Their virtue does her bud difclofe, As under Thorn-bufhes the Rofe.

297..

vow'd,

They 'fore God waited in good faith, No Tyrant could them make afraid 3. The World them t' incapacitate, Did mock, moleft, incarcerate; They Banishment on fome falfe fcore, Yea ftoning, burning did incur.

4. In goat-fkins wander'd they about, Tormented much and deftitute, Walk'd upon cliffs in the defart, In caves and dens ev ́n under earth. 5. As our Lord God had called them, Wash'd in the Blood of his own Lamb,

So whilft they down their Life did lay,

They got the honour of the day. 6.Their Death was precious in God's

G

to John Hufs.

Reeting, and whatsoe'er more fweet

Can be devis'd

In th' bowels of Jefus Chrift!
If Sorrow we and tribulation meet,
Yea, cruel Death for Jefu's fake,
Let it our courage never shake.
The gracious God for ever
Will deliver

His only and most faithful Spouse ;
Nor thofe that love his Name,
Of any of the aim
Their Souls propofe,

To be defrauded, will permit.
His Law let us but love,
Deceitful Labourers not prove,
But faithfully throughout ourselves
acquit.

Therefore, my Brethren dear!
To me in perfon here
Unknown, yet not in love and faith,
(For those whom Christ's love power-
fully hath

Tho' diftant they may be in Place,
Together join'd,
Be quicken'd in your lot of grace:
Are yet combin'd)
Chrift's worthy Soldiers be
In Word and Life inceffantly:
And, whom you can, invite
To Truth's way and Religion right.
DearSouls! I know not what to men-

298.

Doctrinal Hymn out of the Augfburg Confeffion (almost verbatim.)

I

ARTICLE I.

Do believe, that in heav'n's throne Dwells one Divine Being alone; Who's call'd (as he himself explains) And truly is, GOD: and remains, 2. Of like duration, of pow'r one, As God our Father, God the Son, And God the Holy Ghoft likewife: This Three, one Divine Being is, 3. Which is eternal, without parts, Immenfe, almighty Pow'r exerts, His Wisdom ne'er can meafur'd be, Nor fathom'd his Benignity. 4. Maker, Preferver of as well Things unfeen, as the visible. By the word Perfon is expreft No piece divided from the reft Nor fome mere property, which

5.

may

;

Itfelf in diff'rent kind display!
The Church by Perfon understands,
What by itself fubfifting stands.
PRAYER.

O holy bleed Trinity!
God Father! warring under thee;
God Holy Ghoft! thou being Guide;
1 with God Son, walk fide by fide.

II.

2. They from the very womb are

fraught

With inclinations bad and naught;
Belief in God, on t'other side,
And God's true fear have in them
dy'd.

3 We can't be otherwise, 'tis fure,
No human Heart's by nature pure,
And Nature's Pravity within
Is really and truly fin,

4. Condemned under God's wrath due ;

And fo what's not a creature new,
Thro' water and the Holy Ghoft,
It muft eternally be loft.

5. Nature is certainly not good,
And what from our own pow'rs hath
flow'd,

Inftead of virtue, can but be
Self-cheating, or hypocrify.

6. Our own Strength, with its beft acquift,

Is to the Merit of Jefus Chrift,
And the fore Pains he did fuftain,
A venomous Reproach and stain.
PRAYER.

My Soul's falvation I commit
To the Lamb's Wounds, and fores and
fweat,

Which did the New Birth for me gain, When that dear Heart for me was flain.

III.

B'lieve, that God the Lord the Became a Man, for men undone, He was born of a spotless Maid T' whom Gabriel the news convey'd. by Luther himself.

2. Nor fatisfaction can he make; But we for Jefus Christ his fake, The abfolution, and to pass 'Fore God as righteous, have by Grace.

3.Thro' Faith; and truly such a faith, Which clearly views Chrift's Blood and death,

And Pardon of offences done,

And righteoufnefs finds there alone; 4. Which fo eternal life from thee Accepts, O God! as given free : 'Tis Faith, to which that righteoufnefs

Thou wilt impute, which can thee please.

5. To be fav'd, for fome skill doth call;

In the word gratis it lies all.
PRAYER.
My dear Lord Jesus ! have thanks juft,
To whom Redemption Pains did coft.

avow

I

VII.

Believe too, throughout all days A holy Christendom there was, Th' Affembly of Believers pure, A Church, which is and fhall endure.

And after the direction too

Of the fame golpel on this head,
The Sacraments difiributed.

3. For that can well fufficient be
In this time for true Unity
Of the whole Christian Church, that

men

Unanimous in this remain;

4. That they after its pureft aim
And fenfe, the Gofpel ftill proclaim,
And after the Word's true intent
Adminifter each Sacrament.
5. Nor need it for true unity
In Christendom infifted be,
That Ceremonies, which men frame,
Should in all Places be the fame.
6. One Body, Sp'rit enjoins faint
Paul,

Likewife one Hope of that high call
Whereto ye're call'd, one Lord, one
Faith,
And alfo one Baptismal Bath.
PRAYER.

cord,

Ambrofe for inftance has this word, That 'tis by God concluded on,

O all-affifting Lord most dear!
How goes thy faithful heart so far,
As in the Mode to condefcend,
but the Sheep howe'er are gain'd?

VIII.

5.

That thou shalt then falvation Obtain, and this thro' Faith alone, And without thy defert or deed, Art from all fins abfolv'd and freed. PRAYER.

Moft willingly, dear God and Lord! Grace for this light Command afford, To be a good and happy Child; Thoughts of Reward we'll glad up yield.

This properly in th' mind doth

come,

PRAYER.

May God be praised and ador'd,
Who would to us fuch grace afford,
To eat and drink his Flesh and Blood.
Evermore give it us, Lord God!

XI.

WE teach, Confeffion hath its

place,

And in the Church its fitness has,
And private Absolution fo
Remaineth still in practice due.
2. Continue and drop not fuch Ufe;
But that a man his head confuse,
By striving to remember all

His Sins, no law for this doth call:
3. Efpecially fince it tranfcends
Man's fkill, how often he offends
To know, as it in words moft clear
Doth in the nineteenth Pfalm appear.
PRAYER.

Dear God! what ease unto a Child, Who for grace thirfteth, would it yield, Were but a window in his Breaft; Since be ne'er thinks enough confeft.

WH

XII. Introduction.

Hoever after Baptifm's bath Again in the mire wallow'd bath, Should as a Swine and dog indeed Without the door be thrust with speed, 2. As it by Peter is portray'd; Yet fuch a dog, who hath been made A Sheep of Chrift once through free The Wolf it to devour assays. 3. When now the Sheep in great alarm And pain at that fo woful harm And death, which 'fore its eyes it fees, Direly tow'rds the Shepherd flees; 4. Then is he foon to pity driv'n, And to the Servants charge is giv'n, That none fhall caft a frighted lamb Away, or it feverely damn.