Gadsby 194 by Newton

Preserve the power of faith alive
In those who love thy name;
For sin and Satan daily strive
To quench the sacred flame.
 

Thy power and mercy first prevailed
From death to set us free;
And often since our life had failed,
Had it not been in thee.

  To thee we look, to thee we bow,
To thee for help we call;
Our Life and Resurrection thou,
Our Hope, our Joy, our All.                      --John Newton

Gadsby 804

YE lambs of Christ's fold, ye weaklings in faith,
Who long to lay hold on life by his death;
Who fain would believe him, and in your best room
Would gladly receive him, but fear to presume;

2 Remember one thing, O may it sink deep;
Our Shepherd and King cares much for his sheep;
To trust him endeavour; the work is his own;
He makes the believer, and gives him his crown.

3 Those feeble desires, those wishes so weak,
'Tis Jesus inspires, and bids you still seek;
His Spirit will cherish the life he first gave;
You never shall perish if Jesus can save.

A Gift Both Rich & Free

Faith ‘tis a grace divine,
A gift both rich and free,
‘Twas grace that made this blessing mine
From guilt to set me free. --Gadsby 603

Let Us Look To Jesus

stanzas 4-6 of Gadsby #306 Lord, Thou canst make me clean

4 Brethren, in a state so sad,
When temptations seize us,
When our hearts we feel thus bad,
Let us look to Jesus.
He that hung upon the cross,
For his people bleeding,
now in heaven sits, for us
Always interceding.

5 Vengeance, when the Saviour died,
Quitted the believer;
Justice cried, "I'm satisfied,
Now, henceforth, for ever."
"It is finished", said the Lord,
In his dying minute;
Holy Ghost, repeat the word,
Full salvation's in it.

6 Leprous soul, press through the crowd
In thy foul condition,
Struggle hard, and call aloud
On the great Physician.
Wait till thy disease he cleanse,
Begging ,trusting, cleaving;
When, and where, and by what means,
To his wisdom leaving. --J.Hart

Fellow Word Nerds Gather Round

I've been drinking deeply from Gadsby's Hymnal. During Saturday's workday I mentioned a confusing section of the preface to a couple of fellas. Any of my fellow word nerds who understand the bolded section, holler at me the next time I see you.

from the preface:
Suffice it to say, that the church and people over which the Holy Ghost has made me overseer, and has been in the constant habit, ever since I came among them, of using Dr. Watts's Psalms and Hymns, Rippon's Selection, and Hart's Composition. But though some of these hymns are big with the important truths of God, there are others, especially among Dr. Watts's and Rippon's, which give as legal a sound as if they had been forged at a certain foundry. This was one reason which induced me to publish a selection. Whole thing is here:

Will you not give me a warmer zeal?

My soul lies cleaving to the dust
Lord, give me life divine.
From vain desires, from every lust
Lord, turn these eyes of mine.

When sore afflictions press me down,
I need thy quickening powers;
Thy word that I have rested on,
Shall help my heaviest hours.

Are not thy mercies sovereign still,
And thou a faithful God?
Wilt thou not grant me warmer zeal
To run the heavenly road.

Then I shall love thy precepts more,
And ne’er forget thy word,
When I have felt its quickening pow’r
To draw me near the Lord. --Gadsby 402, by Watts, I think