INSTRUCTIVE HYMNS.

PART V.

THE ARK OF CHRIST'S CHURCH,

IN ITS PASSAGE OVER THE WAVES OF THIS WORLD TO THE HAVEN OF EVERLASTING REST.

Although this Ark cannot be lost,
It shall be tempest tost.

324.

The wicked are like a troubled sea.

1 LET ocean's waves tumultuous rise,
And strive in vain to pierce the skies,
And mingle with the stars;
Then disappointed, backward roll,
And, wild with rage, disturb the pole
With their presumptuous wars :
2 Let murm'ring mortals too repine,
Arraign the Providence divine,

And blame the deeds of heaven;
While passions strong, without control,
Disturb the agitated soul,

Enraged at what is given.

3 But shall the Christian's nobler mind,
By grace renew'd, by heaven refined,
Indulge a murm'ring thought ?
Shall he who claims Jehovah's strength,
Who shall be brought to heaven at length,
Bemoan his present lot ?

4

"Forbid it, gracious God!" he cries,
"Nor let the ungen'rous thought arise,
Offspring of discontent:
No! while my God, my Saviour lives,
Thankful I'll take whate'er he gives,
And prize the blessings sent."

1 WHILE passing through the raging deep,

We sink with chilling fear,

O be not, Lord, as one asleep,

Our urgent voices hear.

2 Bid then the waves and winds be still,
And calm each troubled breast;
Our souls with joy and comfort fill,
And bring us safe to rest.

3 O let us know thy gracious care,
Within the ark secure;

And when we fail, let mercy spare,
That we may still endure.

4 Protect us by thy mighty hand,
Each raging storm restrain,
That we may come to that good land
Where joys for ever reign.

326.

1

2

LORD, hear our humble prayer,
By various storms opprest;
Still let us feel thy care,

And guide us safe to rest;
Say to the raging waves, "Be still,"
The raging waves obey thy will.

Lord, hear thy people's cry,
Their anxious fears forgive;
Save, Lord, or we shall die,

Thy voice can make us live :
Awake, awake, thy love restore,
Or we shall sink to rise no more.

3

4

As thou didst Noah save,
When passing through the deep,
He rose above the wave,

And safe his course did keep;
Then all the tribes that dwelt around,
Within the vast abyss were drown'd.
Thus let our souls abide

Within thy Church secure;
Be thou our help and guide,
That we may still endure;
By thee with peace and favour blest,
All hastening to our heavenly rest.

Be moved by thy rich grace,

To come to thee again,

And they shall find a place;
From storms secure, from dangers free,
Within thine ark they worship thee.

327.

1 O ZION! afflicted with wave upon wave,

Whom no man can comfort, whom no man can

save;

With darkness surrounded, by terrors dismay'd, In toiling and rowing thy strength is decay'd. 2 Loud roaring the billows now nigh overwhelm, But skilful's the Pilot who sits at the helm; His wisdom conducts thee, his power thee de

fends,

In safety and quiet thy warfare he ends. 3 O fearful! O faithless! in mercy he cries, My promise,-my truth,--are they light in thine

eyes;

Still, still I am with thee, my promise shall stand, Through tempest and tossing I'il bring thee to land.

4 Forget thee I will not, I cannot; thy name, Engraved on my heart, doth for ever remain; The palms of my hands, while I look on I see, The wounds I received when suff'ring for thee.

5 Then trust me and fear not, thy life is secure,
My wisdom is perfect, supreme is my power;
In love I correct thee, thy soul to refine,
To make thee, at length, in my likeness to shine.

6 The foolish, the fearful, the weak are my care, The helpless, the hopeless, I hear their sad

prayer;

From all their afflictions my glory shall spring, And the deeper their sorrows, the louder they'll

328.

sing.

(Or)

Hope, an anchor which entereth within the veil.

1 JESUS, the Lord, our souls adore,
A painful sufferer, now no more ;
High on his Father's throne he reigns,
O'er earth and heaven's extensive plains.

2 His stormy passage now is o'er,
He leaves the happy port no more;
Myriads of angels round him fly,
And sing his well-gained victory.

3 Yet 'midst the honours of his throne,
He joys not for himself alone!
His meanest servants share their part,
Share in that royal tender heart.

4 Raise, raise my soul, thy raptured sight,
With sacred wonder and delight;
Jesus, thy own forerunner, see,
Enter'd beyond the veil for thee.

5 Loud let the howling tempest yell,
And foaming waves to mountains swell;
No shipwreck can our vessel fear,
While hope has fix'd its anchor there †.

+ An anchor is a heavy iron instrument, hooked each way, which, being let down from a ship into the water, catches firm hold at the bottom of the sea, and keeps the ship steady. Being under water it is out of sight; the place where it holds is not seen, nor what it holds by; it is only found by experience, that it does hold. So the Christian's hope is fixed in heaven above the sky, and though out of sight, this also holds.

329.

Primitive Christianity.

I believe one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, and that the Church of England is that part of it to which I am called to belong, to adorn, and to defend.

1 HAPPY the souls that first believed,
To Jesus and each other cleaved;
Joined by an unction from above,
Th' Apostles' fellowship of love.

2 Meek, simple followers of the Lamb,
They lived, and spake, and thought the same;
They joyfully conspired to raise
Their ceaseless sacrifice of praise.

3 With grace abundantly endued,
A pure believing multitude;
They all were of one heart and soul,
And only love inspired the whole.

4 O what an age of golden days,
O what a choice peculiar race !
Wash'd in the Lamb's all-cleansing blood,
Anointed kings and priests to God.

5 Ye different sects, who all declare,
Lo here is Christ, or Christ is there!
Your stronger proofs divinely give,
And show me where the Christians live.

6 Your claim, alas! ye cannot prove,
Ye want the Catholic mark of love;
The Lord alone his own can show,
Nor fear we for his Church below.

The necessity of personal religion in addition to Church
Membership.

1 HOW blest the man, how highly so,
As far as man is blest below;
Who, taking up his cross, essays
To follow Christ in all his ways.

2 The Father of the saints above

Adopts him with a father's love;
And makes his deeds to all men shine,
With beams of light and love divine.