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290.

We walk by Faith, not by Sight.

1 FAITH is the brightest evidence,
Of things beyond our sight;
Breaks through the clouds of flesh and sense,
And dwells in heavenly light.
2 It sets time past in present view,
Brings distant prospects home;
Of things a thousand years ago,
Or thousand years to come.

3 By faith we know the worlds were made,
By God's almighty word;
Abram, to unknown countries led,
By faith obey'd the Lord.

4 He sought a city fair and high,
Built by th' eternal hands;
And faith assures us, though we die,
That heavenly building stands.

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1 'TIS by the faith of joys to come,
We walk through deserts dark as night;
Till we arrive at heaven, our home,
Faith is our guide, and faith our light.

2 The want of sight she well supplies,
She makes the pearly gates appear;
Far into distant worlds she pries,
And brings eternal glories near.

3 Cheerful we tread the desert through,
While faith inspires a heavenly ray;
Though lions roar and tempests blow,
And rocks and dangers fill the way.
4 So Abram, by divine command,
Left his own home to walk with God;
His faith beheld the promised land,
And fired his zeal along the road.

292.

Be not deceived. He that doeth righteousness is righteous.
1 WHO shall ascend thy heavenly place,
Great God, and dwell before thy face?
The man that minds religion now,
And humbly walks with God below.

2 Whose hands are pure, whose heart is clean,
Whose lips still speak the thing they mean;
No slanders dwell upon his tongue,
He hates to do his neighbour wrong.

3 He loves his enemies, and prays
For those that curse him to his face;
And doth to all men still the same,
That he would hope or wish from them.

4 Yet when his holiest works are done,
His soul depends on grace alone;
This is the man thy face shall see,
And dwell for ever, Lord, with thee.

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1 DO I believe what Jesus saith,
And think the Gospel true?
Lord make me bold to own my faith,
And practise virtue too.

2 Suppress my shame, subdue my fear,
Arm me with heavenly zeal,
That I may make thy power appear,
And works of praise fulfil.
3 If men shall see my virtue shine,
And spread my name abroad ;
Thine is the power, the praise is thine,
My Saviour and my God.

4 Thus when the saints in glory meet,
Their lips proclaim thy grace;
They cast their honours at thy feet,
And own their borrow'd rays.

The promises were not intended to allow us to rest satisfied with the most ardent longings after improvement in holiness, but as an excitement and encouragement to a resolute perseverance in action. With the mouth, confession is made unto salvation, in the regular and appointed way, by repeating the creed; and the sincerity of our faith is to be shewn to the world, not by unaccountable proceedings, but by real and intelligible goodness. If we are to give every man a reason of our hope, it must be such as he can comprehend.

INSTRUCTIVE HYMNS.

PART IV.

THE WEDDING GARMENT:

THE GRACES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT SHOWN FORTH

IN THE CHRISTIAN CHARACTER;

OR,

THE CHRISTIAN'S ROAD TO HEAVEN BY THE

WAY OF

SANCTIFICATION,

AND OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S COMMANDMENTS.

N. B. The texts below are not to be read alone, but compared with those on pages 293 and 294, according to their numbers respectively.

No. 1. Faith without works, is dead. Was not Abraham justified by works, when he offered up Isaac? Ye see how faith wrought with his works, and by works is faith made perfect. James ii. 20.

2.-That the rest of our lives may be pure and holy, so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy, through Jesus Christ. Liturgy.

3.-Neither doth faith shut out the justice of our good works to be done after of duty unto God, but not to be made just by doing of them. Homily. 4.-To them who, by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory, honour, and immor

tality, God will render eternal life. Rom. ii. 7.

5.-But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Cor. vi. II.

6.-Do works meet for repentance. Acts xxvi. 20.

7.-Baptism saves us; not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God. 1 Pet. iii. 21.

8.-Herein do I exercise myself to have always a conscience void of offence, both towards God and towards man, Acts xxiv. 16.

9.-If ye then be risen with

Christ, seek those things which | iv. 12. i. e. the proud gain

are above.

How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein. Col. iii. 1; Rom. vi. 2

10. Therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 1 Cor. vi. 20, 11. The Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 1 Cor. xii. 7.

12. Therefore strive to enter in. Luke xiii. 24.

13.-They shall ALL be taught of God; whoso, therefore, hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me. John vi. 45.

14.-Give diligence to make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. i. 10.

15. To them that love God. Rom. viii, 28,

me.

16.-1 forgave thee that debt, because thou desiredst Oughtest thou not to have forgiven? Deliver him to the tormentors. So shall my heavenly Father do to you, if&c. (conditional.) Mat. xviii.

33.

17.-Walk as children of the light. Ephes. v. 8. 18.-Faith cometh by hearing. Rom. x. 17.

19.-The greatest is charity. 1 Cor. xiii. 13.

20.-Build up yourselves on your most holy faith. Jude 20. 21.-Praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God. Jude 20.

22.-Add to your faith virtue, brotherly kindness, &c.; for if ye do these things ye shall never fall. 2 Pet. i. 5-10.

23.-I keep under my body, lest, after I have preached to others, I myself should be cast away. 1 Cor. ix. 27.

24. If a man purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use. 2 Tim. ii. 21.

25.-He spake in parables, that hearing they should hear and not understand. Mark

sayer.

26.-I

can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me. Phil. iv. 13.

27.-Therefore work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Phil. ii. 12.

28. God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love. Heb vi. 10.

29.-If thou wouldst enter into life, keep the command. ments. Mat. xix. 17.

30.-Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having on a wed. ding garment. Mat. xxii. 12.

31.-Who, in an honest and good heart, receive the word. Luke viii. 15.

32.-Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Mat. v. 16.

33.-Teaching them to observe and do all things that I have commanded. Mat. xxviii. 20. 34.-Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but faith which worketh by love. Gal. v 6.

35.-Fast in secret, and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting Mat. vi. 13. Mark ix. 29.

36.-Hold fast the form of sound words. 2 Tim. i. 13.

37. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. John xiii. 35.

38.-Being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ. 1 Cor. ix. 21.

39.-I count not myself to have apprehended, or to be already perfect. Phil. iii. 12. See that ye abound more and more. I Thess. iv. 1. Grow in grace, 2 Pet. iii. 18.

40. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Rom. vi. 23.

294.

Behold yourself baptized into Christ's Church, already called to be a candidate for the prize, and actually placed on the course, with every necessary provision for running the race successfully.

1 AWAKE my soul, stretch every nerve,

And press with vigour on;
A heavenly race demands thy zeal,
And an immortal crown.

2 'Tis God's all-animating voice,
That calls thee from on high;
'Tis his own hand presents the prize,
To thine aspiring eye.

3 A cloud of witnesses around,
Hold thee in full survey;
Forget the steps already trod,
And onward urge thy way.
4 Bless'd Saviour, introduced by thee,
Have we our race begun,
And, crown'd with vict'ry, at thy feet,
We'll cast our honours down.

295.

(Or)

The Christian on Duty.

1 A SOLDIER'S course from battles won,
To new commencing strife;
A pilgrim's restless as the sun,
Behold the Christian's life !

2 The hosts of Satan pant for spoil-
How can our warfare close?
Lonely we tread a foreign soil-
How can we hope repose?

3 Then let us seek our heavenly home,
The rest for us in store;

The land where pilgrims never roam,
Where soldiers war no more.

4 Where grief shall never wound, nor death
Disturb the Saviour's reign;
Nor sin, with pestilential breath,
His holy realm profane.

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