HYMN 161.
[The Restoration of the Soul]
Psal. 23. 3. The glorious restauration of the Soul.
[The First Part.]
The Restoration of the Soul
It is the work alone
Of thy own Grace, O God most high,
Which to us is made known.
Thy wisdom and thy power divine,
And mercy infinite,
In equal glory, Lord, doth shine
Hereby in all Mens sight.
If thou hadst not stretch'd out thy hand
Our Souls thus to restore,
We must have lain in Satan's band,
O Lord, for evermore.
But are our Souls restor'd indeed,
And rais'd to life again?
And from eternal death so freed,
Shall never feel that pain?
And shall also preserved be
Unto eternal bliss;
Well may such sing continually,
What comfort, Lord, like this!
What ground of joy and gladness's here?
We'll raise thy praise therefore;
For all restored Souls shall sing
To thee for evermore.
The Second Part.
The Sinner's misery, and the Saints glory.
Sad was the Loss Man did sustain
By his most dismal Fall;
God's Image marr'd, his Soul-deprav'd,
And brought into great thrall;
Defil'd, wounded, and naked made,
And dead in sin did lie;
Thus did his glory at once sade
Through his iniquity.
Bound in strong Bonds in Satan's Chains
His Eyes put out also;
He wickedly his God disdains,
To him a cursed Foe.
For in the mind such enmity
Is there in each vile one,
That they resist thee day and night,
And bid thee to be gone.
But yet such Grace didst thou extend
To such a filthy Foe,
As to send Christ, thy only Son,
The Devil to o'rethrow,
And Man redeem with stretch'd out Hand,
Thy Image to restore;
And heal his wounds, and make him see
Who was so blind before.
Into sweet Union with thy self
Thou tak'st him once again;
And he in thine own Bosom's laid,
Th'Enmity being slain.
From sickness he's recovered,
From bondage quite set free;
He lives again who once was dead,
And dearly now loves thee.
Well may this cause all Souls to sing
Who thus restored be;
For unto them, Lord, from hence springs
Joy to eternity.
