Imatges de pàgina
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And sov'reign pow'r the soul assures
Her sins cannot be found.

4. Eternal love, sufficient grace,
Shall guard the Church around;
No condemnation shall take place,
Her sins cannot be found.

5. Eternal grace divinely free,

Does more than sin abound:
As soon shall Jesus cease to be,
As their transgression found.

6. Let Zion's heralds tell the news
To all the Church around,
Conscience and Satan may accuse,
Their sins cannot be found.

Full and free justification is a river of pure and spiritual delight, which the Holy Ghost alone can lead a weary sinner into, and cause him to receive: "God shall persuade Japheth." And this promise continues to be fulfilled, in the times appointed, in every chosen vessel. No sensible sinner can believe the pardon of his sin, till God in love makes it plain to him; giving him faith to rest upon the testimony of God, and a spiritual perception of the beauties of Jesus; as made of

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God unto him Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption. He that is brought here, is " come to mount Zion" indeed! But poor sinners are sure to try what Horeb's terrible mount will produce before they think, to any purpose, on the Covenant of promise: so legal is the heart, and so blind to that which alone can heal its woes! -Is my reader under a cloud? and does he say, I must be brought lower yet, and feel more of sin, and more of the keen application of God's righteous law? Stop!--has not God given thee such a sight of thyself and of thy sin, times without number, as to constrain thee to cry, 'God be merciful unto me a sinner?" As such, thou art now welcome, without any ceremony, to the bosom of thy merciful and faithful high Priest: He will not quench the smoaking flax.

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46.

FINAL PERSEVERANCE OF THE
SAINTS.

The righteous also shall hold on his way.- -Job. xvii 9. 1. YE pilgrims of Zion, and chosen of God, Whose spirits are fill'd with dismay, Since ye have eternal redemption, through blood,

Ye cannot but hold on your way.

2. As Jesus in covenant love did engage
A fulness of grace to display,

The powers of darkness in malice may rage,
The righteous shall hold on his way.

3. This truth, like its author, eternal shall stand,
Though all things in nature decay :
Upheld by Jehovah's omnipotent hand,
The righteous shall hold on his way.

4. They may on the main of temptation be toss'd,
Their sorrows may swell as the sea;
But none of the ransom'd shall ever be lost,
The righteous shall hold on his way.

5. Surrounded with sorrows, temptations, and

cares,

This truth with delight we survey;

And sing, as we pass through this valley of tears,
The righteous shall hold on his way.

6. And when we depart from this militant state,
Exchange the dark night for the day,
His conduct and covenant love we'll relate,
By which we were brought on our way.

The final perseverance of the Saints is a doctrine so clearly made known in the Scriptures,

and so largely insisted upon, that I find it difficult to compress. It is established by the joint will and unerring counsel of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and asserted by Prophets and Apostles, who spake, being moved by the Holy Ghost. It is a doctrine rejoiced in, by all those poor sinners who feel that in them (that is, in their flesh) dwells no good thing; and who know by experience, sufficient to convince them, that their holding out to the end, and dying in the faith, depends not on themselves; but upon the promise, oath, decree, faithfulness, love, grace, and mercy of him, who hath said: Though the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed, yet, his counsel and covenant of peace shall never be moved. Many of the Saints have laboured under fears touching the certainty of their safe arrival in their Father's house; but their fears never defeated God's design in the endless felicity of their souls. He who denies the doctrine of the Saints' final perseverance makes God a liar, and reproaches every attribute and perfection of his nature. Such a character, as is referred to above, is as injurious to the Church of God, and ought to be held in the same light by them, as a robber is held in by society.

47.

MERCY AND JUDGMENT.

I will sing of mercy and judgment.---Ps. ci. 1. 1. HOW shall a finite worm declare

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The counsels of the dread I AM?
All beings, worlds, and things that are,
Jehovah's counsels can't proclaim.

2. He dwells in light, and fills all worlds,
Controls the nations as he please;
And, in a moment's time, he hurls
His vengeance through the earth and seas.

3. His justice and his grace I sing,
All is perfection with our God;
When he through earth destruction fling,
He marks his own with Jesu's blood.

4. Ye haughty worms, of flesh and blood,
Forbear your Maker's ways to scan;
The secret counsels of our God
Are far beyond the reach of man.

5. Survey, ye ransom'd souls survey,

The source whence your salvation springs; 'Twas love and grace, a boundless sea, That fill'd your hearts with heav'nly things.

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