2 What cares corrode
The mind intent on wealth;
His mammon oft becomes a load,
Which robs him of his health.
3 Does he his end attain,
And in full afflu'nce roll?
What does the sordid creature gain,
When God demands his soul?
4. My heart to heav'n aspire,
And seek thine all in God:
Nor e'er pollute thy pure desire,
By trifles on the road.
5 He doth my soul now bless
With his enriching grace;
But what wealth shall I possess,
When I behold his face!
6 These riches of his grace
Will then to glory rise,
When I have run my earthly race,
And gain'd th' immortal prize.
HYMN 43. First Part. C. M.
The ninth command.
1 RELIGION is the chief concern
Of mortals here below:
May all its great importance learn,
Its sov'reign virtue know.
2 Let deep repentance, faith and love, Be join'd with godly fear;
And all our conversation prove
Our souls to be sincere.
3 Let with our lips our hearts agree, Nor sland'ring words devise: We know the God of truth can see - Thro' ev'ry false disguise.
4 Lord, never let our envy grow,
To hear another's praise;
Nor rob him of his honour due,
By base revengeful ways.
5 O God of truth! help to detest
Whate'er is false or wrong;
That lies in earnest or in jest
May ne'er employ our tongue.
HYMN 43. Second Part.
The Christian is true and faithful to Jesus.
1 AM I a soldier of the cross,
A follow'r of the Lamb?
And shall I fear to own his cause, Or blush to speak his name? 2 Must I be carried to the skies, On flow'ry beds of ease; While others fought to win the prize, And sail'd thro' bloody seas?
3 Are there no foes for me to face?
Must I not stem the flood?
Is this wild world a friend to grace,
To help me on to God?
4 Sure I must fight, if I would reign; Be faithful to my Lord
And bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by thy word.
5 Thy saints, in all this glorious war,
Shall conquer tho' they die;
They see the triumph from afar,
And seize it with their eye.
6 When that illustrious day shall rise, And all thy armies shine
In robes of vict'ry thro' the skies,
The glory shall be thine.
WHATE'ER thy lot on earth may be,
Let it contentment yield to thee;
Nor others envy, nor repine,
Nor covet aught, that is not thine.
2 Justly hast thou forbidden, Lord,
Each murm'ring motion, thought, and word;
Justly requiring full content,
With what thy providence hath lent.
3 But can a sinner lift his eye
Before the Lord of hosts on high,
And say, "this precept I've obey'd,
"Nor from it ever turn'd aside ?"
4 Alive without the law I stood,
And thought my state was safe and good;
But when with pow'r this precept came,
I saw my sin, and guilt, and shame.
5 Lord, I adore thy saving love,
Which did from me the curse remove,
By hanging on th' accursed tree,
And being made a curse for me!
HYMN 44. Second Part. C. M. They who are converted cannot perfectly obey the law.
GRACE has enabled me to love
Thy holy law and will;
But sin has not yet ceas'd to move,
It tyrannizes still.
2 Hence often fill'd with dread alarms,
My peace and joy subside;
And I've employ for all the arms
The gospel has supplied.
3 Thus diff'rent pow'rs within me strive,
While opposites I feel;
I grieve, rejoice, decline, revive,
As sin or grace prevail.
4 But Jesus hath his promise past;
Sin with the body dies :
And grace in all his saints at last
Shall gain its victories.
HYMN 44. Third Part. L. M.
Practical use of the moral law.
LORD, my soul convicted stands
Of breaking all thy ten commands :
And on me justly might'st thou pour
Thy wrath in one eternal show'r.
2 But thanks to God, its loud alarms
Have warn'd me of approaching harms;
And now, O Lord, my wants I see,
Lost and undone, I come to thee.
3 I know my fig-leaf righteousness
Can ne'er thy broken law redress;
Yet in the gospel plan I see,
There's hope of pardon e'en for me.
4 There, I behold with wonder, Lord!
That Christ hath to thy law restor❜d
Those honours on th' atoning day,
Which guilty sinners took away.
5 Amazing wisdom, pow'r and love,
Displayed to rebels from above!
Do thou, O Lord, my faith increase
To love and trust thy plan of grace.
HYMN 45. First Part. L. M.
my God? does he retire Beyond the reach of humble sighs?
Are these weak breathings of desire
Too languid to ascend the skies?
2 No, Lord, the breathings of desire,
The weak petition, if sincere,
Is not forbidden to aspire;
But reaches thy all-gracious ear.
3 Look up, my soul, with cheerful eye,
See where the great Redeemer stands;
The glorious Advocate on high;
With precious incense in his hands.
4 He sweetens ev'ry humble groan,
He recommends each broken prayer:
Recline thy hope on him alone,
Whose pow'r and love forbid despair.
HYMN 45. Second Part. S. M.
The prayer of faith.
THE Lord, who truly knows
The heart of ev'ry saint,
Invites us by his holy word,
To pray and never faint.
2 He bows his gracious ear!
We never plead in vain ;
Yet we must wait till he appear,
And pray, and pray again.
3 Tho' unbelief suggest
Why should we longer wait?
He bids us never give him rest ;
But be importunate.
4 'Twas thus a widow poor,
Without support or friend,
Beset the unjust judge's door,
And gain'd at last her end.
5 And shall not Jesus hear
His chosen, when they cry?
tho' he may a while forbear,
He'll not their suit deny.
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