But cheats the soul of heavenly things,
And chains it down to sense.

4 So on a tree divinely fair,

Grew the forbidden food;

Our mother took the poison there,
And tainted all her blood.

11

HYMN 151. L. M. Islington. [*]
Prophecy and Inspiration.

WAS by an order from the Lord,

The ancient prophets spoke his word;

His Spirit did their tongues inspire,

And warm'd their hearts with heavenly fire.
2 The works and wonders which they wrough
Confirm'd the messages they brought;
The prophet's pen succeeds his breath,
To save the holy words from death.

3 Great God, mine eyes with pleasure look
On the dear volume of thy book;

There my Redeemer's face I see,
And read his Name who died for me.
o 4 Let the false raptures of the mind
Be lost, and vanish in the wind:
-Here I can fix my hope secure ;
This is thy word, and must endure.
HYMN 152. C. M. Bedford. [*]
Sinai and Sion. Heb. xii, 18, &c.
TOT to the terrours of the Lord,

e 1

The tempest, fire and smoke;
Not to the thunder of that word
Which God on Sinai spoke ;-

2 But we are come to Zion's hill,
The city of our God;

Where milder words declare his will,
And spread his love abroad.

3 Behold th' innumerable host
Of angels cloth'd in light
Behold the spirits of the just,
Whose faith is turn'd to sight!
4 Behold the bless'd assembly there,
Whose names are writ in heaven;
Hear God, the Judge of all, declare
Their vilest sins forgiven.

5 The saints on earth, and all the dead
But one communion make "

All join in Christ their living Head,
And of his grace partake.

o 6 In such society as this,

My weary soul would rest:

The man who dwells where Jesus is,
Must be for ever blest.

HYMN 153. C. M. Reading. [b] Distemper, Folly, and Madness of Sin. e 1 SIN, like a venomous disease,

Infects our vital blood;

-The only balm is sovereign grace,
And the physician, God.

e 2 Our beauty and our strength are fled,
And we draw near to death;

o But Christ, the Lord, recalls the dead, With his almighty breath.

e 3 Madness, by nature, reigns within,
The passions burn and rage,

-Till God's own Son, with skill divine,
The inward fire assuage.

e 4 (We lick the dust, we grasp the wind,
And solid good despise :

-Such is the folly of the mind,

Till Jesus make us wise.)

e 5 We give our souls the wounds they feel, We drink the pois'nous gall,

o And rush with fury down to hell

But heaven prevents the fall.

6 (The man possess'd among the tombs, Cuts his own flesh, and cries:

o He foams and raves, till Jesus comes, And the foul spirit flies.)

1

HYMN 154. L. M. Armley. [b*]
Self-righteousness insufficient.

HERE are the mourners,' saith the Lord, 'Who wait and tremble at my word"Who walk in darkness all the day? Come, make my name your trust and stay. 2 (No works, no duties of your own, 'Can for the smallest sin atone; 'The robes that nature may provide, 'Will not your least pollutions hide." 3The softest couch that nature knows, 'Can give the conscience no repose:

• 'Look to my righteousness, and live ; 'Comfort and peace are mine to give.) -4 Ye sons of pride, who kindle coals "With your own hands, to warm your souls, "Walk in the light of your own fire, 'Enjoy the sparks that ye desire :e 5 This is your portion at my hands,'Hell waits you with her iron bands; a Ye shall lie down in sorrow there, 'In death, and darkness, and despair.' HYMN 155. C. M. Tunbridge. [b] Christ our Passover.

•1 Lote stubborn land!
O, the destroying angel flies

The pride, the flower of Egypt dies,
By his vindictive hand.

o 2 He pass'd the tents of Jacob o'er,
Nor pour'd the wrath divine;
He saw the blood on every door,
And bless'd the peaceful sign.
-3 Thus the appointed Lamb must bleed,
To break th' Egyptian yoke ;
o Thus Israel is from bondage freed,
And 'scapes the angel's stroke.

e 4 Lord, if my heart were sprinkled too
With blood so rich as thine,

Justice no longer would pursue
This guilty soul of mine.

-5 Jesus, our passover, was slain,
And has at once procur'd

Freedom from Satan's heavy chain,
And God's avenging sword.

11

HYMN 156. C. M. Plymouth. [b]
Satan's various Temptations.

HATE the tempter, and his charms,
I hate his flatt'ring breath;

'The serpent takes a thousand forms,
cheat our souls to death.

2 He feeds our hopes with airy dreams,
Or kills with slavish fear;

And holds us still in wide extremes,
Presumption or despair.

3 Now he persuades, How easy 'tis

To walk the road to heaven; Anon he swells our sins, and cries, They cannot be forgiven.

4 (He bids young sinners, Yet forbear
To think of God or death;

For prayer and grave devotion are
But melancholy breath.

5 He tells the aged, They must die,
And 'tis too late to pray;

In vain for mercy now they cry,
For they have lost their day.)

e 6 Thus he supports his cruel throne,
By mischief and deceit ;

And drags the sons of Adam down
To darkness and the pit.

7 Almighty God, cut short his power;
Let him in darkness dwell;

And that he vex the earth no more,
Confine him down to hell.

1

HYMN 157. C. M. Reading. [b]

Now

The same.

Satan comes with dreadful roar,
And threatens to destroy;

He worries whom he can't devour,
With a malicious joy.

• 2 Ye sons of God, oppose his rage;
Resist, and he'll be gone:

-Thus did our dearest Lord engage,
And vanquish him alone.

e 3 Now he appears almost divine,
Like innocence and love;
-But the old serpent lurks within,
When he assumes the dove.

o 4 Fly from the false deceiver's tongue,
Ye sons of Adam, fly!

e Our parents found the snare too strong; Nor should the children try.

HYMN 158. L. M. Geneva. Babylon. [b] Few saved; or, The almost Christian.

e l

BROAD is the road that leads to death,

And thousands walk together there;
But wisdom shews a narrow path,
With here and there a traveller

d 2 Deny thyself and take thy cross,
e Is the Redeemer's great command;
-Nature must count her gold but dross,
If she would gain this heavenly land.
p 3 The fearful soul, that tires and faints,
And walks the ways of God no more,
Is but esteem'd-almost a saint-

And makes his own destruction sure.
-4 Lord, let not all my hopes be vain ;
Create my heart entirely new:
Which hypocrites could ne'er attain ;
Which false apostates never knew.

HYMN 159. C. M. Plymouth. Wantage. [*]
Unconverted State; or, Converting Grace.
1REAT King of glory and of grace,
We own, with humble shame,

How vile is our degen'rate race,

And our first father's name.

-2 From Adam flows our tainted blood,—
The poison reigns within;
Makes us averse to all that's good,
And willing slaves to sin.

3 [Daily we break thy holy laws,
And then reject thy grace;
Engag'd, in the old Serpent's cause,
Against our Maker's face.].

4 We live estranged afar from God,
And love the distance well;

With haste we run the dang'rous road,
That leads to death and hell.

e 5 And can such rebels be restor❜d!
Such natures made divine!
o Let sinners see thy glory, Lord,
And feel this power of thine.

6 We raise our Father's name on high,
Who his own Spirit sends,

o To bring rebellious strangers nigh,
And turn his foes to friends.

HYMN 160. L. M. Armley. [*]
Custom in Sin.

1 ET the wild leopards of the wood
Put off the spots that nature gives;

Then may the wicked turn to God,
And change their tempers, and their lives.