6 Conscious of sov'reign mercy near,
Its voice shall banish ev'ry fear;
While faith and hope in joys to come,
Waft him to realms beyond the tomb.
328. L. M. DODDRIDGE.
Paul's solicitude to finish his course with joy.
1 ASSIST us, Lord, thy name to praise,
For this rich gospel of thy grace;
And, that our hearts may love it more,
Teach them to feel its vital pow'r.
2 With joy may we our course pursue,
And keep the crown of life in view;
That crown, which in one hour repays
The labour of ten thousand days.
3 Should bonds or death obstruct our way,
Unmov'd, their terrors we'll survey;
And the last hour improve for thee,
The last of life or liberty.
4 Welcome those bands which may unite
Our souls to their supreme delight;
Welcome that death, whose painful strife
Bears us to Christ our better life.
C. M. ANONYMOUS.
The joy of the Lord is your strength.
1 JOY is a fruit that will not grow
In nature's barren soil;
All we can boast till Christ we know,
Is vanity and toil.
2 But where the Lord has planted grace,
And made his glories known;
There fruits of heav'nly joy and peace
Are found, and there alone.
3 A bleeding Saviour, seen by faith,
A sense of pard'ning love,
A hope that triumphs over death,
Give joys like those above.
4 To take a glimpse within the veil,
To know that God is mine,
Are springs of joy that never fail,
Unspeakable! divine!
5 These are the joys which satisfy,
And sanctify the mind;
Which make the spirit mount on high,
And leave the world behind.
6 No more, believers, mourn your lot;
But if you are the Lord's,
Resign to them that know him not
Such joys as earth affords.
L. M. ANONYMOUS.
The death of Stephen.
1 AS some tall rock amidst the waves
The fury of the tempest braves,
While the fierce billows, tossing high,
Break at its foot, and murm'ring die
2 Thus they who in the Lord confide,
Though foes assault on ev'ry side,
Cannot be mov'd or overthrown,
For Jesus makes their cause his own.
3 So faithful Stephen, undismay'd,
The malice of the Jews survey'd;
The holy joy which fill'd his breast,
A lustre on his face impress'd.
4 "Behold! he said, the world of light
Is open'd to my strengthen'd sight;
My glorious Lord appears in view,
That Jesus whom ye lately slew."
5 With such a friend and witness near,
No form of death could make him fear;
Calm, amidst show'rs of stones, he kneels,
And only for his murd'rers feels.
6 May we by faith, perceive thee thus,
Dear Saviour, ever near to us!
This sight our peace through life shall keep, And death be fear'd no more than sleep.
Strong in the strength which God supplies, In his beloved Son.
Strong in the Lord of hosts,
And mighty in his pow'r;
Who in the strength of Jesus trusts
Is more than conqueror.
Put on then, for the fight,
The armour of your God;
And, trusting in your Leader's might,
Pursue the path he trod.
4 Lord, grant, that all things done,
And all our conflicts past,
We may o'ercome, through thee alone,
And stand entire at last.
SOLDIERS of Christ, arise,
And put your armour on;
Engage your enemies,
Let every fear be gone:
Now take the field, the fight renew,
And never yield, though faint, pursue.
Though sin, and death, and hell,
Your heav'nly march oppose;
Fear not, it shall be well,"
God will confound your foes:
Go on, ye saints, the fight renew,
And Gideon like, though faint, pursue.
Ne'er lay your weapons down,
Till death shall close the strife;
Till you receive a cro'yn
Of everlasting life:
On God depend, the fight renew,
As Gideon conquer'd, so shall you.
Come feed on heav'nly bread,
"Twill make you strong to fight;
God will supply your need,
And put your foes to flight:
His arm is strong, his word is true,
Ye saints, go on, though faint, pursue.
333. C. M. DR. GRECORY.
Christian Benevolence.
1 SWEET is the love that mutual glows,
Within each brother's breast,
And binds in gentlest bonds each heart,
All blessing and all blessed :
2 Sweet as the odorous balsam poured
On Aaron's sacred head,
Which o'er his beard, and down his vest,
A breathing fragrance shed;
3 Like morning dews, on Zion's mount
That spread their silver rays;
And deck with gems the verdant pomp;
Which Hermon's top displays.
4 To such, the Lord of life and love
His blessing shall extend;
On earth a life of joy and peace,
And life that ne'er shall end.
10 WHAT stupendous mercy shines
Around the Majesty of heaven!
Rebels, he deigns to call his sons,
Their souls renew'd, their sins forgiv❜n.
2 Go, imitate the grace divine,
The grace that blazes like a sun;
Hold forth your fair, though feeble light,
Through all your lives let mercy run
3 Upon your bounty's willing wings,
Swift let the kind assistance fly;
The hungry feed, the naked clothe
To pain and sickness help apply.
4 Pity the weeping widow's wo,
And be her counsellor and stay;
Adopt the fatherless, and soothe
The much afflicted on their way.
5 When all is done, renounce your deeds, Renounce self-righteousness with scorn; Thus will you glorify your God,
And thus the Christian name adorn.
1 O LET us, with a grateful mind,
Take what our Father, ever-kind,
So liberally bestows!
Yet if our earthly store be small,
In thankfulness improve it all
To him from whom it flows.
2 To be resigned, when ills betide,
Patient, when favours are denied,
And pleased with favours given;
This, gracious God! is, wisdom's part;
This is that incense of the heart,
Whose fragrance reaches heaven.
3 Thus through life's changing scenes we'll go
Its chequered paths of joy and wo,
With cautious steps we'll tread;
Quit its vain scenes without a tear,
Without a trouble or a fear,
And mingle with the dead:
4 While conscience, like a faithful friend,
Shall through the gloomy vale attend,
And cheer our dying breath;
Shall, when all other comforts cease,
Like a kind angel whisper peace,
And smooth the bed of death.
1 FATHER, whate'er of earthly bliss
Thy sovereign will denies,
Accepted at thy throne of grace
Let this petition rise :-
2 "Give us a calm, a thankful heart,
From every murmur free;
The blessings of thy grace impart,
And make us live to thee.
3 "Oh let the hope that we are thine,
Our life and death attend-
Thy presence through our journey shine, And crown our journey's end."
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