HYMN CXLVI.
MY Soul, abjure th' accurfed Throng, Whofe profp'ring Wealth increases faft By Fraud, by Violence and Wrong, Still thriving for the Thunder's Blast. 2 If high or low my Station be, Of noble, or ignoble Name, By uncorrupted Honesty
Thy Bleffing, Lord, I'd humbly claim.
Enrich'd with that, no Want I'll fear,
Thy Providence shall be my Trust;
Thou wilt provide my Portion here,
Thou Friend and Guardian of the Just.
4 Oh may I with fincere Delight
To all the Task of Duty pay;
Tender of ev'ry focial Right,
Obedient to thy righteous Sway.
5 Such Virtue thou wilt not forget
In Worlds where ev'ry Virtue fhares
A fit Reward, tho' not of Debt,
Yet what thy boundless Grace prepares,
COME, let us fearch our Ways and try, have they been juft and right?
Is the great Rule of Equity
our Practice and Delight?
2. What we would have our Neighbour do,
have we ftill done the same ?
And ne'er delay'd to pay his Due, nor injur'd his good Name? 3 Do we relieve the Poor diftrefs'd? nor give our Tongues a Loofe To make their Names our Scorn and Jest, nor treat them with Abufe?
4 Have we not found our Envy grow
to hear another's Praife?
Nor robb'd him of his Honour due,
by fly malicious Ways?
5 In all we fell, and all we buy,
is Juftice our Defign?
Do we remember God is nigh,
And fear the Wrath divine?
6 In vain we talk of Jefu's Blood,
and boaft his Name in vain,
If we can flight the Laws of God,
and prove unjust to Men.
I'Tis a lovely Thing to fee a Man of prudent Heart,
Whose Thoughts, and Lips, and Life agree To act a useful Part.
2 When Envy, Strife, and Wars begin
in little ang❜ry Souls;
Mark how the Sons of Peace come in,
and quench the kindling Coals.
3 Their Minds are humble, mild and meek, nor let their Fury rife:
Nor Paffion moves their Lips to speak,
nor Pride exalts their Eyes.
4 Their Lives are Prudence mix'd with Love;
good Works employ their Day;
They join the Serpent with the Dove,
but caft the Sting away.
5 Such was the Saviour of Mankind,
fuch Pleasures he purfu'd;
His Manners gentle and refin'd,
his Soul divinely good.
LET thofe who bear the Chriftian Name their holy Vows fulfil;
The Saints, the Followers of the Lamb, are Men of Honour still.
2 True to the folemn Oaths they take,
though to their Hurt they fwear:
Conftant and just to all they speak,
for God and Angels hear.
3 Still with their Lips their Hearts agree,
nor flatt'ring Words devife:
They know the God of Truth can fee
through every false Disguise.
4 They hate th' Appearance of a Lie,
in all the Shapes it wears;
Firm to the Truth; andwhen they die,
eternal Life is theirs.
I ALL-feeing God! 'tis thine to know TheSpringswhencewrongOpinionsflow;
To judge, by Principles within,
When Frailty errs and when we fin.
2 Who among Men, high Lord of all,
Thy Servant to his Bar fhall call ?
For Modes of Faith judge him a Foe,
And doom him to the Realms of Woe!
3 Who with another's Eye can read?
Or worship by another's Creed?
Revering thy Commands alone,
We humbly feek and use our own.
4 If wrong, forgive; approve, if right;
While faithful we obey our Light;
And cens'ring none, are zealous ftill
To follow, as to learn thy Will.
5 When shall our happy Eyes behold
Thy People fashion'd in thy Mould?
And Charity our Lineage prove
Deriv'd from thee, O God of Love?
ABSURD and vain Attempt! to bind
With iron Chains the free-born Mind;
To force Conviction, and reclaim
The Wand'ring by deftructive Flame.
2 Bold Arrogance! to fnatch from Heav'n
Dominion not to Mortals giv'n;
O'er Confcience to ufurp the Throne,
Accountable to God alone.
Mad Zeal! that with Hell-fury burns,
The Rights of God and Man o'erturns;
Whose blind Prefumption fanctifies
Murders, Rebellions, Plots and Lies.
4 Thus Rome afferts her proud Decrees,
Enforc'd by fierce Anathemas;
And stirs up Vengeance to devour
The Foes of antichriftian Pow'r.
5 Jefus! thy gentle Law of Love
Doth no fuch Cruelties approve :
Mild as thyself, thy Doctrine wields
No Arms but what Perfuafion yieids.
6 By Proofs divine and Reason strong
It draws the willing Soul along;
And Conquefts to thy Church acquires
By Eloquence which Heav'n inspires.
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