THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION.

C.M. Double.

T. H. GILL.

633 The glorious liberty of the children of God.

I

TH

Romans viii. 21.

HOU biddest, Lord, Thy sons be bold;
Thy Firstborn set us free;

The dear adoption fast we hold,
The glorious liberty.

Thou Majesty Divine, we cling
To Thine eternal throne ;
Almighty Taskmaster! we bring
Our work to Thee alone.

2 Full feels this seeking company
The sweet celestial air;
In humble joy we lay on Thee
The loving clasp of prayer.
We mingle now our inmost fires,
A glowing, yearning throng;
All free and strong of wing aspires
The gladness of our song.

3 Men's statutes do not wake our fear;
Men frown, yet smile we still;

For us the Holy Spirit's cheer;
For us the eternal will.

Thine own we are, Almighty One,
Thine own would ever be ;

Endless Thy dear dominion,
Our glorious liberty!

634

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7s. Six lines.
Psalm cxxiii.

[BOWDLER.]

Lord, to Thee our prayers ascend;
Servants, to our Master true,
Lord, we yield Thee homage due;
Children, to our God we fly,
Abba, Father! hear our cry.

2 Low before Thee, Lord, we bow;
We are weak, but mighty Thou;
Sore distressed, yet suppliant still,
Here we wait Thy holy will:
Bound to earth and rooted here,
Till our Saviour God appear.

3 From the heavens, Thy dwelling-place,
Hear and grant Thy pardoning grace;
In temptation's dangerous hour,
Leave us not beneath its power;
God, our Saviour, still be nigh,
Lord of life and victory.

635

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Behold what manner of love the Father hath
bestowed upon us.- 1 John iii. I.
EHOLD what wondrous grace
The Father hath bestowed

BEH

On sinners of a mortal race,
To call them sons of God!

2 Nor doth it yet appear

How great we must be made;
But when we see our Saviour here,

3

We shall be like our head.

A hope so much divine

May trials well endure;

May purge our souls from sense and sin,

4

Since in my Father's love

I share a filial part,

Send down Thy Spirit like a dove,
To rest upon my heart.

5 We would no longer lie

Like slaves beneath the throne;
My faith shall Abba, Father, cry,
And Thou the kindred own.

LOVE FOR GOD AND JOY IN HIM.

L.M. [IGNATIUS LOYOLA.]

636 Whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God.

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2 Cor. v. 13.

LOVE Thee, O Thou Lord most high,
Because Thou first hast lovèd me;

I seek no other liberty

But that of being bound to Thee.
2 May memory no thought suggest
But shall to Thy pure glory tend;
My understanding find no rest
Except in Thee, its only end.
3 My God, I here protest to Thee

No other will I have than Thine;
Whatever Thou hast given to me
I here again to Thee resign.

4 All mine is Thine; say but the word,
Whate'er Thou willest shall be done :
I know Thy love, all-gracious Lord;

5 Apart from Thee all things are nought;
Then grant, O my supremest Bliss,
Grant me to love Thee as I ought;
Thou givest all in giving this.

637

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106, 106, 10 10

MADAME GUION.

Love is of God.-1 John iv. 7.

LOVE my God, but with no love of mine,
For I have none to give;

I love Thee, Lord: but all the love is Thine,
For by Thy love I live.

I am as nothing, and rejoice to be

Emptied, and lost, and swallowed up in Thee.

2 Thou Lord alone art all Thy children need, And there is none beside;

From Thee the streams of blessedness proceed;
In Thee the blessed abide.

Fountain of Life and all-abounding grace,
Our source, our centre, and our dwelling-place.

638

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C.M.

[JOHN MASON.] God my exceeding joy.-Ps. xliii. 4.

HERE God doth dwell, sure heaven is there,

WHE

And singing there must be:

Since, Lord, Thy presence makes my heaven,

Whom should I sing but Thee?

2 My God, my reconciled God,
Creator of my peace;

Thee will I love, and praise, and sing,
Till life and breath shall cease.

3 My soul doth magnify the Lord,
My spirit doth rejoice;

To Thee, my Saviour and my God,
I lift my joyful voice.

4 I need not go abroad for joys,
I have a feast at home;
My sighs are turned into songs,
My heart has ceased to roam.

5 Down from above the blessèd Dove
Is come into my breast,
To witness Thine eternal love,
And give my spirit rest.

6 My God, I'll praise Thee while I live,
And praise Thee when I die,

And praise Thee when I rise again,
And to eternity.

639

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The Lord is my portion.-Lam. iii. 24.

My God, my life is in Thy love,

Let me Thy glory see,

I've none but Thee in heaven above,
I've none on earth but Thee.

2 What empty things are all the skies,
And this inferior clod!

There's nothing here deserves my joys;
There's nothing like my God.

3 To Thee we owe our wealth and friends,
And health and safe abode :
Thanks to Thy name for meaner things,
But they are not my God.

4 Were I possessor of the earth,

And called the stars mine own;
Without Thy graces and Thyself,
I were a wretch undone.

5 Let others stretch their arms like seas,
And grasp in all the shore;

Grant me the vision of Thy face,