But to see thy glory shine
Is a heaven begun on earth:
Trifles can no longer move—
Oh, I tread on all beside
When I feel my Saviour’s love,
And remember how he died!
II
Now my search is at an end,
Now my wishes rove no more!
Thus my moments I would spend,
Love and wonder and adore:
Jesus, source of excellence!
All thy glorious love reveal;
Kingdoms shall not bribe me hence
While this happiness I feel.
III
Take my heart, ’tis all thine own,
To thy will my spirit frame;
Thou shalt reign, and thou alone,
Over all I have or am:
If a foolish thought shall dare
To rebel against thy word,
Slay it, Lord, and do not spare,
Let it feel thy Spirit’s sword.
IV
Making thus the Lord my choice,
I have nothing more to choose
But to listen to thy voice,
And my will in thine to lose:
Thus, whatever may betide,
I shall safe and happy be;
Still content and satisfied,
Having all in having thee.
67
The Happy Debtor
By Newton
I
Ten thousand talents once I owed,
And nothing had to pay;
But Jesus freed me from the load,
And wash’d my debt away.
II
Yet since the Lord forgave my sin,
And blotted out my score,
Much more indebted I have been
Than e’er I was before.
III
My guilt is cancel’d quite, I know.
And satisfaction made;
But the vast debt of love I owe
Can never be repaid.
IV
The love I owe for sin forgiven,
For power to believe,
For present peace and promised heaven,
No angel can conceive.
V
That love of thine, thou sinner’s Friend!
Witness thy bleeding heart!
My little all can ne’er extend
To pay a thousandth part.
VI
Nay, more; the poor returns I make,
I first from thee obtain;
And ’tis of grace that thou wilt take
Such poor returns again.
VII
’Tis well—it shall my glory be,
(Let who will boast their store,)
In time and to eternity,
To owe thee more and more.31
VI
Cautions
68
The New Convert
By Cowper
I
The new-born child of gospel grace,
Like some fair tree when summer’s nigh,
Beneath Emmanuel’s shining face,
Lifts up his blooming branch on high.
II
No fears he feels, he sees no foes.
No conflict yet his faith employs,
Nor has he learn’d to whom he owes
The strength and peace his soul enjoys.
III
But sin soon darts its cruel sting,
And comforts sinking day by day;
What seem’d his own, a self-fed spring,
Proves but a brook that glides away.
IV
When Gideon arm’d his num’rous host,
The Lord soon made his numbers less;
And said, “Lest Isr’el vainly boast,
My arm procured me this success.”
V
Thus will he bring our spirits down,
And draw our ebbing comforts low,
That, saved by grace, but not our own,
We may not claim the praise we owe.
69
True and False Comforts
By Cowper
I
God, whose favourable eye
The sin-sick soul revives,
Holy and heav’nly is the joy
Thy shining presence gives.
II
Not such as hypocrites suppose,
Who, with a graceless heart,
Taste not of thee, but drink a dose
Prepared by Satan’s art.
III
Intoxicating joys are theirs,
Who, while they boast their light,
And seem to soar above the stars,
Are plunging into night.
IV
Lull’d in a soft and fatal sleep,
They sin and yet rejoice;
Were they indeed the Saviour’s sheep.
Would they not hear his voice?
V
Be mine the comforts that reclaim
The soul from Satan’s pow’r;
That make me blush for what I am,
And hate my sin the more.
VI
’Tis joy enough, my All in All,
At thy dear feet to lie;
Thou wilt not let me lower fall,
And none can higher fly.
70
True and False Zeal
By Newton
I
Zeal is that pure and heav’nly flame
The fire of love supplies;
While that which often bears the name
Is self in a disguise.
II
True zeal is merciful and mild,
Can pity and forbear;
The false is headstrong, fierce, and wild,
And breathes revenge and war.
III
While zeal for truth the Christian warms,
He knows the worth of peace;
But self contends for names and forms,
Its party to increase.
IV
Zeal has attained its highest aim,
Its end is satisfied,
If sinners love the Saviour’s name,
Nor seeks it aught beside.
V
But self, however well employ’d,
Has its own ends in view;
And says, as boasting Jehu cried,
“Come, see what I can do.”
VI
Self may its poor reward obtain,
And be applauded here;
But zeal the best applause will gain,
When Jesus shall appear.
VII
Dear Lord! the idol self dethrone,
And from our hearts remove;
And let no zeal by us be shown
But that which springs from love.
71
A Living and a Dead Faith
By Cowper
I
The Lord receives his highest praise
From humble minds and hearts sincere;
While all the loud professor says
Offends the righteous Judge’s ear.
II
To walk as children of the day,
To mark the precept’s holy light,
To wage the warfare, watch, and pray,
Show who are pleasing in his sight.
III
Not words alone it cost the Lord
To purchase pardon for his own;
Nor will a soul by grace restored
Return the Saviour words alone.
IV
With golden bells the priestly vest,
And rich pomegranates border’d round,
The need of holiness express’d,
And call’d for fruit as well as sound.
V
Easy, indeed, it were to reach
A mansion in the courts above,
If swelling words and fluent speech
Might serve instead of faith and love.
VI
But none shall gain the blissful place
Or God’s unclouded glory see,
Who talks of free and sov’reign grace,
Unless that grace has made him free!
72
Abuse of the Gospel
By Cowper
I
Too many, Lord, abuse thy grace,
In this licentious day;
And while they boast they see thy face,
They turn their own away.
II
Thy book displays a gracious light.
That can the blind restore;
But these are
