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Although temporary Believers, and other unregenerate men, may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes, and carnal presumptions, of being in the favour of God, and in a state of salvation,’ which hope of theirs shall perish; yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love him in sincerity, endeavouring to walk in all good Conscience before him, may in this life be certainly assured that they are in the state of Grace; and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God which hope shall never make them ashamed.

Be not ashamed: He said this, because the confession of the gospel was accounted infamous; and therefore he forbids that either ambition or the fear of disgrace shall prevent or retard him from the liberty of preaching the gospel. And he infers this from what has been already said; for he who is armed with the power of God will not tremble at the noise raised by the world, but will reckon it honourable that wicked men mark them with disgrace.

An appeal to the well-recognized fact that it was thus and thus only that Timothy received his call from God, is nothing other, then, than to cast him back on the Almighty arms and to make him poignantly realize that it is God and not he who is conceived as carrying through the work so begun. ‘O Timothy,’ says Paul, in effect, ‘Faint not! It is not your own strength—or rather weakness—that is here in question; it is the power of Almighty God. Do not you remember how you were brought into relations with this God? Was it of yourself that you were called with this holy calling? Nay, no works of your own entered in. It was of His own purpose that He called you; the grace that has come to you was given you from all eternity. What has come to you in time is only the manifestation of what was eternally done. It is this Almighty God who is using you as His instrument and organ. Nothing depends on your weakness; all hangs on His strength. Take courage and go onward.’ Thus Paul strengthens Timothy for the conflict before him.

Verse 1

Arm these Thy soldiers, mighty Lord,
With shield of faith and Spirit’s sword;
Forth to the battle may they go,
And boldly fight against the foe,
With banner of the cross unfurled,
And by it overcome the world;
And so at last receive from Thee
The palm and crown of victory.

Verse 2

Come, ever-blessed Spirit, come,
And make Thy servants’ hearts Thy home;
Thus consecrated, Lord, to Thee,
May each a living temple be:
Enrich that temple’s holy shrine
With sevenfold gifts of grace Divine;
With wisdom, light, and knowledge bless,
Strength, counsel, fear, and godliness.

Verse 3

O Trinity in Unity,
One only God, and Persons Three,
In whom, through whom, by whom we live,
To Thee we praise and glory give;
O grant us so to use Thy grace
That we may see Thy glorious face,
And ever with the heavenly host
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Verse 1

Lord of the harvest, hear
Thy needy servants’ cry;
Answer our faith’s effectual prayer,
And all our wants supply.

Verse 2

On Thee we humbly wait;
Our wants are in Thy view;
The harvest truly, Lord, is great,
The laborers are few.

Verse 3

Convert and send forth more
Into Thy Church abroad,
And let them speak Thy word of power,
As workers with their God.

Verse 4

Give the pure gospel word,
The word of general grace;
Thee let them preach, the common Lord,
Saviour of human race.

Verse 5

O let them spread Thy Name,
Their mission fully prove;
Thy universal grace proclaim,
Thine all-redeeming love.

Verse 6

On all mankind, forgiven,
Empower them still to call,
And tell each creature under heaven
That Thou hast died for all.

Verse 1

Bow down Thine ear, Almighty Lord,
And hear Thy Church’s suppliant cry,
For all who preach Thy saving word,
And wait upon Thy ministry.

Verse 2

In mercy, Father, now give heed,
And pour Thy quickening Spirit’s breath
On those whom Thou hast called to feed
Thy flock redeemed by Jesus’ death.

Verse 3

O Saviour, from Thy piercèd hand
Shed o’er them all Thy gifts Divine;
That those who in Thy presence stand
May do Thy will with love like Thine.

Verse 4

Blest Spirit, in their hearts abide,
And give them grace to watch and pray;
That, as they seek Thy flock to guide,
Themselves may keep the narrow way.

Verse 5

O God, Thy strength and mercy send
To shield them in their strife with sin;
Grant them, enduring to the end,
The crown of life at last to win.

Verse 1

O Spirit of the living God,
In all Thy plenitude of grace,
Where’er the foot of man hath trod,
Descend on our apostate race.

Verse 2

Give tongues of fire and hearts of love
To preach the reconciling word;
Give power and unction from above,
Where’er the joyful sound is heard.

Verse 3

Be darkness, at Thy coming, light;
Confusion, order in Thy path;
Souls without strength inspire with might;
Bid mercy triumph over wrath.

Verse 4

O Spirit of the Lord, prepare
All the round earth her God to meet;
Breathe Thou abroad like morning air,
Till hearts of stone begin to beat.

Verse 5

Baptize the nations; far and nigh
The triumphs of the cross record;
The Name of Jesus glorify,
Till every kindred call Him Lord.

Verse 6

God from eternity hath willed
All flesh shall His salvation see:
So be the Father’s love fulfilled,
The Saviour’s sufferings crowned through Thee.

Verse 1

“Go, preach My gospel,” saith the Lord;
“Bid the whole earth My grace receive;
He shall be saved that trusts My word;
He shall be lost that won’t believe.

Verse 2

“I’ll make your great commission known,
And ye shall prove My gospel true,
By all the works that I have done,
By all the wonders ye shall do.

Verse 3

“Teach all the nations My commands;
I’m with you till the world shall end;
All power is trusted in My hands,
I can destroy, and I defend.”

Verse 4

He spake, and light shone round His head;
On a bright cloud to heaven He rode;
They to the farthest nations spread
The grace of their ascended God.

Verse 1

How beauteous are their feet
Who stand on Zion’s hill,
Who bring salvation on their tongues,
And words of peace reveal!

Verse 2

How charming is their voice!
How sweet the tidings are!
”Zion, behold thy Saviour King;
He reigns and triumphs here.”

Verse 3

How happy are our ears
That hear this joyful sound,
Which kings and prophets waited for,
And sought, but never found!

Verse 4

How blessed are our eyes
That see this heavenly light!
Prophets and kings desired it long,
But died without the sight.

Verse 5

The watchmen join their voice,
And tuneful notes employ;
Jerusalem breaks forth in songs,
And deserts learn the joy.

Verse 6

The Lord makes bare His arm
Through all the earth abroad;
Let every nation now behold
Their Saviour and their God.

Verse 1

O still in accents sweet and strong
Sounds forth the ancient word,
“More reapers for white harvest fields,
More laborers for the Lord.”

Verse 2

We hear the call; in dreams no more
In selfish ease we lie,
But, girded for our Father’s work,
Go forth beneath His sky.

Verse 3

Where prophets’ word, and martyrs’ blood,
And prayers of saints were sown,
We, to their labors entering in,
Would reap where they have strown.

Verse 4

O Thou whose call our hearts has stirred,
To do Thy will we come;
Thrust in our sickles at Thy word,
And bear our harvest home.

Verse 1

Soldiers of the cross, arise,
Gird you with your armor bright;
Mighty are your enemies,
Hard the battle ye must fight.

Verse 2

O’er a faithless fallen world
Raise your banner in the sky;
Let it float there wide unfurled;
Bear it onward; lift it high.

Verse 3

‘Mid the homes of want and woe,
Strangers to the living word,
Let the Saviour’s herald go,
Let the voice of hope be heard.

Verse 4

Where the shadows deepest lie,
Carry truth’s unsullied ray;
Where are crimes of blackest dye,
There the saving sign display.

Verse 5

To the weary and the worn
Tell of realms where sorrows cease;
To the outcast and forlorn
Speak of mercy and of peace.

Verse 6

Guard the helpless; seek the strayed;
Comfort troubles; banish grief;
In the might of God arrayed,
Scatter sin and unbelief.

Verse 7

Be the banner still unfurled,
Still unsheathed the Spirit’s sword,
Till the kingdoms of the world
Are the kingdom of the Lord.

Verse 1

A charge to keep I have,
A God to glorify;
A never-dying-soul to save,
And fit it for the sky:—

Verse 2

To serve the present age,
My calling to fulfill,—
Oh! may it all my powers engage—
To do my Master’s will.

Verse 3

Arm me with jealous care,
As in thy sight to live;
And, oh, thy servant, Lord! prepare
A strict account to give.

Verse 4

Help me to watch and pray,
And on thyself rely;
Assured, if I my trust betray,
I shall forever die.

Verse 1

How beauteous on the mountains,
The feet of him that brings,
Like streams from living fountains,
Good tidings of good things;
That publisheth salvation,
And jubilee release,
To ev’ry tribe and nation,
God’s reign of joy and peace.

Verse 2

Lift up thy voice, oh, watchman!
And shout from Zion’s towers,
Thy hallelujah chorus--
“The victory is ours!”
The Lord shall build up Zion
In glory and renown,
And Jesus, Judah’s lion,
Shall wear his rightful crown.

Verse 3

Break forth in hymns of gladness;
Oh, waste Jerusalem!
Let songs, instead of sadness,
Thy jubilee proclaim;
The Lord in strength victorious,
Upon thy foes hath trod;
Behold, oh, earth! the glorious
Salvation of our God.

Verse 1

Soldiers of the cross! arise;
Gird you with your armor bright;
Mighty are your enemies,
Hard the battle ye must fight.

Verse 2

Guard the helpless, seek the strayed,
Soothe the troubled, banish grief;
With the Spirit’s sword arrayed,
Scatter sin and unbelief.

Verse 3

Be the banner still unfurled,
Bear it bravely still abroad,
Till the kingdoms of the world
Are the kingdoms of the Lord.

Verse 1

With thine own pity, Savior, see
The thronged and darkening way!
We go to win the lost to thee,
Oh, help us, Lord, we pray!

Verse 2

Thou bid’st us go, with thee to stand
Against hell’s marshalled powers;
And heart to heart, and hand to hand,
To make thine honor ours.

Verse 3

Teach thou our lips of thee to speak,
Of thy sweet love to tell;
Till they who wander far shall seek
And find and serve thee well.

Verse 4

O’er all the world thy Spirit send,
And make thy goodness known,
Till earth and heaven together blend
Their praises at thy throne.

Verse 1

Oh! still in accents sweet and strong
Sounds forth the ancient word,—
“More reapers for white harvest fields,
More laborers for the Lord!”

Verse 2

We hear the call; in dreams no more
In selfish ease we lie,
But girded for our Father’s work,
Go forth beneath his sky.

Verse 3

Where prophet’s word, and martyr’s blood,
And prayers of saints were sown,
We, to their labors entering in,
Would reap where they have strown.

Verse 1

Pour out thy Spirit from on high;
Lord! thine assembled servants bless;
Graces and gifts to each supply.
And clothe thy priests with righteousness.

Verse 2

Wisdom, and zeal, and faith impart,
Firmness with meekness from above,
To bear thy people on our heart,
And love the souls whom thou dost love;

Verse 3

To watch and pray, and never faint;
By day and night, strict guard to keep;
To warn the sinner, cheer the saint,
Nourish thy lambs, and feed thy sheep.

Verse 4

Then, when our work is finished here,
In humble hope, our charge resign;
When the chief Shepherd shall appear,
O God! may they and we be thine.

Verse 1

The solemn service now is done.
The vow is pledged, the toil begun;
Seal thou, O God! the oath above,
And ratify the pledge of love.

Verse 2

The shepherd of thy people bless;
Gird him with thine own holiness;
In duty may his pleasure be
His glory in his zeal for thee.

Verse 3

Here let the ardent prayer arise,
Faith fix its grasp beyond the skies.
The tear of penitence be shed,
And myriads to the Savior led.

Verse 4

Come, Spirit! here consent to dwell;
The mists of earth and sin dispel;
Blest Savior! thine own rights maintain:
Supreme in every bosom reign.

When first thou didst entice to thee my heart,
‍‍ ‍‍ I thought the service brave;
So many joys I writ down for my part,
‍‍ Besides what I might have
Out of my stock of natural delights,
‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍ Augmented with thy gracious benefits.

I looked on thy furniture so fine,
And made it fine to me;
Thy glorious household-stuff did me entwine,
And ‘tice me unto thee.
Such stars I counted mine: both heav’n and earth;
Paid me my wages in a world of mirth.

What pleasures could I want, whose King I serv’d,
Where joys my fellows were?
Thus argu’d into hopes, my thoughts reserv’d
No place for grief or fear.
Therefore my sudden soul caught at the place,
And made her youth and fierceness seek thy face.

At first thou gav’st me milk and sweetnesses;
I had my wish and way;
My days were straw’d with flow’rs and happiness;
There was no month but May.
But with my years sorrow did twist and grow,
And made a party unawares for woe.

My flesh began unto my soul in pain,
“Sicknesses cleave my bones;
Consuming agues dwell in ev’ry vein,
And tune my breath to groans.”
Sorrow was all my soul; I scarce believ’d,
Till grief did tell me roundly, that I liv’d.

When I got health, thou took’st away my life,
And more, for my friends die;
My mirth and edge was lost, a blunted knife
Was of more use than I.
Thus thin and lean without a fence or friend,
I was blown through with ev’ry storm and wind.

Whereas my birth and spirit rather took
The way that takes the town;
Thou didst betray me to a ling’ring book,
And wrap me in a gown.
I was entangled in the world of strife,
Before I had the power to change my life.

Yet, for I threaten’d oft the siege to raise,
Not simp’ring all mine age,
Thou often didst with academic praise
Melt and dissolve my rage.
I took thy sweet’ned pill, till I came where
I could not go away, nor persevere.

Yet lest perchance I should too happy be
In my unhappiness,
Turning my purge to food, thou throwest me
Into more sicknesses.
Thus doth thy power cross-bias me, not making
Thine own gift good, yet me from my ways taking.

Now I am here, what thou wilt do with me
None of my books will show;
I read, and sigh, and wish I were a tree,
For sure then I should grow
To fruit or shade: at least some bird would trust
Her household to me, and I should be just.

Yet, though thou troublest me, I must be meek;
In weakness must be stout;
Well, I will change the service, and go seek
Some other master out.
Ah my dear God! though I am clean forgot,
Let me not love thee, if I love thee not.

Happy the soul that, loosed from her earthly prison, seeks heaven with unhampered wing; happy the soul that sees Thee face to face, O dearest Lord ; that is touched by no fear of death, but gathers gladness from the incorruptible stores of the glory that cannot fail. Set free from toil and care, she fears no foe now, dreads no death now. She has Thee for her own; Thee, the merciful Lord, whom she long sought and ever loved ; and, associated with the hymning choirs, sings through eternity sweet songs of ceaseless festival to the praise of Thy glory, O Christ, King of glory, O Lord Jesus. For she is inebriated with the plenteousness of Thy house, and Thou givest her to drink of the torrent of Thy pleasures. O happy society of the citizens on high, O happy concourse of all returners to Thee from the weary toil ofthis our pilgrimage to the loveliness of perfect splendour, to the excellency of perfect grace, where Thy lieges, O Lord, behold Thee evermore. There nothing that can distract the mind is given the ear to hear. O, what chants are chanted there! What instruments of music there are there ! What songs, what melodies without end are sung out there ! There sweet-voiced organs sound everto the hymns, and angels’ tenderest melodies, and songs of songs full wonderful, which by the citizens on high are tuned forth to Thy praise and glory. No bitterness, no gall-like harshness, finds place in that Thy realm; for there evil and evil one are not. There is no assailing foe, nor no wantonness of sin there. There is no want there, no uncomeliness, no strife, no insolence, no wrangling, no fear, no uneasiness, no pain, no doubt, no violence, no discord; but peace profound, and perfect love, and jubilation, and eternal praise of God, and unanxious rest for ever, and joy in the Holy Ghost for evermore, O, how blessed shall I be if I hear those Thy people’s jocund melodies, and their sweet hymns pouring forth with due honour praises to the most high Trinity ! Happy, ay, too happy, shall I be, if I, this very self of mine, shall merit to sing to the Lord Jesus one of the dear songs of Sion.

O most sweet Lord Jesus, by this bitter Torment, Sorrow, Grief, and Anguish, vouchsafe, I beseech thee, to have pity on me, and succour me in all my Sorrows, Sufferances, and Tribulations, and particularly at the hour of my Death. O then, my dearest Lord and my God, vouchsafe to assist and succour me, and do not forsake me, I beseech thee. Amen.

There are some, however, who are ashamed of the cross of Jesus Christ, and say: If we should believe that, we should be despised everywhere, especially by the wisest. But if you would know the truth, look only on the lives of those who would have to cry woe on their unbelief if they should be measured by deeds. If you are ashamed of the cross, the Lord was not ashamed to bear that cross for you, and to die on that cross for you. Be not ashamed of His service and of the defence of the truth. Look at the servants of the devil, who are not ashamed in the open places, in the palaces, and everywhere to speak evil and to revile us. Bear then a little shame only for your Lord; for whoever follows Him, will, according to our Gospel, in His name drive out the devil; that is, he will drive out his sins, and lead a virtuous life; he will drive out serpents; he will throw out the lazy who come into the houses, and say evil things under the pretence of righteousness, and so are like poisonous serpents. You will see how children can withstand them with the truth of God, and drive them away.

“Be not ashamed of your faith; remember it is the ancient gospel of martyrs, confessors, Reformers, and saints. Above all, it is the truth of God, against which the gates of hell cannot prevail. Let your lives adorn your faith, let your example recommend your creed. Above all, live in Christ Jesus, and walk in Him, giving credence to no teaching but that which is manifestly approved of Him, and owned by the Holy Spirit. Cleave fast to the Word of God, which is here mapped out to you. May our Father, who is in Heaven, smile on us as ever!

But when the cause is added before us, and the mystery viewed aright, they will appear full of dignity, and matter for boasting. For it was that death which saved the world, when it was perishing. That death connected earth with heaven, that death destroyed the power of the devil, and made men angels, and sons of God: that death raised our nature to the kingly throne. Those chains were the conversion of many.