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Will ye not his love receive ?
Will ye still refuse to live?

Why, O long-sought sinners! why
Will ye grieve your God and die?

263.

The Christian's Duty.

SHALL Jesus descend from the skies,
T' atone for our sins by his blood?
And shall we such goodness despise,
And rebels still be to our God?

2 No brute could be ever so base,
Shall man thus ungrateful then prove?
Forbid it, O God of all grace,

Forbid it, thou Spirit of love!

3 The devils would laugh us to scorn,
For folly so shameful as this;
O let us to God then return,

Sure never was goodness like his.

4 He saved us, or we had been lost,
Nor comfort, nor hope had e'er known;
Yet he knew this salvation would cost
No less than the blood of his Son.

5 Through him we forgiveness shall find,
And taste the sweet blessings of peace;
If contrite and humbly resigned,
We trust in his promised grace.

6 While here through the desert we stray,
Our God shall be all our delight,
Our pillar of cloud in the day,
And pillar of fire in the night.

7 Till the Jordan of death safely pass'd,
We land on the heavenly shore,
Where we the hid manna shall taste,
Nor hunger nor thirst any more.

INSTRUCTIVE HYMNS.

PART III.

THE STRAIT GATE:

OR

THE ENTRANCE TO THE CHRISTIAN COURSE

BY THE WAY OF

JUSTIFICATION.

(The Hymns in Part III. correspond, in some measure, with those in Part IV.)

To obtain a correct view of the Gospel scheme, according to the due proportion of faith, it will be useful to compare together, occasionally, some one or two of the following passages; (viz. No. 1. on this page, is to be compared with No. 1. on page 312. No. 2. with 2., and so on ;) and then take the sense of both together without endeavouring to explain away either. Any other way of reading them will prove hurtful, rather than beneficial,

No. 1.-Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousness without works. Rom. iv. 6.

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ:-for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Gal. ii. 16.

2.-Almighty God pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent, and unfeignedly believe, his holy Gospel. Liturgy.

3.-The grace of God shutteth out the justice of our works, to be merits of deserving our justification. Homily.

4. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the

Holy Ghost: that being justified by his grace, we should be heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Tit. iii. 5. 7.

5.-Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Acts xxii. 16.

6.-Repent, and be baptized, for the remission of sins. Acts ii. 38.

7. He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved. Mark xvi. 16.

8. If thou shalt confess, with thy mouth, the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Rom. x. 9.

9. He rose again for our justification. We are buried, and also risen with him in baptism, through faith. Rom. iv. 25. Col. ii. 12.

10.-Redeemed with the precious blood of Christ. 1 Pet. i. 19.

Ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price. 1 Cor. vi. 20.

11. Without me ye can do nothing. John xv. 5.

12. Many shall seek to enter in and shall not be able. Luke xiii. 24.

13. No man can come unto me, except the Father which hath sent me, draw him. John vi. 44.

14.-Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God, unto obedience. I Pet. i. 2.

15.-To them who are called according to his purpose. Rom. viii. 28.

16.-Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely. Rev. xxii. 17.

Buy wine and milk, without and without price. Is. money, Iv. 1. (Unconditional.)

17.-Ye are all children of the light and of the day. 1 Thess. v. 5.

18.-Lord increase our faith. Luke xvii. 5.

19. By grace ye are saved, through faith. Ephes. ii. 8.

20. Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. iii. 11.

21.-Who are kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation. 1 Pet. i. 5.

22.-Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling. Jude 24.

23. He who hath begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ. Phil. i. 6.

24. Hath not the potter power over the clay to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? Rom. ix. 21.

25. He spake the word to them (in parables) as they were able to bear it. Mark iv. 33.

i. e. the sincere and humble enquirer.

26.-We are not sufficient of ourselves, to think any thing as of ourselves. 2 Cor. iii. 5.

27.-It is God that worketh in us, to will and to do, of his own good pleasure. Phil. ii. 13.

28. When ye have done all things that are commanded you, say we are unprofitable servants. Luke xvii. 10.

29.-Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Acts xvi. 31.

30. Many are called, but few chosen. Why? Matt. xxii. 14.

31.-In me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing. Rom. vii. 18.

32.-Do not your works to be seen of men. Matt. vi. 1. 5. 16. 33.-This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. John vi. 29.

34-Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but a new creature, Gal, vi. 15.

35.-Is this the fast that I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul; or rather to deal thy bread to the hungry, to let the oppressed go free. Is. lviii. 5--7.

36.-Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof. 2 Tim. iii. 5.

37.-Contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. Jude 3.

38.-Ye are not under the Rom law, but under grace. vi. 14.

39.-Ye are complete in Him. Col. ii. 10.

40. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life eternal. Matt. xxv. 46,

264.

REPENTANCE.

1 REPENT, the voice celestial cries,

No longer dare delay;

The wretch that scorns the mandate dies, And meet a fiery day!

2 No more the sovereign eye of God
O'erlooks the crimes of men ;
His heralds are despatch'd abroad,
To warn the world of sin.

3 The summons reach through all the earth, 1
Let earth attend and fear;
Listen, ye men of noble birth,
And let your households hear.

4 Together in his presence bow,
And all your guilt confess;
Embrace your Saviour's offer now,
Nor trifle with his grace.

5 Bow ere the awful trumpet sound,
And call you to his bar;
For mercy knows the appointed bound,
And turns to vengeance there!

6 Amazing love! that yet will call,
And yet prolong our days:

Our hearts subdued by goodness fall,
And weep, and love, and praise.

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By the law is the knowledge of sin.

This corruption doth remain, yea in them that are regenerate.

1 OH! how secure my conscience was,
And felt no inward dread;

I was alive without the law,

And thought my sins were dead.

2 My hopes of heaven were firm and bright,
But since the precept came,

With a convincing power and light,
I find how vile I am.

3 My guilt appear'd but small before,
Till terribly I saw

How perfect, holy, just, and pure,
Was thine eternal law.

4 Then felt my soul the heavy load,
My sins revived again;

I had provoked a dreadful God!
And all my hopes were slain.

5 I'm like a helpless captive sold,
Under the power of sin;
I cannot do the good I would,
Nor keep my conscience clean.
6 My God, I cry, with every breath,
For some kind power to save;
To break the yoke of sin and death,
And thus redeem the slave!

266.

Exod. xxiv. 8-11. Draw near in faith.

1 SPRINKLED with reconciling blood,
I venture near thy throne, O God,
Thy face no frowning aspect wears,
Thy hand no vengeful thunder bears.
2 Th' encircling rainbow, peaceful sign,
Does with refulgent brightness shine;
And while my faith beholds it near,
I bid farewell to needless fear.

3 Let me my grateful homage pay,
With courage sing, with fervour pray;
And, though myself a wretch undone,
Hope for acceptance through thy Son:-
4 Thy Son, who on th' accursed tree
Expired to set the vilest free;

On this I build my only claim,
And all I ask is in his name.

267.

(Or)

Grateful acceptance of Salvation.

1 ENSLAVED by sin, and bound in chains,
Beneath its dreadful tyrant's sway;
And doom'd to everlasting pains,
We wretched guilty captives lay.
2 Jesus the Lord, the mighty God,
An all-sufficient ransom paid;
Invalued price-his precious blood
For vile rebellious traitors shed.

3 Jesus the sacrifice became,

To rescue guilty souls from hell;
The spotless bleeding dying Lamb,
Beneath avenging justice fell!

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