul and body glorified,
With Christ shall live and reign.
7 The hopes of everlasting Life,
My fainting soul sustain :
To this I set my solemn seal,
And say, in truth, Amen!
8 To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
The God whom we adore,
Be glory as it was, is now,
And shall be evermore.
The song of Hannah-an encouragement to Prayer.
WHEN Hannah press'd with grief,
Pour'd forth her soul in pray'rs;
She quickly found relief,
And songs succeeded tears.
Like her in ev'ry trying case,
Let us approach the throne of grace.
2 When she began to pray,
Her heart was pain'd and sad ;
But ere she went away,
Was comforted and glad:
In trouble, what a resting place,
Have they, who know the throne of grace!
3 Eli her case mistook ;
How was her spirit mov'd
By his unkind rebuke!
But God her cause approv'd.
We need not fear a creature's face,
While welcome at a throne of grace.
4 Men have not pow'r nor skill
With troubled souls to bear:
Tho' they express good will,
Poor comforters they are :
But swelling sorrows sink apace,
When we approach the throne of grace.
5 Thousands have often tried,
And with success were crown'd;
Not one has been denied,
But all an answer found..
Let us by faith their footsteps trace,
And hasten to the throne of grace.
HYMN 140. C. M..
The song of Hezekiah.
WHEN we are rais'd from deep distress,
Our God deserves a song,
We take the pattern of our praise
From Hezekiah's tongue.
2 The gates of the devouring grave
Are open'd wide in vain,
If he, who holds the keys of death,.
Commands them fast again.
3 Pains of the flesh are wont t' abuse
Our minds with slavish fears;
“Our days are past, and we shall lose
"The remnant of our years."
4. We chatter with a swallow's voice,
Or like a dove we mourn;
With bitterness instead of joys,
Afflicted and forlorn.
5 Jehovah speaks the healing word,
And no disease withstands;
Fevers and plagues obey the Lord,
And fly at his commands.
If half the strings of life should break,
He can our frame restore :
He casts our sins behind his back,
And they are found no more.
HYMN 141. L. M.
The song of Mary.
10
UR souls shall magnify the Lord;
In God the Saviour we rejoice :
While we repeat the Virgin's song,
May the same Spirit tune our voice!
2 The Highest saw her low estate,
And mighty things his hand hath done;
His over-shadowing pow'r and grace
Makes her the mother of his Son.
3 Let ev'ry nation call her bless'd,
And endless years prolong her fame :
But God alone must be ador'd;
Holy and rev'rend is his name.
4 To those that fear and trust the Lord,
His mercy stands for ever sure;
From age to age his promise lives,
And the performance is secure.
5 He spake to Abra'm and his seed,
"In thee shall all the earth be bless'd :"
The mem'ry of that ancient word
Lay long in his eternal breast.
6 But now, no more shall Israel wait,
No more the Gentiles lie forlorn :
Lo, the desire of nations comes,
Behold the promis'd Seed is born!
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