A Collection of Hymns of the Children of God in All Ages, from the Beginning Till Now. In Two Parts. Designed Chiefly for the Use of the Congregations in Union with the Brethren's Church

Thereby, as Devils and bad Men's.
25.Th'Epiftle to the Hebrews fpeaks,
Right Faith within it always takes
A hope and Confidence, which we
Fix on God's Promise steadily.
26. That Father also hath this note,
That by the word Belief we ought
Truft in God's Grace to understand,
That we've a gracious Lord obtain'd;
27. Not as Satan and all his Rout,
Who Death and hell from thence
fuck'd out,

When by the confequences he
Perceiv'd this a true History.
28. We at the fame time, fecondly.
Do teach, good Works muft preached

be;

Yet not that one thereon rely, And think God's favour bought thereby.

29. But what one does, and can, always From Love to God and to his praise

Is done, fin's Pardon all the while Faith doth receive from free Grace ftill.

30. When thro' the faith in Jefus Chrift,

The Holy Ghoft us to affift
Is giv'n; then is the Heart made fit
To do what 'fore the Lord is right.
31. For 'till then, wanting th' holy
Ghoft,

'Tis too weak, all attempts are loft,
Since in the Devil's pow'r it dwells,
Who nature unto fin impells.
32. Therefore one plainly might be-
hold,

That the Philofophers of old,
When they did undertake and strive
Like decent worthy men to live,
33. Have not been able it to effect;
Inftead of what they did project,
Virtue, into fins of grofs kind
They've fallen, which could not be
fcreen'd.

34. So with all people it must go, Who without ftanding in Faith true, And not being by the Spirit led, Thro' their own ftrength think to proceed.

35. Dear Friends! of Faith ne'er be it faid,

That it doth from good Works diffuade;

But rather praife it, which them now Firft teaches right, and helps to do. 36.Italfo fhews,how they're attain'd; Which that ye well may understand, Obferve once more, where Jefus Christ,

Where faith as yet doth not exist, 37.7

.The human Nature here all o'er, A wretched creature is and poor, For good works too low-funk by far; She never can make a right Pray'r;

German Hymns in the

178
38. Heaps in her Calling fin on fin;
In Troubles can't herfelf refign;
Cannot obey; her Neighbour love;
Nor against Lufts victorious prove.
39. Such high and right good Works

are done

In Jesus' ftrength, in that alone;
As he doth (John the fifteenth) thew,
"Without me ye can nothing do.

PRAYER.
But with thee, most beloved God!
To do Works, doth no jeft include.
I hold with him, who on thy fide
'Gainft fin, World, Devil, doth abide.

XXI.

S touching th' honour which
'mong men

7. This is the higheft Liturgy,

That one adore and feek to thee
In all need, who our peace didst gain,
CHORUS.

Lord Jefus Chrift, true God and Man!
8. By John it hath declared been,
Suppofing any one should fin,
That with the Father in such case,
Jefus as Advocate he has.

Conclufion.

To the Saints hath establish'd been, THIS is the Doctrine's Sum we

Here we indeed do teach fo far,
That one the Saints in mind fhould

bear;

2. That it t'affift our faith may ferve,
Whatever we in them obferve,
How Grace them feiz'd, and in them

wrought,

How Faith them thro' all trials
brought;

3. That fo in that Vocation we,
Where us the Saviour call'd to be,
Godlily their Example may
And fweetly follow to this day.
4. But that one to them Worship give,
Or in ftraits afk them to relieve,
Of this the Bible nothing fays

hold,

As it to th' Evangelick Fold,
For Chriftian information right,
And for foul's comfort once was writ.
2. Which to fpread REFORMATION'S

That knows of but one Throne of un kreut euch, lieben Chrißen, &c.

pour'd,

In fury blind and rancor; 'Twill all be for thy fake endur'd,

2. Enthrall'd to Satan's pow'r I lay, | 8. My Blood and Life fhall forth be And under Death was rotting; My fins did fright me night and day, I was in Sin begotten, And ever deeper funk therein, There was nought good in my life's scene,

Sin had throughout poffeft me.
3. My best Works had 'fore God a
flaw,

And would not bear propofing;
My free Will hated God's pure Law,
Was to true goodness frozen :
I thought in anguifh and defpair,
That in death's road 1 on muft fare,
And Hell must be my portion.
4. Then God on his eternal feat
Pity'd my State so wretched;
His mercy he did not forget,

But Succour to me reached;
Yea, his paternal Heart divine
He warmly to me did incline,
And spent on me his choiceft.
5. He faid to his beloved Son,

'Tis time to fhew Compassion; Go thou, my Heart's Delight and Crown,

And be poor Man's falvation:
Help him from Sin's perplexity,
Slay for him death, that enemy;
With Thee let him be living.
6. This joint Refolve was then ful-
fill'd!

A Gueft he came down hither,
Born as a spotlefs Virgin's Child,
For he would be my Brother:
His power he kept hid and close,
To walk in figure poor he chofe,
Tentrap the craft of Satan.
7. To me he said: the thing will end
Yet well, make me thy Castle!
Myfelf I'll wholly for thee fpend,
And in thy ftead will wrestle:
For I am thine, and thou art mine;
Where I am, thou fhalt be and reign;
Nor fhall the Foe e'er part us.

Hold with thy faith this Anchor : My pow'rful Life fhall death devour, My Innocence bear thy fin's score;

Thus thou'rt a happy creature.
9. From earth I fhall to Heav'n again
Afcend unto my Father;
There thy kind Bridegroom I'll re
main,

And will fend down another,
The Spirit, who'll in the truth lead

Appoint for all, that to him cleave, To live, fince they on Him believe. 5. And now observe the figns with

care,

The figns, poor rags and manger are;

301.

O traurigkeit, herzeleld.

There you will find the Infant King, Grief of heart, O cutting

Whofe pow'r upholdeth ev'ry thing. 6. Let us rejoice with all our heart,

And with the Shepherds foon depart, To look what Prefents from above God gives with this his Son of love. 7. Awake, my heart, my foul and eyes!

Look what in yonder Manger lies! Whose is that little lovely Child ? 'Tis Chrift, by whom we're reconcil'd. 8. Welcome, O welcome,noble Guest, Who finners not despised haft, But com'ft into our misery! How fhall I pay due thanks to thee! 9. O Lord, Creator, without end! How could't thou ever condefcend To lodge and fleep on wither'd grafs, Provender of the Ox and Afs. 10. If this one world did thousands hold,

Adorn'd with precious ftones and gold,

Yet all these Worlds by far would be

A Cradle ftill too mean for thee.

11. Thy Silk and velvet's rich array Are fwadling cloaths and coarseft hay,

Wherein thou ly'ft great Potentate, As under Canopy of state.

12. Thus it was pleasing unto thee!

To manifeft this truth to me,

That all this World is empty froth,
And all, its honour good for nought.
13. O moft beloved Jefus dear!
For thee a pure foft Bed prepare
To reft for ever in my Heart;
And I from thee will never part.

O whither am I hurried? God the Father's only Child in a tomb is buried.

2. The Lamb, my God, lies pale and dead;

On th' cross Death he endured, And thereby for us thro' love Heaven's realm procured.

O fons of men! this doleful plan Was laid by your tranfgreffion; To retrieve your fhameful Fall, God died in this fashion.

Thy Bridegroom good did fwim in Blood,

Which flow'd upon the mountain; This for all uncleannefs is made an open fountain.

O Mouth fo fweet! Faith's anchor great!

How fhocking is thy Paffion! When one looks at thee, one must be ftruck with compaffion.

6. Beautiful Child! tender and mild,

Virgin's Son fill'd with unction ! Who can fee thy precious Blood without love's compunction? 7. Happy that man, who duly can Confider this great matter: That the Man Christ, who was flain, is our fouls Creator.

8. O Jefu bleft! my heart's true Reft!

Be thou my foul's Defire, Till I too can in my Tomb from the world retire!

From God's command (which fhe despis'd)

And ruin the Creation;

What fhou'd be done? but God the Son

Muft in our very Nature

Retrieve our lofs by's Blood and Crofs,

And fave the Rebel-creature!

3. By one Man's guilt we are enflav'd

To fin, death, hell and devil; But by another's Grace was fav'd Mankind from all this Evil: And as we all by Adam's Fall

Were fentenc'd to damnation ; So the Man-God has by his Blood Regain'd our loft Salvation. 4. Has God bestow'd his only Son On us rebellious creatures, To fave our Souls, which were undone,

And wash our finful natures From all their guilt by th' blood he fpilt,

By's Death and Refurrection? Then no delay! this is the day

Tinsure thy own Election.

5. Chrift is the Way, the Light, the Door,

The hope and Life eternal; The Father's Word and Counsellor, To conquer pow'rs infernal; Our ftrongest Shield, t' obtain the field,

The Helmet of falvation.

Have we a fhare in him, who dare
Affign us to damnation?

6. That man is impious and unjust,
His hope's abomination,
Who does in God not put his Trust,
For help and for salvation:
He, that will frame another Name

Than Chrift's, to juftify him,
Will foon renounce his confidence,
When Satan comes to try him.
7. But

N 3

« Edellinen Jatka »

-kirjat

A Collection of Hymns of the Children of God in All Ages, from the Beginning ...