285. Redeem'd from Spiritual Bondage.

7s.

O Lord our GOD, other Lords beside thee have had dominion over us; but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.-ISAIAH xxvi. 13.

ONCE to other Lords we bow'd,
None were more enslav'd than we :
Once we join'd the thoughtless crowd:
SAVIOUR, now we come to thee.

2 Long, too long alas! we were Slaves of sin and foes to thee; Now with truth we can declare, None owe more to grace than we.

3 Lord, we now confess with shame,
How we slighted all thy love,
How we long withstood thy claim,
And against thy mercy strove.
4 Henceforth we desire to be
Thine alone, for ever thine :
Thou hast set the pris'ners free;
SAVIOUR, on thy people shine.

5 Let us walk with thee below;
Thee on whom our hopes depend:
Then with all thy people go,
There, where all our conflicts end.

286. Rejoicing in the Lord. C.M.

If ye then be risen with CHRIST, seek those things which are above, where CHRIST sitteth on the right hand of GOD. COL. iii. 1.

JESUS, away from earth I fly,
And with thy church unite;
Thy saints shall be my company,
Thy presence my delight.

2 Tby name shall dwell upon my tongue,
Through all the heav'nly road;
Thy truth and grace shall be my song,
Till I get home to God.

3 The wonders of thy bleeding love, For one so vile as I,

Shall often draw my heart above,
And fix my thoughts on high.

4 Yes, in thy name I will rejoice,
And triumph in thy word;
In echo to my heart, my voice
Shall magnify the Lord.

5 And may I never cease to tell
The wonders of his love;
Till heav'nly notes my bosom swell
In yonder courts above.

6 Till I, without a jarring sound,
Thy free salvation sing;
And make thy courts above resound
The glories of my King.

287. Renouncing all self-dependence to depend upon Christ alone.-C.M.

For I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.—Roм. vii. 9.

HOW empty was our former boast,
Our foolishness of pride,
When in ourselves we put our trust,
And on our works relied ?

2 Strong in the freedom of our will,
Firm in our nature's pow'rs,
We thought to gain the heav'nly hill,
And seize the crown as ours.

3 Our good desires, our hearts sincere, Our best endeavours-stood T'atone for our transgressions here, In place of JESU's blood.

4 [Alas, for us! we knew not then
His blood and righteousness,
Through which alone the sons of men
Are sav'd by richest grace.]

5 But now, O gracious GoD, thy love
Hath taught us better things;
Our all is giv'n us from above,
From thee salvation springs.

6 Freely thy love delights to save,
Nor asks from man a price;
JESUS himself a ransom gave
Our bleeding sacrifice.

7 We own the sole procuring cause,
That precious blood divine:
May we, since JESUS died for us,
May we live ever thine.

288. Renouncing all for Christ. L.M.

I count all things but dung, that I may win CHRIST, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of CHRIST, the righteousness which is of GOD by faith. -PHIL, iii. 8, 9.

NO more, my God, I boast no more
Of all the duties I have done;

I quit the hopes I held before,
To trust the merits of thy SoN.

2 Now, for the love I bear his name, What was my gain I count my loss; My former pride I count my shame, And glory only in his cross.

3 Yes, and I must and will esteem
All things but loss for JESU's sake:
Oh may my soul be found in him,
And of his righteousness partake.
4 The best obedience of my hands
Dares not appear before thy throne;
But faith can answer thy demands,
By pleading what my Lord has done.

289. Rejoicing in the Salvation of God. L.M.

The Lord liveth, and blessed be my rock; and let the GOD of my salvation be exalted.-PSALM Xviii. 46.

JUST are thy ways, and true thy word, Great rock of my secure abode: Who is a God besides the Lord? Or where's a refuge like our God? 2 'Tis he that girds me with his might, Gives me his holy sword to wield; And, while with sin and hell I fight, Spreads his salvation for my shield. 3 He lives (and blessed be my rock), The God of my salvation lives: The dark designs of hell are broke; Sweet is the peace my Father gives.

4 Before the scoffers of the age

I will exalt my Father's name;
Nor tremble at their mighty rage,
But meet reproach, and bear the shame.

5 To David and his royal seed,
Thy grace for ever shall extend;
Thy love to saints, in CHRIST their head,
Knows not a limit nor an end.

290. Repenting. L.M.

How shall I put thee among the children?-JER. iii. 19.
PITY a helpless sinner, Lord,
Who would believe thy gracious word :