303 old things passed away. 2 Cor. v. 17.

L

ET worldly minds the world pursue;
It has no charms for me;
Once I admired its trifles too,

But grace has set me free.

2 Its pleasures now no longer please,
No more content afford:

Far from my heart be joys like these,
Now I have seen the Lord.

3 As by the light of opening day
The stars are all concealed,
So earthly pleasures fade away,
When Jesus is revealed.

4 Creatures no more divide my choice;
I bid them all depart;

His name, and love, and gracious voice,
Have fixed my roving heart.

5 Now, Lord, I would be thine alone,
And wholly live to thee;

But may I hope that thou wilt own
A worthless worm like me?

6 Yes, though of sinners I'm the worst,
I cannot doubt thy will;

For if thou hadst not loved me first,

I had refused thee still.

304

The New Covenant Sealed.

1 "THE promise of my Father's love

Shall stand for ever good,"

He said-and gave his soul to death,
And sealed the grace with blood.
2 To this dear covenant of thy word
I set my worthless name;

I seal th' engagement to my Lord,
And make my humble claim.

C. M.

Newton.

C. M.

3 The light, and strength, and pardoning grace, And glory shall be mine:

My life and soul-my heart and flesh,

And all my powers are thine.

4 I call that legacy my own,

Which Jesus did bequeath;

'Twas purchased with a dying groan,
And ratified in death.

5 Sweet is the memory of his name,
Who blessed us in his will;

And to his testament of love
Made his own life the seal.

305

1

OH

Self-Consecration.

Watts.

H sweetly breathe the lyres above,
When angels touch the quivering string;
And wake, to chant Immanuel's love,
Such strains as angel lips can sing.
2 And sweet, on earth, the choral swell

From mortal tongues, of gladsome lays;
When pardoned souls their raptures tell,
And grateful, hymn Immanuel's praise.
3 Jesus-thy name our souls adore;

We
e own the bond that makes us thine;
And carnal joys, that charmed before,
For thy dear sake we now resign.
4 Our hearts, by dying love subdued,
Accept thy offered grace to-day;
Beneath the cross, with blood bedewed,
We bow, and give ourselves away.

5 In thee we trust-on thee rely;

Though we are feeble, thou art strong;

Oh keep us till our spirits fly

To join the bright immortal throng.

306

1

2

COME

Renouncing the World.

L. M.

R. Palmer, (orig.)

OME, my fond fluttering heart,
Come, struggle to be free;

Thou and the world must part,
However hard it be:

My trembling spirit owns it just,
But cleaves yet closer to the dust.
Ye tempting sweets, forbear,
Ye dearest idols, fall;
My love ye must not share,
Jesus shall have it all:

'Tis bitter pain, 'tis cruel smart,

But oh, thou must consent, my heart.

H. M.

3

4

Ye fair enchanting throng,

Ye golden dreams, farewell:
Earth has prevailed too long,

And now I break the spell:

Ye cherished joys of early years--
Jesus, forgive these parting tears.

Oh may I feel thy worth,
And let no idol dare,
No vanity of earth,

With thee, my Lord, compare;
Now bid all worldly joys depart,
And reign supremely in my heart.

307

1

Now

"Seek ye first," &c. Matt, vi. 33.

let a true ambition rise,
And ardor fire our breast

To reign in worlds above the skies,
In heavenly glories dressed.

2 Behold Jehovah's royal hand
A radiant crown display,
Whose gems with vivid lustre shine,
While stars and suns decay.

3 Away, each groveling, anxious care,
Beneath a Christian's thought;
Oh spring to seize immortal joys,
Which your Redeemer bought.

4 Ye hearts with youthful vigor warm,
The glorious prize pursue;

Nor fear the want of earthly good,
While heaven is kept in view.

308

Parting with earthly Joys. SEND the joys of earth away; Away, ye tempters of the mind, False as the smooth deceitful sea,

'I

And empty as the whistling wind.
2 Your streams were floating me along,
Down to the gulf of black despair;
And while I listened to your song,

Jane Taylor

C. M.

Doddridge.

L. M.

Your streams had e'en conveyed me there.

3 Lord, I adore thy matchless grace, That warned me of that dark abyss;

That drew me from those treacherous seas,
And bade me seek superior bliss.

4 Now to the shining realms above

I stretch my hands, and glance my eyes; Oh for the pinions of a dove,

To bear me to the upper skies.

5 There, from the bosom of my God,
Oceans of endless pleasures roll:
There would I fix my last abode,
And drown the sorrows of my soul.

309

1

A

Self-denial. Luke ix. 23.

ND must I part with all I have,
My dearest Lord, for thee?
It is but right, since thou hast done
Much more than this for me.

2 Yes, let it go-one look from thee
Will more than make amends
For all the losses I sustain

Of credit, riches, friends.

3 Ten thousand worlds, ten thousand lives,
How worthless they appear,
Compared with thee, supremely good,
Divinely bright and fair.

4 Saviour of souls, could I from thee
A single smile obtain,

Though destitute of all things else,
I'd glory in my gain.

310

"Without God in the world."

1 O, I shall envy them no more,
Who grow profanely great,

Though they increase their golden store
And rise to wondrous height.

2 They taste of all the joys that grow
Upon this earthly clod;

Watts.

C. M.

Beddome.

Well, they may search the creature through,
For they have ne'er a God.

3 Shake off the thoughts of dying too,
And think your life your own:

But death comes hastening on to you,
To mow your glory down.

C. M.

4 Yes, you must bow your stately head,
Away your spirit flies,

And no kind angel near your bed,
To bear it to the skies.

5 Go now and boast of all your stores,
And tell how bright they shine;
Your heaps of glittering dust are yours,
And my Redeemer's mine.

311

1

The happy Choice. Ruth i. 16.

PEOPLE of the living God,

I have sought the world around,
Paths of sin and sorrow trod,

Peace and comfort no where found:
Now to you my spirit turns-
Turns, a fugitive unbless'd;
Brethren, where your altar burns,
Oh receive me into rest.

2 Lonely I no longer roam,

you

Like the cloud, the wind, the wave;
Where you dwell shall be my home,
Where die shall be my grave;
Mine the God whom you adore,
Your Redeemer shall be mine;
Earth can fill my soul no more,
Every idol I resign.

312

The Pearl of great Price.

1 VE glittering toys of earth, adieu,

YE

A nobler choice be mine;

A real prize attracts my view,
A treasure all divine.

2 Jesus, to multitudes unknown,
Oh name divinely sweet!
Jesus, in thee, in thee alone,

Wealth, honor, pleasure meet.

3 Should earth's vain treasures all depart, Of this dear gift possessed,

I'd clasp it to my joyful heart,

And be for ever bless'd.

4 Dear Sovereign of my soul's desires,

Thy love is bliss divine;

Accept the gift that love inspires,

And bid me call thee mine.

Watts.

78.

Montgomery.

C. M.

Mrs. Steele.