2 As well might Ethiopian slaves
Wash out the darkness of their skin;
The dead as well may leave their graves,
As old transgressors cease to sin.

3 Where vice has held its empire long,
"Twill not endure the least control;
None, but a power divinely strong,
Can turn the current of the soul.
4 Great God, I own thy power divine,
That works to change this heart of mine;
I would be form'd anew, and bless
The wonders of creating grace.

HYMN 161. C. M. Reading. [b] Christian Virtues; or, Difficulty of going to Heaven STRAIT is the way, the door is strait, That leads to joys on high;

1

"Tis but a few that find the gate,
While crowds mistake and die.
2 Beloved self must be deny'd,
The mind and will renew'd;
Passion supress'd, and patience try'd,
And vain desires subdu'd.

3 (Flesh is a dang'rous foe to grace,
Where it prevails and rules;
Flesh must be humbled, pride abas'd,
Lest they destroy our souls.)

4 The love of gold be banish'd hence,
That vile idolatry;

And ev'ry member, ev'ry sense,
In sweet subjection lie.

5 The tongue, that most unruly power,
Requires a strong restraint;

We must be watchful ev'ry hour,
And pray, but never faint.

e 6 Lord! can a feeble, helpless worm,
Fulfil a task so hard!

• Thy grace must all my work perform, And give the free reward.

HYMN 162. C. M. Swanwick.

[*]

Meditation of Heaven; or, the Joy of Faith.

1 MY thoughts surmount these lower skies

And look within the vail;

o There springs of endless pleasure rise, The waters never fail

--2 There I behold, with sweet delight,
The blessed Three in One;

And strong affections fix my sight
On God's incarnate Son.

o 3 His promise stands for ever firm;
His grace shall ne'er depart;
-He binds my name upon his arm,
And seals it on his heart.

4 Light are the pains that nature brings:
How short our sorrows are-
When with eternal, future things,
The present we compare!

• 5 I would not be a stranger still
To that celestial place,
Where I for ever hope to dwell,
Near my Redeemer's face.

1

HYMN 163. C. M. Reading. [*] Complaint of Desertion and Temptations.

DEAR Lord, behold our sore distress;

Our sins attempt to reign,

Stretch out thine arm of conqu❜ring grace,
And let thy foes be slain.

2 (The lion, with his dreadful roar,
Affrights thy feeble sheep:
Reveal the glory of thy power,
And chain him to the deep.

3 Must we indulge a long despair?
Shall our petitions die?

Our mournings never reach thine ear,
Nor tears affect thine eye?)

4 If Thou despise a mortal groan,
Yet hear a Saviour's blood;
An Advocate, so near the throne,
Pleads and prevails with God.

5 He brought the Spirit's powerful sword, To slay our deadly foes:

Our sins shall die beneath thy word,
And hell in vain oppose.

6 How boundless is our Father's grace,
In height, and depth, and length!
He made his Son our righteousness;
His Spirit is our strength]

HYMN 164. C. M. Windsor. [b]
The End of the World.

1 [WHY should this earth delight us so?
Why should we fix our eyes

On these low grounds where sorrows grow
And ev'ry pleasure dies?

e 2 While time his sharpest teeth prepares
Our comforts to devour,

o There is a land above the stars,
And joys above his power.

e 3 Nature shall be dissolv'd and die,
The sun must end his race;
-The earth and sea for ever fly
Before my Saviour's face.

o 4 When will that glorious morning rise!
When the last trumpet sound,

And call the nations to the skies,
From underneath the ground?]

HYMN 165. C. M. Wantage. China. [b] Unfruitfulness, Ignorance, and unsanctified Affec tions.

p1LONG have I sat beneath the sound
Of thy salvation, Lord;

But still how weak my faith is found-
And knowledge of thy word!

e 2 Oft I frequent thy holy place,

And hear almost in vain.

How small a portion of thy grace
My mem'ry can retain !

3 [My dear Almighty, and my God,
How little art thou known,

By all the judgments of thy rod,
And blessings of thy throne!]

p 4 (How cold and feeble is my love!
How negligent my fear!

How low my hopes of joys above!
How few affections there!)

- Great God, thy sovereign power impart,
To give thy word success;

Write thy salvation in my heart,

And make me learn thy grace.

o 6 (Shew my forgetful feet the way,
That leads to joys on high;

There knowledge grows without decay
And love shall never die.)

[H

HYMN 166. C. M. Mitcham. [*]
The Divine Perfections.
OW shall I praise th' eternal God,
That Infinite UNKNOWN?
e Who can ascend his high abode,
Or venture near his throne?
2 (The great Invisible! he dwells
Conceal'd in dazzling light:
But his all-searching eye reveals
The secrets of the night.

-3 Those watchful eyes that never sleep,
Survey the world around;

e His wisdom is a boundless deep,
Where all our thoughts are drown'd.)

o 4 (Speak we of strength? his arm is strong, To save or to destroy;

e Infinite years his life prolong,

And endless is his joy.)

-5 (He knows no shadow of a change, Nor alters his decrees;

g Firm as a rock his truth remains, To guard his promises.)

p 6 (Sinners before his presence die : How holy is his name!

d His anger and his jealousy

Burn, like devouring flame.)

e 7 Justice, upon a dreadful throne, Maintains the rights of God;

o While mercy sends her pardons down, Bought with a Saviour's blood.

e 8 Now to my soul, immortal King, Speak some forgiving word;

o Then 'twill be double joy to sing The glories of my Lord.]

0

HYMN 167. L. M. Psalm 97th. [*]
The same.

1 GMy holy fear, my humble joy;

REAT God! thy glories shall employ

My lips, in songs of honour, bring
Their tribute to th' eternal King.

2 (Earth and the stars, and worlds unknown Depend, precarious, on his throne;

All nature hangs upon his word,

And grace and glory own their Lord.)

3 (His sovereign power what mortal knows?
If he commands, who dare oppose?
With strength he girds himself around,
And treads the rebels to the ground.)
4 (Who shall pretend to teach him skill,
Or guide the counsels of his will?
His wisdom, like a sea divine,

Flows deep and high beyond our line.)
5 His Name is holy, and his eye
Burns with immortal jealousy;
He hates the sons of pride, and sheds
His fiery vengeance on their heads.)
6 (The beamings of his piercing sight
Bring dark hypocrisy to light;
Death and destruction naked lie,
And hell uncover'd to his eye.)
7 (Th' eternal law before him stands:
His justice, with impartial hands,
Divides to all their due reward,
Or by the sceptre or the sword.)
8 (His mercy, like a boundless sea,
Washes our load of guilt away;
While his own Son came down and dy'd,
T'engage his justice on our side.)

9 (Each of his words demands my faith;
My soul can rest on all he saith:
His truth inviolably keeps

The largest promise of his lips.)
10 Oh, tell me, with a gentle voice,
Thou art my God, and I'll rejoice:
Fill'd with thy love, I dare proclaim
The brightest honours of thy name.]

HYMN 168. L. M. Old Hundred. Psalm 97th. [*]
The same.

1

JEHOVAH reigns his throne is high,
His robes are light and majesty ;

His glory shines with beams so bright,
No mortal can sustain the sight.

e 2 His terrours keep the world in awe,
His justice guards his holy law;

o His love reveals a smiling face,
His truth and promise seal the grace

-3 Through all his works his wisdom rhines
And baffles Satan's deep designs.