Ι

MY

HYMN 25. C. M.

The Sacraments.

Y Saviour God, my sov'reign Prince,
Reigns far above the skies;

But brings his graces down to sense,
And helps my faith to rise.

2 My eyes and ears shall bless his name :
They read and hear his word;
My touch and taste shall do the same,
When they receive the Lord.

3 Baptismal water is design'd

To seal his cleansing grace;
While at his feast of bread and wine
He gives his saints a place;
4 But not the waters of a flood
Can make my flesh so clean;
As by his Spirit and his blood
He'll wash my soul from sin.

5 Not choicest meats, nor noblest wines,
So much my heart refresh ;
As when my faith goes thro' the signs,
And feeds upon his flesh.

1

I love the Lord, that stoops so low,
To give his word a seal :

But the rich grace his hands bestow,
Exceeds the figures still.

HYMN 26. First Part. L. M.

TWA

Baptism.

WAS the commission of our Lord,
Go teach the nations and baptize :
The nations have receiv'd the word
Since he ascended to the skies.

2 He sits upon th' eternal hills,
With grace and pardon in his hands,

And sends his cov'nant, with the seals,

To bless the distant heathen lands.

3 Repent and be baptiz'd, he saith, For the remission of your sins;

And thus our sense assists our faith, And shows us what his gospel means. 4 Our souls he washes in his blood,

As water makes the body clean;
And the good Spirit of our God
Descends like purifying rain.

5 Thus we engage ourselves to thee,
And seal our cov'nant with the Lord;
O may the great eternal Three
In heav'n our solemn vows record!
HYMN 26. Second Part. C. M.
Improvement of Baptism.

1 ATTEND, ye children of your God;

Ye heirs of glory hear:

For accents, so divine as these,
Might charm the dullest ear.

2 Baptiz'd into your Saviour's death,
Your souls to sin must die;
With Christ your Lord, ye live anew,
With Christ ascend on high.

3 There by his Father's side he sits,
Enthron'd divinely fair;

Yet owns himself your Brother still,
And your Forerunner there.

4 Rise from these earthly trifles, rise
On wings of faith and love;
A bove your choicest treasure lies,
And be your hearts above.

5 But earth and sin will drag us down,
When we attempt to fly :

1

Lord, send thy strong attractive pow'r
To raise and fix us high.

HYMN 27. First Part. C. M.

Baptism is not Regeneration.

THE sacraments are holy signs
And precious gospel seals;

They 'xhibit what the Lord designs,
And what his word reveals.

2 But these are not themselves the grace,
Which signs and seals set forth;
The supper's not the sacrifice,
Nor water the new birth.

3 The sacraments were never meant
A substitute for grace;

They're not the truths they represent,
Nor must they take their place.

4 Sinners may publicly profess,
And signs and seals receive,
Of what they never did possess,
Or what they don't believe.

5 Man may baptize, but 'tis the Lord
Regenerates the heart;

None but the Spirit, by his word,
That blessing can impart.

6 Preserve us, Lord, from self-deceit,
From resting on a sign;
Bestow what symbols indicate,
And give us life divine.

7 Let none who preach the gospel hide
This solemn truth from men :

They may with water be baptiz'd,
Yet not be born again.

1

HYMN 27. Second Part. C. M.
Infant Baptism.

TH

HUS saith the mercy of the Lord,
I'll be a God to thee;

I'll bless thy num'rous race, and they
Shall be a seed to me.

2 Abra'm believ'd the promis'd grace,
And gave his child to God;
But water seals the blessing now
That once was seal'd with blood.
3 Jesus the ancient faith confirms,
To our fore-fathers giv’n;

He takes young children to his arms,
And calls them heirs of heav'n.

4 Our God, how faithful are his ways!
His love endures the same :
Nor from the promise of his grace
Blots out his childrens' name.

5 With the same blessings grace endows The Gentile and the Jew;

If pure and holy be the root,
Such are the branches too.

6 Then let the children of the saints
Be dedicate to God;

Pour out thy Spirit on them, Lord!
And wash them in thy blood.

7 Thus to the parents and their seed
Shall thy salvation come;

And num'rous households meet at last
In one eternal home.

8 Thy faithful saints, eternal King!
This precious truth embrace;
To thee their infant offspring bring,
And humbly claim thy grace.

HYMN 27.

THUS

Third Part. L. M.

Baptism is instituted instead of circumcision. HUS did the sons of Abra'm pass Beneath the bloody seal of grace ; The young disciples bore the yoke, Till Christ the painful bondage broke. 2 By milder ways doth Jesus prove His Father's cov'nant, and his love; He seals to saints his glorious grace, And not forbids their infant race. 3 Their seed is sprinkled with his blood, Their children set apart for God; His Spirit on their offspring shed, Like water pour'd upon the head. 4 Let ev'ry saint with cheerful voice In this large covenant rejoice: Young children in their early days, Shall give the God of Abra'm praise.

1

HYMN 27. Fourth Part. C. M. Suffer little children to come unto me. THE 'HE Saviour, with inviting voice, Says "let your children come : "For them there's love within my "And in my kingdom room.

breast,

2 Lord, at thy call, we bring our babes,
And give them up to thee;

Let angels, and let men, behold,
And all our witness be.

3 Now our dear offspring are baptiz'd
According to his word:

As Abra'm his did circumcise,
Obedient to the Lord.

4 This water, sprinkled on the child,
Doth a rich emblem shew