aith the wisdom of the Lord,
"Bless'd is the man that hears my word,
"Keeps daily watch before my gates,
"And at my feet for mercy waits.
2 "The soul that seeks me shall obtain
"Immortal wealth and heavenly gain;
"Immortal life is his reward,
"Life, and the favour of the Lord.
3 "But the vile wretch that flies from me
"Doth his own soul an injury;
Fools that against my grace rebel
"Seek death, and love the road to hell."
Hymn 1:94.
Justification by faith, not by works; or, The law
condemns, grace justifies, Rom. 3. 19-22.
1 Vain are the hopes the sons of men
On their own works have built;
Their hearts by nature all unclean,
And all their actions guilt.
2 Let Jew and Gentile stop their mouths
Without a murmuring word,
And the whole race of Adam stand
Guilty before the Lord.
3 In vain we ask God's righteous law
To justify us now,
Since to convince and to condemn
Is all the law can do.
4 Jesus, how glorious is thy grace,
When in thy name we trust,
Our faith receives a righteousness
That makes the sinner just.
Hymn 1:95.
Regeneration, John 1. 13. and 3. 3 &c.
1 Not all the outward forms on earth,
Nor rites that God has given,
Nor will of man, nor blood, nor birth,
Can raise a soul to heaven.
2 The sovereign will of God alone
Creates us heirs of grace;
Born in the image of his Son,
A new peculiar race.
3 The Spirit like some heavenly wind
Blows on the sons of flesh,
New models all the carnal mind,
And forms the man afresh.
4 Our quicken'd souls awake, and rise
From the long sleep of death;
On heavenly things we fix our eyes,
And praise employs our breath.
Hymn 1:96.
Election excludes boasting, 1 Cor. 1. 26-31.
1 But few among the carnal wise,
But few of noble race,
Obtain the favour of thine eyes,
Almighty King of Grace.
2 He takes the men of meanest name
For sons and heirs of God;
And thus he pours abundant shame
On honourable blood.
3 He calls the fool, and makes him know
The mysteries of his grace,
To bring aspiring wisdom low,
And all its pride abase.
4 Nature has all its glories lost
When brought before his throne;
No flesh shall in his presence boast
But in the Lord alone.
Hymn 1:97.
Christ our wisdom, righteousness, &c. 1 Cor. 1. 30.
1 Bury'd in shadows of the night
We lie till Christ restores the light:
Wisdom descends to heal the blind,
And chase the darkness of the mind.
2 Our guilty souls are drown'd in tears
Till his atoning bloo
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