The sinner found wanting. Dan. v. 27. RAISE, thoughtless sinner, raise thine eyej. Behold the balance lifted high;
There shall God's justice be display'd, And there thy hope and life be weigh'd. 2 See, in one scale his perfect law; Mark with what force its precepts draw; Wouldst thou the awful test sustain, Thy works how light, thy thoughts how vain Behold! the hand of God appears To trace these dreadful characters; "Tekel, thy soul is wanting found, "And wrath shall smite thee to the ground.
4 Let sudden fear thy nerves unbrace e; Confusion wild o'erspread thy face; Through all thy thoughts let anguish roll, And deep repentance melt thy soul. 5 One only hope may yet prevail; Christ, in the scripture turns the scale; Still doth the gospel publish peace, And show a Saviour's righteousness. 6 Jesus, exert thy power to save, Deep on this heart thy truth engrave į Great God, the load of guilt remove, That trembling lips may sing thy love.
XXI. L. M. RIPPONS SELEC. The practical use of the moral law to the con vinced sinner.
HERE, Lord, my soul convicted stands Of breaking all thy ten commands;
And on me justly might'st thou pour Thy wrath in one eternal show'r. 2 But thanks to God, its loud alarms Have warn'd me of approaching harms:- And now, O Lord, my wants I see; Lost and undone I come to thee. 3 I see my fig-leaf righteousness Can ne'er thy broken law redress: Yet in thy gospel plan I see
There's hope of pardon e'en for me. 4 Here I behold thy wonders, Lord, How Christ hath to thy law restor❜d Those honours on th' atoning day, Which guilty sinners took away. 5 Amazing wisdom, pow'r, and love, Display'd to rebels from above! Do thou, O Lord, my faith increase To love and trust thy plan of grace. XXII, C. M. CowPER.
Legal obedience followed by Evangelical, O strength of nature can suffice To serve the Lord aright;
And what she has, she misapplies, For want of clearer light.
2 How long beneath the law I lay In bondage and distress!
I toil'd the precept to obey, But toil'd without success. ? Then to abstain from outward sin Was more than I could do; Now, if I feel its power within,
I feel I hate it too.
Then all my servile works were done A righteousness to raise;
Now, freely chosen in the Son, I freely choose his ways,
What shall I do, was then the word, That I may worthier grow? What shall I render to the Lord? Is my inquiry now.
6 To see the law by Christ fulfill'd, And hear his pard'ning voice, Changes a slave into a child, And duty into choice,
The law and gospel; or, Christ a refugo.
URST be the man, for ever curst, "That doth one wilful sin commit; "Death and damnation for the first, "Without relief and infinite.”
2 Thus Sinai roars, and round the earth Thunder, and fire, and vengeance flings; But, Jesus, thy dear gasping breath, And Calvary say gentler things:
3 "Pardon, and grace, and boundless love, "Streaming along a Saviour's blood, "And life, and joys, and crowns above, "Bestow'd by the eternal God."
4 The Saviour prays, (the charming sound Dwells on his dying lips) FORGIVE; And ev'ry groan and gaping wound Cries, "Father, let the rebels live."
5 Go, you that rest upon the law, And toil and seek salvation there, Look to the flame that Moses saw, And shrink, and tremble, and despair;
6 But I'll retire beneath the cross, Saviour, at thy dear feet I lie; And the keen sword that justice draws Flaming and red, shall pass me by.
CEREMONIAL LAW.
SRAEL in ancient days,
Not only had a view
Of Sinai in a blaze,
But learn'd the gospel too;
The types and figures were a glass, In which they saw the Saviour's face. 2 The paschal sacrifice,
And blood-besprinkled door, Seen with enlighten'd eyes,.
And once apply'd with power, Would teach the need of other blood; To bring a sinner nigh to God. 3 The Lamb, the Dove, set forth His perfect innocence,
Whose blood of matchless worth Should be the soul's defence; For he who can for sin atone, Must have no failings of his own. 4 The Scape-goat on his head The people's trespass bore, And, to the desert led,
Was to be seen no more; In him our surety seem'd to say, "Behold I bear your sins away.'
5 Dipt in his fellow's blood, The living bird went free;
The type well understood, Express'd the sinner's plea ; Describ'd a guilty soul enlarg'd,
And by the Saviour's death discharg'd 6 Jesus, I love to trace
Throughout the sacred page, The footsteps of thy grace, The same in ev'ry age!
O grant that I may faithful be To clearer light vouchsaf'd to me.
XXV. C. M. RIPPON'S SELEC. The Gospel a Feast. Isaiah xxv. 6; N Sion, his most holy mount, God will a feast prepare,
And Israel's sons, and Gentile lands Shall in the banquet shäre.
Marrow and fatness are the food His bounteous hand bestows: Wine on the lees, and well refin'd, In rich abundance flows.
See to the vilest of the vile A free acceptance given! See rebels, by adopting grace
Sit with the heirs of heaven!
The pain'd, the sick, the dying, now To ease and health restor'd, With eager appetites partake
The plenties of the board.
5 But O what draughts of bliss unknown, What dainties shall be given,
When, with the myriads round the throne, We join the feast of heaven!
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