CCLVI. C. M. NEW SELEC.

Means ineffectual.

LONG have I seem'd to serve thee,Lord,
With unavailing pain;

Fasted, and pray'd, and read thy word,
And heard it preach'd in vain.

2 I rested in the outward law,
Nor knew its deep design:
The length and breadth I never saw,
Nor height, of love divine.

3 To please thee thus, at length, I see,
Vainly I hop❜d and strove :

For what are outward things to thee,
Unless they spring from love?

4 But, I of means have made my boast.
Of means an idol made:

The spirit in the letter lost,

The substance in the shade.

5 Where am I now, or what my hope?
What can my weakness do?
Jesus, to thee my soul looks up:
'Tis thou must make it new.

CCLVII. C. M. NEW SELEC.

'Tis good to be afflicted. Psalm cxix. 67, 71. 1 THY people, Lord, have, ever found 'Tis good to bear thy rod; Afflictions make us learn thy will, And live upon our God.

2 This is the comfort we enjoy,
When new distress begins:

We read thy word, we run thy way,
And hate our former sing.

3 Thy judgments, Lord, are always right,
Though they may seem severe,
The sharpest sufferings we endure,
Flow from thy faithful care.

4 Before we knew thy chastening rod,
Our feet were apt to stray;
But now we learn to keep thy word,
Nor wander from thy way.

The World a maze.

ORD! what a wretched land is this,
That yields us no supply;

No cheering fruits, no wholesome trees,
No streams of living joy!

2 But piercing thorns, through all the ground.
And mortal poisons grow;
And all the rivers that are found,
With dangerous waters flow.

3 Yet the dear path to thine abode,
Lies through this horrid land;
Lord, we would keep the heavenly road,
And run at thy command.

4 Our journey is a thorny maze,
But we march upward still;
Forget the troubles of the way,
And reach at Sion's hill.

5 See the kind angels, at the gates,
Inviting us to come!

There Jesus the Forerunner waits
To welcome travellers home!

CCLIX. S. M. WATTS

Imputed Righteousness.

BLESSED souls are they,

Whose sins are cover'd o'er! Divinely blest, to whom the Lord Imputes their guilt no more! 2 They mourn their follies past, Their hearts are kept with care; Their lips and lives without deceit, Shall prove their faith sincere. 3. While I conceal'd my guilt, I felt the fest'ring wound; Till I confess'd my sins to thee, And ready pardon found.

4 Let mourners learn to pray,

Let saints keep near the thrones For help in times of deep distress Is found in God alone.

Ο

CCLX. C. M. NEW SELEĠ.

The backslider returning.
WHAT a cruel wretch am I,
To leave my Jesus so!

And now without his smiles I lie,
And know not where to go.

2 Once I enjoy'd his smiling face :

Who could have thought-so soon I should go mourning in distress!

My comforts all be gone!

3 Not all the glories of this earth
Can do me any good;

My soul abhors all carnal mirth,
And groans to find my God.

4 Might I but see his face again,
I'd tell him all my wo,

And own how guilty I have been
To leave my Jesus so.

5 Then I would clasp him in my arms,
And he should have my heart;

And earth, with all her treach'rous charms, For ever should depart.

CCLXI. C. M. NEW SELEC.

Two natures in one Believer.

Gal. v. 17.

ALAS! it is a thorny road

That I am call'd to tread;

And traps and snares through all the way For travellers are laid.

2 The flatt'ring world and tempting foe
Against me are combin'd,

And worse than all, my evil heart
Is often with them join'd.

3 I daily feel this awful truth,

Old nature's still the same; Nor will its vile affections die While flesh and blood remain.

+ Then what but rich, almighty grace
Can such a wretch restrain

From running into ev'ry vice
And rushing down to pain?

5 This grace, (rejoice my helpless soul,)
This grace is ever nigh,

And Jesus saith, it shall sustain
So weak a worm as I.

6 Forget not, O my soul, thy God
Is thy unchanging friend;

R

1

And thro' his strength, thou shalt o'ercome, And triumph in the end.

CCLXII. C. M.

NEW SELEC.

Living, Moving, and Acting, all from God. ORD, what is man! that child of pride, That boasts his high degree?

L

If left one moment to himself
He sinks, and where is he!

2 In thee I live, and move, and am,
Thou deal'st me out my days;
Lord, as thou dost renew my life,
Let me renew thy praise.

3 To thee I come, from thee I am,
And for thee I must be;
'Tis better for me not to live,
Than not to live to thee.

4 This noble and immortal soul
Thou breathedst into me,

And through thy grace, this soul shall breathe Immortal praise to thee.

CCLXII. 148th. NEW SELEC.

Hoping against Hope. Rom. iv. 18—21.

REAT God! to thee I'll make

GR

My griefs and sorrows known;
And with an humble hope
Approach thine awful throne:
Though by my sins deserving hell,
I'll not despair;-for, who can tell?

2 To thee, who by a word,

My drooping soul canst cheer,

And by thy Spirit form

Thy glorious image there