6 So shall my walk be close with God,
Calm and serene my frame;
So purer light shall mark the road
That leads me to the Lamb.
266. Dreading Love to the Creature. C.M. Surely every man walketh in a vain show: surely they are disquieted in vain : he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.-PSALM xxxix. 6, 7.
1 How vain are all things here below,
How false, and yet how fair!
Each pleasure hath its poison too;
And every sweet a snare.
2 The brightest things below the sky,
Give but a flatt'ring light;
We should suspect some danger nigh,
Where we possess delight.
3 Our dearest joys, and nearest friends,
The partners of our blood,
How they divide our wav'ring minds,
And leave but half for God!
4 The fondness of a creature's love,
How strong it strikes the sense,
Thither the warm affections move,
Nor can we call them thence.
5 O Lord, command my heart away,
From all created good;
And thou thyself my portion be,
My soul's eternal food.
267. Drawn by Love. 8-8-6.
Lord, what will thou have me to do?-ACTS ix. 6.
1 LORD, thou hast won, at length I yield; My heart, by mighty grace compell'd, Surrenders all to thee;
Against thy terrors long I strove,
But who can stand against thy love?
Love conquers even me.
2 All that a wretch could do I tried,
Thy patience scorn'd, thy pow'r defied,
And trampled on thy laws:
But mercy has my heart subdued,
A beeding Saviour I have view'd,
And seen my sins the cause.
[3 Now, since thou hast thy love reveal'd,
And shown my soul a pardon seal'd,
I can resist no more:
Could'st thou for such a sinner bleed ?
Canst thon for such a rebel plead?
I wonder and adore.]
4 Now, Lord, I would be thine alone,
Come, take possession of thine own,
For thou hast set me free;
Releas'd from Satan's hard command,
See all my powers waiting stand,
To be employ'd by thee.
5 My will conform'd to thine would move; On thee my hope, desire, and love,
My hands, my eyes, my ears, my tongue,
Have Satan's servants been too long,
But now they shall be thine.
[6 And can I be the very same,
Who lately durst blaspheme thy name,
And on thy Gospel tread ?
Surely each one who hears my case,
Will praise thee, and confess thy grace
Invincible indeed.]
268. Exhorted to Watch. 8-7-7.
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day
should overtake you as a thief.-1 THESS. v. 4.
1 NOTHING know we of the season
When the world shall pass away;
But we know the saints have reason
To expect a glorious day:
When the Saviour will return,
And his people cease to mourn.
2 O what sacred joys await them,
They shall see the Saviour then :
Those who now oppose and hate them,
Never can oppose again :
Brethren, let us think of this-
All is our's, if we are his.
3 Waiting for our Lord's returning,
Be it our's his word to keep;
Let our lamps be always burning;
Let us watch while others sleep :
We're no longer of the night,
We are children of the light.
4 Being of the favour'd number,
Whom the Saviour calls his own,
'Tis not meet that we should slumber,
We to whom his grace is known :
This should be his people's aim,
Still to glorify his name.
269. Exhorted to Watchfulness. 7s.
And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.-ROMANS Xiii. 11. 12.
1 DARKNESS overspreads us here,
But the night wears fast away;
Jacob's Star will soon appear,
Leading on eternal day!
2 Now 'tis time to rouse from sleep,
Trim our lamps and stand prepar'd;
For our Lord strict watch to keep,
Lest he find us off our guard.
3 Let his people courage take;
Bear with a submissive mind
All they suffer for his sake;
Rich amends they soon will find.
4 He will wipe away their tears,
Near himself appoint their lot;
All their sorrows, pains, and fears,
Quickly then will be forgot.
5 Though already sav'd by grace,
From the time we first believ'd;
Yet, while sin and war have place,
We have but in part receiv'd:
6 Still we for salvation wait:
Every hour it nearer comes!
Death will break the prison gate,
And admit us to our homes.
[7 Sinners, what can you expect?
You, who now the Saviour dare;
Break his laws, his grace reject!
You must stand before his bar!
8 Tremble, lest he say, "Depart!"
Oh the horrors of that sound!
Lord, make ev'ry careless heart
Seek thee while thou may'st be found.]
270. Glorying in the Cross of Christ. 112th. But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.—GAL. vi. 14.
1 REDEEMER! whither should I flee,
Or how escape the wrath to come?
The weary sinner flies to thee,
For shelter from impending doom:
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