1 SALVATION! O the joyful sound!
How welcome to our ears!

A sov'reign balm for ev'ry wound,
Removing all our fears.

2 Salvation! purchas'd by the Lamb
Who died that we might live;
And as the fruit of all his pain
Doth life eternal give.

3 Salvation! O the pow'r and love
Which here triumphant reign!
Deliv'ring from the law's dread curse,
And Satan's galling chain.

4 Salvation! may its tidings spread
The spacious earth around,
Till ev'ry kindred, tribe, and tongue
With joy and praise abound.

5 Salvation! to Immanuel's name
Let angels raise their song;
And choirs above, to endless days,
The glorious theme prolong.

6 Salvation! may its sov'reign grace
Our harden'd hearts renew,

And tune our tongues to warmer strains
Than seraphs ever knew.

8.7.7.

*156.

The value of redeeming mercy. Psalm lxxxix. 1. 1 SEE! he comes upon the mountains,

Bringing news of heav'nly birth!
Mercy opens all her fountains,

And directs their streams to earth:
This is news to cheer the sad-
This is news to make us glad.
2 Sing of mercy, sing with gladness,
Let the theme our tongues employ;
Talk no more of gloom and sadness,
Mercy is a theme of joy :

They, we're sure, who know not this,
Do not know what mercy is.

3 But for this delightful subject,

What a waste the earth would seem! Mercy now on ev'ry object

Sheds a bright and cheerful beam;

Till we knew "the joyful sound,”
All was dark and waste around.

4 Mercy lightens all our crosses,
Mercy mitigates our pains,
Makes amends for all our losses,
And gives worth to what remains ;
All our joys from mercy spring,
Let us then of mercy sing.

157.

C. M. The importance of salvation.

Matt. vi. 33.

1 SALVATION is the chief concern
Of mortals here below;

May we its great importance learn;
Its sov'reign virtue know.

2 More needful this than glitt'ring wealth,
Or aught this world bestows;

Not reputation, food, or health,
Can give us such repose.

3 Salvation should our thoughts engage, Amidst our youthful bloom; "Twill fit us for declining age, And for the awful tomb.

4 O! may our hearts, by grace renew'd, Be the Redeemer's throne;

And be our stubborn will subdu'd,
His government to own.

158.

S. M. The importance of salvation. 2 Cor. iv. 18. AND is there, Lord, indeed,

1

2

3

4

5

A judgment yet to come,

Where all mankind shall summon'd be,
To hear their final doom?

Must each before that throne

In person, Lord, appear,

To answer for whate'er is done
In life's short sojourn here?

Is there a heav'n above,

To which believers go?

And is there too a hell beneath,

Where sinners dwell in woe?

Is there no other way,

But Jesus' sacrifice,

Whereby our spirits e'er can reach

The glories of the skies?

Great God! is all this true?

We know most true it is;

Though thousands live as if there were

Nothing so false as this.

6

O! send thy Spirit down

On us assembled here,

That all, without exception, may

Believe, repent, and fear.

159.

C. M. Human depravity and guilt. Psalm xtv. 2, 3.

1 THE Lord from his celestial throne
Look'd down on things below,

To find the man that sought his grace,
Or did his justice know.

2 By nature all are gone astray,
Their practice all the same;
There's none that fears his Maker's law,
There's none that loves his name.

3 Our souls averse to all that's good,
But prone to all that's ill;

What dreadful darkness veils our mind!
How obstinate our will!

4 Children of wrath, conceiv'd in sin;
Soon as we draw our breath,

The first young pulse begins to beat
Iniquity and death.

5 Wild and unwholesome as the stem
Will all the branches be;

How can we hope for living fruit
From such a deadly tree?

6 What mortal pow'r from things unclean
Can pure productions bring?
Who can command a healing stream
From an infected spring?

7 Thy wondrous grace alone, O God!
Can make our nature clean;
The Saviour's sacrifice alone
Can purify from sin.

8 O may that grace and sacrifice
Be to our souls applied!

And far as human guilt extends
Thy mercy be enjoy’d.

160.

L.M. Pardon. Isaiah xliv. 22, 23, 1 LET heav'n burst forth into a song, Let earth reflect the joyful sound; Ye mountains, with the echo ring, And shout, ye forests all around. 2 The Lord his Israel hath redeem'd, Hath made his mourning people glad, And the rich glories of his name In their salvation hath display'd. 3 Unnumber'd sins, like sable clouds, Veil'd ev'ry cheerful ray of joy,

And thunders murmur'd through the gloom, While lightnings pointed to destroy. 4 He spoke, and all the clouds dispers'd, And heav'n unveil'd its shining face; The whole creation smil'd anew, Deck'd in the golden beams of grace. 5. Ye saints inspir'd with grateful love, Join to pronounce your Saviour bless'd; Jehovah is the pard'ning God,

To him be noblest praise address'd.

*161.

8.7.7. Liberty, John viii. 36. 1 JESUS gives to sinners freedom, Freedom which the world ne'er knew; Unto them he gives a kingdom; Heirs of God and glory too. They are free whom Jesus saves, All the rest of men are slaves. 2 Slaves of sin, a yoke how grievous! All are till he makes them free: Jesus never will deceive us,

He has promis'd liberty.
All who by the truth are freed,
He has said, 66 are free indeed."