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LVIII. [BK. III. lxviii.]

THE NEW CONVERT

THE new-born child of gospel-grace,
Like some fair tree when summer's nigh,
Beneath EMMANUEL'S shining face
Lifts up his blooming branch on high.

No fears he feels, he sees no foes,
No conflict yet his faith employs,
Nor has he learnt to whom he owes
The strength and peace his soul enjoys.
But sin soon darts its cruel sting,
And, comforts sinking day by day,
What seem'd his own, a self-fed spring,
Proves but a brook that glides away.
When Gideon arm'd his num'rous host,
The LORD soon made his numbers less;
And said, "lest Israel vainly boast',
My arm procur'd me this success.
Thus will he bring our spirits down,
And draw our ebbing comforts low;
That sav'd by grace, but not our own,
We may not claim the praise we owe.

LIX. [BK. III. lxix.]

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TRUE AND FALSE COMFORTS
O GOD, whose favourable eye
The sin-sick soul revives;
Holy and heav'nly is the joy
Thy shining presence gives.

Not such as hypocrites suppose,
Who with a graceless heart,

Taste not of thee, but drink a dose
Prepar'd by Satan's art.

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Were they indeed the Saviour's sheep,`

Would they not hear his voice?

1 Judges vii. 2.

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Be mine the comforts, that reclaim
The soul from Satan's pow'r ;
That make me blush for what I am,
And hate my sin the more.

'Tis joy enough, my All in All,

At thy dear feet to lie;

Thou wilt not let me lower fall,
And none can higher fly.

LX. [BK. III. lxxi.]

A LIVING AND A DEAD FAITH
THE LORD receives his highest praise,
From humble minds and hearts sincere ;
While all the loud professor says
Offends the righteous Judge's ear.
To walk as children of the day ;
To mark the precepts' holy light;
To wage the warfare, watch and pray,
Shew who are pleasing in his sight.
Not words alone it cost the LORD,
To purchase pardon for his own;
Nor will a soul, by grace restor❜d,
Return the Saviour words alone.

With golden bells, the priestly vest',
And rich pomegranates border'd round,
The need of holiness express'd,
And call'd for fruit, as well as sound.

Easy, indeed, it were to reach
A mansion in the courts above,
If swelling words, and fluent speech
Might serve, instead of faith and love.
But none shall gain the blissful place,
Or God's unclouded glory see;
Who talks of free and sov'reign grace,
Unless that grace has made him free.

LXI. [BK. III. lxxii.]

ABUSE OF THE GOSPEL

Too many, LORD, abuse thy grace,
In this licentious day;

And while they boast they see thy face,
They turn their own away.

1 Exod. xxviii. 33.

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LX-6 precepts 1779. LXI-Entitled Antinomians in A.

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Thy Book displays a gracious light
That can the blind restore;
But these are dazzled by the sight,
And blinded still the more.

The pardon, such presume upon,
They do not beg, but steal;

And when they plead it at thy throne,
Oh, where's the Spirit's seal?

Was it for this, ye lawless tribe,
The dear Redeemer bled;
Is this the grace the saints imbibe
From CHRIST the living head?

Ah LORD, we know thy chosen few

Are fed with heav'nly fare;

But these, the wretched husks they chew,
Proclaim them what they are.

The liberty our hearts implore
Is not to live in sin;

But still to wait at Wisdom's door,
Till Mercy calls us in.

LXII. [BK. III. lxxiii.]

THE NARROW WAY

WHAT thousands never knew the road!
What thousands hate it when 'tis known!
None but the chosen tribes of GOD,

Will seek or choose it for their own.

A thousand ways in ruin end,
One only leads to joys on high;
By that my willing steps ascend,
Pleas'd with a journey to the sky.
No more I ask, or hope to find,
Delight or happiness below;
Sorrow may well possess the mind

That feeds where thorns and thistles grow.

The joy that fades is not for me,

I seek immortal joys above;

There, glory without end shall be

The bright reward of faith and love.

Cleave to the world ye sordid worms,
Contented lick your native dust;

But God shall fight, with all his storms,
Against the idol of your trust.

LXI-12 Spirit's] Gospel 4.

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LXIII. [BK. III. lxxiv.]
DEPENDANCE

To keep the lamp alive
With oil we fill the bowl;

'Tis water makes the willow thrive,
And grace that feeds the soul.

The LORD's unsparing hand
Supplies the living stream;
It is not at our own command,
But still deriv'd from him.

Beware of Peter's word',
Nor confidently say,

"I never will deny thee, LORD,"
But "grant I never may."

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Man's wisdom is to seek

His strength in GOD alone;

And e'en an angel would be weak,

Who trusted in his own.

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Retreat beneath his wings,

And in his grace confide;

This more exalts the King of kings'

Than all your works beside.

In JESUS is our store,

Grace issues from his throne;

Whoever says, "I want no more,"
Confesses he has none.

LXIV. [BK. III. lxxv.]

NOT OF WORKS

GRACE, triumphant in the throne,
Scorns a rival, reigns alone;

Come and bow beneath her sway,

Cast your idol works away:

Works of man, when made his plea,
Never shall accepted be;

Fruits of pride (vain-glorious worm)
Are the best he can perform.

Self, the god his soul adores,
Influences all his pow'rs;
JESUS is a slighted name,
Self-advancement all his aim:

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But when GOD the Judge shall come,
To pronounce the final doom,
Then for rocks and hills to hide
All his works and all his pride!

Still the boasting heart replies,
What! the worthy and the wise,
Friends to temperance and peace,
Have not these a righteousness ?
Banish ev'ry vain pretence
Built on human excellence;
Perish ev'ry thing in man,
But the grace that never can.

LXV. [BK. III. lxxx.]

PRAISE FOR FAITH

Of all the gifts thine hand bestows,
Thou Giver of all good!

Not heav'n itself a richer knows,
Than my Redeemer's blood.

Faith too, the blood-receiving grace,

From the same hand we gain;

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Else, sweetly as it suits our case,
That gift had been in vain.

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Till thou thy teaching pow'r apply,
Our hearts refuse to see;

And weak, as a distemper'd eye,

Shut out the view of thee.

Blind to the merits of thy Son,

What mis'ry we endure!

Yet fly that hand, from which alone

We could expect a cure.

We praise thee, and would praise thee more,

To thee our all we owe;

The precious Saviour, and the pow'r

That makes him precious too.

LXVI. [BK. III. lxxxi.]

GRACE AND PROVIDENCE

ALMIGHTY King! whose wond'rous hand,
Supports the weight of sea and land;
Whose grace is such a boundless store,
No heart shall break that sighs for more;

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