178 Kentucky. S.M.
(405) Guilt and Helplessness of Man.
Ah! how shall fallen man
Be just before his God?
If he contend in righteousness,
We fall beneath his rod.
2 If he our ways should mark
With strict inquiring eyes,
Could we for one of thousand faults
A just excuse devise?
3 All-seeing, powerful God,
Who can with thee contend?
Or who that tries the unequal strife,
Shall prosper in the end?
4 Ah! how shall guilty man
Contend with such a God?
None, none can meet him and escape,
But through the Savior's blood.
Isaac Watts, 1707.
179 Kentucky. S.M.
(406) An Evil Heart.
Astonished and distressed,
I turn mine eyes within;
My heart with loads of guilt oppressed,
The source of every sin.
2 What crowds of evil thoughts,
What vile affections there!
Envy and pride, deceit and guile,
Distrust and slavish fear.
3 Almighty King of saints!
These tyrant lusts subdue;
Drive the old serpent from his seat,
And all my powers renew.
4 This done,--my cheerful voice
Shall loud hosannas raise;
My heart shall glow with gratitude,
My lips be filled with praise.
Benjamin Beddome, 1787.
180 Olmutz. S.M.
(407) The Reign of Sin.
How heavy is the night
That hangs upon our eyes,
Till Christ with his reviving light
Over our souls arise.
2 Our guilty spirits dread
To meet the wrath of heaven;
But, in his righteousness arrayed,
We see our sins forgiven.
3 The powers of hell agree
To hold our souls in vain;
He sets the sons of bondage free,
And breaks the cursed chain.
4 Lord, we adore thy ways
To bring us near to God,
Thy sovereign power, thy healing grace,
And thine atoning blood.
Isaac Watts, 1709.
181 Downs. C.M.
(396) The Need of Regeneration.
How helpless guilty nature lies,
Unconscious of its load!
The heart, unchanged, can never rise
To happiness and God.
2 Can aught, beneath a power divine,
The stubborn will subdue?
'Tis thine, almighty Spirit! thine,
To form the heart anew.
3 'Tis thine, the passions to recall,
And upward bid them rise;
To make the scales of error fall,
From reason's darkened eyes.
4 Oh! change these wretched hearts of ours,
And give them life divine;
Then shall our passions and our powers,
Almighty Lord! be thine.
Anne Steele, 1760.
182 Downs. C.M.
(397) Pardon and Sanctification in Christ.
How sad our state by nature is!
Our sin--how deep it stains!
And Satan binds our captive minds,
Fast in his slavish chains.
2 But there's a voice of sovereign grace
Sounds from the sacred word;--
"Ho! ye despairing sinners! come
And trust a faithful Lord."
3 My soul obeys the gracious call
And runs to this relief;
I would believe thy promise, Lord!
Oh! help my unbelief.
4 To the blest fountain of thy blood,
Incarnate God! I fly;
Here let me wash my spotted soul,
From crimes of deepest dye.
5 A guilty, weak, and helpless worm,
On thy kind arms I fall;
Be thou my strength and righteousness
My Jesus, and my all.
Isaac Watts, 1707.
183 Downs. C.M.
(400) Man's Need of the New Birth.
Sinners, this solemn truth regard,
Hear, all ye sons of men;
For Christ, the Savior, hath declared,
"Ye must be born again."
2 Whate'er might be your birth or blood,
The sinner's boast is vain;
Thus saith the glorious Son of God,
"Ye must be born again."
3 That which is born of flesh is flesh,
And flesh it will remain:
Then marvel not that Jesus saith,
"Ye must be born again."
4 Spirit of life, thy grace impart,
And breathe on sinners slain:
Bear witness, Lord, in ev'ry heart,
That we are born again.
John Fawcett.
184 Rockbridge. L.M.
(402) Man's Need of Christ.
Buried in shadows of the night
We lie, till Christ restores the light;
Till he descends to heal the blind,
And chase the darkness of the mind.
2 Our guilty souls are drowned in tears,
Till his atoning blood appears;
Then we awake from deep distress,
And sing the Lord our righteousness.
3 Jesus beholds where Satan reigns,
And binds his slaves in heavy chains;
He sets the prisoners free, and breaks
The iron bondage from our necks.
4 Poor, helpless worms in thee possess
Grace, wisdom, power, and righteousness
Thou art our mighty all, and we
Give our whole selves, O Lord, to thee.
Isaac Watts, 1709.
185 Melody. C.M.
(399) Law and Grace.
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 murm'ring 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.
Isaac Watts, 1709.
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