The trespass of our legal head In ruin plung'd us all.
4 The garden of Gethsemane,
The second Adam saw, Oppress'd with woe, to set us free From the avenging law.
5 How stupid we, who can forget, With gardens in our sight, His agonies and bloody sweat In that tremendous night.
6 His church as a fair garden stands, Which walls of love inclose, Each tree is planted by his hands, And by his blessing grows. 7 Believing hearts are gardens too, For grace has sown its seeds, Where once, by nature, nothing grew But thorns and worthless weeds.
8 Such themes, to those who Jesus love, May constant joys afford, And make a barren desert prove The garden of the Lord.
For a Garden-Seat or Summer-House. 1 A SHELTER from the rain or wind,† A shade from scorching heat, A resting-place you here may To ease your weary feet.
2 Enter, but with a serious thought Consider who is near: This is a consecrated spot, The Lord is present here.
3 A question of the utmost weight,
While reading, meets your eye; May conscience witness to your state, And give a true reply!
4 Is Jesus to your heart reveal'd,
As full of truth and grace? And is his name your hope and shield, Your rest and hiding-place?
5 If so, for all events prepar'd
Whatever storms may rise, He whom you love will safely guard, And guide you to the skies.
6 No burning sun, or storm, or rain, Will there your peace annoy; No sin, temptation, grief or pain, Intrude to damp your joy.
7 But if his name you have not known, O seek him while you may! Lest you should meet his awful frown In that approaching day.
8 When the avenging Judge you see, With terrors on his brow, Where can you hide, or whither flee, If you reject him now?
The Creatures in the Lord's Hands. 1 THE water stood like walls of brass, To let the sons of Israel pass,* And from the rock in rivers burst,
At Moses' prayer,† to quench their thirst. 2 The fire, restrain'd by God's commands, Could only burn his people's bands: Too faint, when he was with them there, To singe their garments or their hair.
3 At Daniel's feet the lions lay,
Like harmless lambs, nor touch'd their prey; And ravens, which on carron fed, Procur'd Elijah flesh and bread.||
4 Thus creatures orly can fulfil Their great Creator's holy will; And when his servants need their aid His purposes must be obeyed.
5 So if his blessing he refuse, Their power to help they quickly lose; Sure as on creatures we depend, Our hopes in disappointment end.
6 Then let us trust the Lord alone, And creature-confidence disown; Nor, if they threaten, need we fear; They cannot hurt if he be near.
7 If instruments of pain they prove, Still they are guided by his love, As lancets by the surgeon's skill, Which wound to cure and not to kill.
HYMN XCVIII.
On Dreaming.
1 WHEN slumber seals our weary eyes, The busy fancy wakeful keeps; The scenes which then before us rise, Prove something in us never sleeps. 2 As in another world we seem, A new creation of our own; All appears real, though a dream, And all familiar, though unknown. 3 Sometimes the mind beholds again The past day's bus'ness in review, Resumes the pleasure or the pain, And sometimes all we meet is new.
4 What schemes we form! what pains we We fight, we run, we fly, we fall; [take, But all is ended when we wake,
We scarcely then a trace recall.
5 But though our dreams are often wild, Like clouds before the driving storm, Yet some important may be styl'd, Sent to admonish or inform.
6 What mighty agents have access, What friends from heaven or foes from hell, Our minds to comfort or distress, When we are sleeping, who can tell?
7 One thing at least, and 'tis enough, We learn from this surprising fact, Our dreams afford sufficient proof, The soul without the flesh can act. 8 This life, which mortals so esteem, That many choose it for their all, They will confess, was but a dream,* When wakened by death's awful call.
1 SEE, the world for youth prepares, Harlot-like, her gaudy snares! Pleasures round her seem to wait, But 'tis all a painted cheat. 2 Rash and unsuspecting youth Thinks to find thee always smooth, Always kind, till better taught, By experience dearly bought. 3 So the calm, but faithless sea, (Lively emblem, world, of thee,) Tempts the shepherd from the shore, Foreign regions to explore.
4 While no wrinkled wave is seen, While the sky remains serene, Fill'd with hopes and golden schemes, Of a storm he little dreams. 5 But ere long the tempest raves, Then he trembles at the waves; Wishes then he had been wise, But too late he sinks and dies. 6 Hapless thus are they, vain world, Soon on rocks of ruin hurl'd, Who admiring thee, untried, Court thy pleasure, wealth, or pride. 7 Such a shipwreck had been mine, Had not Jesus (name divine!) Sav'd me with a mighty hand, And restor❜d my soul to land. 8 Now, with gratitude I raise Ebenezers to his praise;
Now my rash pursuits are o'er, I can trust thee, world, no more.
The Enchantment dissolved.
1 BLINDED in youth by Satan's arts, The world to our unpractis'd hearts, A flatt'ring prospect shows; Our fancy forms a thousand schemes Our gay delights and golden dreams, And undisturb'd repose.
2 So in the desert's dreary waste, By magic power produc'd in haste, (As ancient fables say)
Castles, and groves, and music sweet, The senses of the trav'ller meet,
And stop him in his way.
3 But while he listens with surprise, The charm dissolves, the vision dies, "Twas but enchanted ground: Thus, if the Lord our spirit touch, The world, which promis'd us so much, A wilderness is found.
4 At first we start, and feel distress'd, Convinc'd we never can have rest In such a wretched place; But he whose mercy breaks the charm, Reveals his own almighty arm,
And bids us seek his face.
5 Then we begin to live indeed, When from our sin and bondage freed By this beloved Friend;
We follow him from day to day, Assur'd of grace through all the way, And glory at the end.
ON THE RISE, PROGRESS, CHANGES, AND COMFORTS OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE.
1 No words can declare, No fancy can paint, What rage and despair, What hopeless complaint, Fill Satan's dark dwelling, The prison beneath What weeping, and yelling, And gnashing of teeth!
2 Yet sinners will choose This dreadful abode; Each madly pursues The dangerous road;
Though God give them warning They onward will go, They answer with scorning, And rush upon woe.
3 How sad to behold The rich and the poor,
The young and the old, All blindly secure! All posting to ruin, Refusing to stop!
Ah! think what you're doing, While yet there is hope.
4 How weak is your hand, To fight with the Lord! How can you withstand The edge of his sword? What hope of escaping For those who oppose, When hell is wide gaping To swallow his foes!
5 How oft have dar'd you The Lord to his face! Yet still you are spar'd To hear of his grace; Oh! pray for repentance And life-giving faith, Before the just sentence Consign you to death.
6 It is not too late To Jesus to flee, His mercy is great, His pardon is free;
His blood has such virtue For all that believe,
That nothing can hurt you, If him you receive.
1 STOP, poor sinner! stop, and think, Before you farther go! Will you sport upon the brink Of everlasting woe? Once again, I charge you, stop! For, unless you warning take, Ere you are aware, you drop Into the burning lake!
2 Say, have you an arm like God, That you his will oppose? Fear you not that iron rod
With which he breaks his foes? Can you stand in that dread day, When he judgment shall proclaim, And the earth shall melt away,
Like wax before the flame?
3 Pale-fac'd death will quickly come, To drag you to his bar; Then to hear your awful doom Will fill you with despair:
All your sins will round you crowd, Sins of a blood-crimson dye; Each for vengeance crying loud, And what can you reply?
4 Though your heart be made of steel, Your forehead lin'd with brass, God at length will make you feel,
He will not let you pass: Sinners then in vain will call, (Though they now despise his grace) Rocks and mountains on us fall,*
And hide us from his face.
5 But as yet there is a hope You may mercy know, his Though his arm is lifted up, He still forbears the blow: "Twas for sinners Jesus died, Sinners he invites to come; None who come shall be denied, "There still is room." He
We were once as you are. 1 SHALL men pretend to pleasure, Who never knew the Lord, Can all the worldling's treasure True peace of mind afford? They shall obtain this jewel In what their hearts desire, When they by adding fuel
Can quench the flame of fire. 2 Till you can bid the ocean, When furious tempests roar,* Forget its wonted motion, And rage and swell no more; In vain your expectation To find content in sin, Or freedom from vexation, While passions reign within. 3 Come turn your thoughts to Jesus, If you would good possess; 'Tis he alone that frees us
From guilt and from distress: When he by faith is present, The sinner's troubles cease; His ways are truly pleasant, And all his paths are peace.† 4 Our time in sin we wasted, And fed upon the wind; Until his love we tasted,
No comfort could we find: But now we stand to witness
His power and grace to you; May you perceive its fitness, And call upon him too!
5 Our pleasure and our duty, Though opposite before, Since we have seen his beauty, Are join'd to part no more: It is our highest pleasure,
No less than duty's call, To love him beyond measure, And serve him with our all.
HYMN IV. Prepare to meet God.
1 SINNER, art thou still secure? Wilt thou still refuse to pray? Can thy heart or hands endure In the Lord's avenging day? See, his mighty arm is bar'd! Awful terrors clothe his brow! For his judgment stand prepar'd, Thou must either break or bow. 2 At his presence nature shakes, Earth affrighted hastes to flee, Solid mountains melt like wax; What will then become of thee Who his advent may abide? You that glory in your shame, Will you find a place to hide When the world is wrapt in flame?
3 Then the rich, the great, the wise, Trembling, guilty, self-condemn'd, Must behold the wrathful eyes Of the Judge they once blasphem'd: Where are now their haughty looks? Oh their horror and despair! When they see the open'd books, And their dreadful sentence hear! 4 Lord, prepare us by thy grace! Soon we must resign our breath; And our souls be call'd to pass Through the iron gate of death: Let us now our day improve, Listen to the gospel-voice; Seek the things that are above, Scorn the world's pretended joys.
5 Oh! when flesh and heart shall fail, Let thy love our spirits cheer; Strengthen'd thus, we shall prevail Over Satan, sin, and fear: Trusting in thy precious name, May we thus our journey end; Then our foes shall lose their aim, And the Judge will be our friend.
1 SINNERS, hear the Saviour's call, He now is passing by; He has seen thy grievous thrall, And heard thy mournful cry, He has pardons to impart, Grace to save thee from thy fears; See the love that fills his heart, And wipe away thy tears. 2 Why art thou afraid to come,
And tell him all thy case? He will not pronounce thy doom, Nor frown thee from his face: Wilt thou fear Emmanuel? Wilt thou dread the Lamb of God, Who, to save thy soul from hell,
Has shed his precious blood? 3 Think how on the cross he hung, Pierc'd with a thousand wounds! Hark, from each, as with a tongue,
The voice of pardon sounds! See, from all his bursting veins, Blood of wondrous virtue flow! Shed to wash away thy stains,
And ransom thee from woe. 4 Though his majesty be great, His mercy is no less; Though he thy transgressions hate, He feels for thy distress: By himself the Lord hath sworn, He delights not in thy death,* But invites thee to return,
That thou may'st live by faith. 5 Raise thy downcast eyes, and see What throngs his throne surround!
These, though sinners once like thee, Have full salvation found: Yield not then to unbelief! While he says, "There yet is room," Though of sinners thou art chief, Since Jesus calls thee, come.
SIMILAR HYMNS.
Book I. Hymn 75, 91.
Book II. Hymn 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 35, 77, 78, 83.
II. SEEKING, PLEADING, AND
HYMN VI.
The burdened Sinner.
1 АH! what can I do, Or where be secure! If justice pursue, What heart can endure? The heart breaks asunder, Though hard as a stone, When God speaks in thunder, And makes himself known. 2 With terror I read My sins' heavy score, The numbers exceed The sands on the shore; Guilt makes me unable To stand or to flee; So Cain murder'd Abel And trembled like me. 3 Each sin, like his blood, With a terrible cry, Calls loudly on God To strike from on high: Nor can my repentance, Extorted by fear,
Reverse the just sentence, "Tis just, though severe. 4 The case is too plain,
I have my own choice; Again, and again, I slighted his voice, His warnings neglected, His patience abus'd, His gospel rejected, His mercy refus'd.
5 And must I then go, For ever to dwell In torments and woe, With devils in heli? Oh! where is the Saviour I scorn'd in times past? His word in my favour Would save me at last. 6 Lord Jesus on thee I venture to call, Oh look upon me, The vilest of all!
The law proclaims destruction nigh, And vengeance at the door.
When I review my ways,
I dread impending doom;
But sure a friendly whisper says,
"Flee from the wrath to come."
I see, or think I see,
A glimm'ring from afar;
A beam of day that shines for me, To save me from despair. Forerunner of the sun,*
It marks the pilgrim's way; I'll gaze upon it while I run, And watch the rising day.
HYMN IX. Encouragement.
1 My soul is beset With grief and dismay, I owe a vast debt, And nothing can pay: I must go to prison, Unless that dear Lord, Who died and is risen, His pity afford.
2 The death that he died, The blood that he spilt, To sinners applied, Discharge from all guilt: This great intercessor Can give, if he please, The vilest transgressor Immediate release.
3 When nail'd to the tree, He answer'd the prayer Of one who, like me, Was nigh to despair;† He did not upbraid him With all he had done, But instantly made him A saint and a son.
4 The jailor, I read,
A pardon receiv'd:t And how was he freed? He only believ'd: His case mine resembled, Like me he was foul, Like me too he trembled, But faith made him whole.
5 Though Saul in his youth, To madness enrag'd, Against the Lord's truth And people engag’d; Yet Jesus, the Saviour, Whom long he revil'd,ğ Receiv'd him to favour, And made him a child. 6 A foe to all good, In wickedness skill'd,
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