: 2 Fain I would my all resign, 1 JUDGE of the earth, thou vital source 3 Right all the dealings of the Lord; Whether he smiles, or frowns, or hides, All is in perfect love! 4 All the keen sorrows now we feel, All are to lead from sin to God,- 5 Shines the whole providence of God Whether he gives, withholds, or takes, 6 Soon shall we mount, with rapt'rous flight, 1 "The Spirit of Faith." 2 Cor. iv. 13. FIRST PART. How glorious is that faith The church-elect receives! "Tis God within-Immanuel's breath,. By which the saint believes ! 2 How strange the course it takes!Unlike our selfish race 3 4 5 6 7 It seeks the poor, the rich forsakes, Faith lives and works within, Without our righteous deeds, Nay, sometimes 'midst our deeds of sin,- Its holiest work is this, To lead the sinful soul To Christ, the sinner's righteousness, And when this truth he shuns, Faith asks, when drowning in his sins, Faith, tho' divinely pure, Does not to pure-ones come ; It can't the pharisee endure, Yea, where this heav'nly guest 8 Yet, tho' of pow'r divine, Faith does not bear the load ;But leads the burden'd soul to lean Upon the Son of God! 1 2 "The Spirit of Faith." 2 Cor. iv. 13. SECOND PART. FAITH is an eye within, Not to be look'd upon, But by it, thro' the clouds of sin, Faith is the arm of grace, 3 The hand divine is Faith, 4 5 Faith is the beauteous feet By which we walk abroad, In Christ, thro' ev'ry heav'nly street,— Faith is a two-edg'd sword, That cuts at all that's not the Lord The good as well as bad. 6 Faith, as a shield, averts, And screens us from the world; And quenches all the fiery darts "The Spirit of Faith." 2 Cor. iv. 13. THIRD PART. 1 THE royal shoes are Faith, The Prince's daughter wears ;These are the beauty that she hath, And not mere deeds and prayers. 2 With deeds and prayers but drest We stiffly stalk abroad; 3 4 5 6 And are but Pharisees at best, Some think, indeed, by these The righteous deeds such hold, Mere imitations of heav'n's gold, Nay, even Faith, tho' true, But gives to Christ the glory due, And labours for his sake. It works thro' all restraints, Or creature-sinners, creature-saints, |