A PERIODICAL FOR YOUNG AND OLD

THE CONFESSION OF FAITH ARTICLE XXII

Continued)

Of Faith in Jesus Christ

In our previous article we have seen that the Lord brings His children in faith to the Surety. It takes place differently than they expect, since it happens in a way of their own decreasing in order that they may embrace Christ as the full and perfect Saviour, in Whom is everything which they need for time and eternity.

This is denied by man, as this article also states. First we think of the doctrine of Rome, which also seeks salvation in Christ. However, He is not a perfect Saviour for them; free will, piety and good works are means to their salvation which cannot be missing. But the churches of the Reformation have rejected any basis outside of Christ, and therefore we read in this article, “Therefore, for any to assert, that Christ is not sufficient, but that something more is required besides Him, would be too gross a blasphemy; for hence it would follow that Christ was but half a Saviour.”

It was especially after 1574 that this doctrine was defended, since at the Council of Trent it was decided that good works were a part of our righteousness before God. Rome makes a difference between the temporal and the eternal punishment of sin. They believe that Christ has given satisfaction for the eternal punishment, but that man must bear his own temporal punishment by suffering, penitence or purgatory.

How can a finite man bear the eternal punishment other than in eternity? This was understood by our fathers, and therefore they could not go along with this error of Rome, which deceives people for eternity. Only Christ, Who was eternal God, could bear the eternal judgment of God in time. This was possible for God, but not for man.

According to Rome, we don’t need Christ for the temporal punishment. We must try to keep and fulfill the law, and in this way we will merit salvation, or at least a part of it. If we then transgress one of the commandments it is not too serious, for Chirst bore the eternal punishment, and, with a shorter or longer punishment in purgatory, satisfaction will be made and they may enter in glory. Do you understand how foolish such a doctrine is? There is no impression whatsoever that we have to do with an holy and righteous God, with Whom we cannot compromise. How deceiving it is for those poor people. How terrible it will be for those deceivers when the Lord will require an account of their teachings.

Isn’t it good then to live strictly? It is a privilege if we don’t live a loose life, but we must never forget that the Lord is not satisfied with a faulty life, even though we do our best. Many modernists today teach that we cannot do what the Lord requires, but that He takes the good will and intentions of man into consideration, and that will save us.

Good works should be according to the law of God, to the honor of God and should proceed from a true faith. All those who know themselves shall cry out, “O wretched man that I am. Enter not into judgment with Thy servant.” Isaiah complained about himself, confessing that he was a man of unclean lips, and that our self-righteousness is as an unclean garment. It was experienced by all the saints of the Old and New Testament, but also by God’s people of our days, that only in Christ are we righteous before God. It is really no wonder that this doctrine of free and sovereign grace has so many opponents. It glorifies Christ and debases man. This is not the will and wish of man because he must then decrease and become nothing, a thing dishonoring for him.

Helping grace, where the Lord does something and man does the rest, leaves man with some credit for his own salvation. But, my friends, hard as it may seem, I hope that we all may learn the truth of that which is written in our article, “Therefore we justly say with Paul that we are justified by faith alone, or by faith without works.” This is the only way to be saved! Without faith it is impossible to please God. Justification is an acquittal and restoration into the communion with God. By sin we are guilty before the Lord, having transgressed all God’s commandments in thoughts, words and deeds. It is only for Christ’s sake that the sinner is acquited and receives a right to eternal life. The doctrine of justification we hope to discuss in our next article, D.V. It is such a great blessing if we may experience it, to be set from the state of death to the state of life, and that the Holy Spirit gives this testimony in the heart that our debt will no more be remembered.

Yet remaining is the question as to how we may become partakers of this justification. Our article reads, “However, to speak more clearly, we do not mean that faith itself justifies us, for it is only an instrument with which we embrace Christ our Righteousness.” This is written to prevent a false explanation. It is not to minimize the necessity of faith as if it is not important. Faith is indispensible to salvation, and without fiath we will never receive a part in Christ and in His righteousness. But it is written here in this way so that we do not make a ground of faith itself or find any merit in it. This would diminish the glory of Christ. The value of faith is inexpressibly great, but there is no ground in it because it is the instrument which is given in order to accept the benefits which Christ merited for His children.

The sinner is not accepted for his faith, but by his faith. A beggar extends his hand, but he does not obtain a gift because of his extended hand, but it is the mercy of the other to give him a gift. However, if he did not have a hand, then he could not receive the gift either. The ground upon which God the Father acquits the elect sinner is not his works, but only the satisfaction of Christ. By His passive obedience Christ has taken away the curse of the law and paid the debt of His church. In His actual obedience He merited fife for His church. By the obedience of One many have been made righteous. Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.

Rev. A.M. DenBoer Norwich, Ontario

BIBLE QUIZ

Dear Boys and Girls,

As we begin another year we are probably thinking and even planning about certain things which we hope will take place in this year. Especially when we are young, our thoughts often go far ahead. Even older people are often busy making plans. The Lord Jesus spoke to Martha about ‘one thing needful’, and in the parable on the mount He pointed out what we should seek for first of all. Is that what we are seeking?

In the history of America we read of an explorer who had been told of a “fountain of youth”. Those who bathed in this fountain would become young again. He put forth much effort to find this fountain, but, of course, never found it. Perhaps we would say, “How foolish of him”. But are we looking for those things which seem to have much value, but, like soap-bubbles, they soon disappear? Those things we once thought were most valuable can soon lose all value for us. However, there is another fountain which God’s Word tells us about, and you will find it spelled out by the answers to the quiz. The words will be found in Psalm 36. May we seek it above all other things.

The angel of the Lord found Hagar by a fountain of water in the_______.

John the Baptist said to the people, I_______have baptized you with water; but He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.”

Jeremiah cried out, “Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of________.”

What was the name of the third river which came forth from the garden of Eden?

*

The prophet Isaiah proclaimed, “Ho, every one that_______, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat.”

The Ethiopian eunuch said to Philip, “See, here is water; what doth_______me to be baptized?”

In Psalm 147 the psalmist spoke of the blessings of the Lord, saying, “Who prepareth rain for the_________”

To whom did the Lord say, “Hide thyself by the brook Cherith?”

*

The_______man said to the Lord Jesus, “Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool.”

What did Elisha cast into the spring of waters at Jericho to heal them?

After crossing the Read sea, the children of Israel went_______ days in the wilderness, and found no water.

The psalmist cried, “As the _______panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God.”

When the children of Israel came to Elim, where there were 12 wells of water and 70 palm trees, they_______there by the waters.

*

In the last part of Revelation, He that sat upon the throne said, “I will give unto him that is a-thirst of the fountain of the water of life________.’’

Who took an hundred prophets and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?

The prophet Zechariah wrote of a fountain to be opened for sin and__________.

To whom did the Lord Jesus say, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God”?

The Lord Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never _________.”

Who said to Caleb, “Thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water”?

In another psalm the cry is heard, “My soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water________.”

Who was told by a messenger, “Go and wash in Jordan seven times”?

*

When the Philistines were in Bethlehem, David said, “Oh that_______would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem.”

In the book of James we read, “So can no fountain both yield salt water and________.”

*

In the second chapter of Jeremiah, the Lord said, “My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me the fountain of________waters, etc.”

Of whose mother do we read, “And God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water”?

By the prophet Joel the Lord said, “A fountain shall come ________of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim.”

What was the name of the well about which the herdmen of Gerar strove with Isaac’s herdmen?

*

(Answers should be sent to Garret J. Moerdyk, 5211 Woodmont Drive, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49001.)

Answers to the quiz of last month are:

“Let Us Go Even Unto

Bethlehem”-Luke 2:15

Labour - Matthew 11:28

Except - John 6:44

Tempter - Matthew 4:3

Unto - Mark 6:17-19

Salvation - Luke 2:25-30

Glorifying - Luke 2:20

Obed - Ruth 4:22

Eternal - John 6:67-68

Voice - Matthew 2:17-18

Elimelech - Ruth 1:1-2

Nicodemus - John 3:2

Up - Matthew 19:16-20

Nazareth - Luke2:51

Told - John 4:29

Old - Micah 5:2

Boaz - Ruth 4:9-11

Esaias - Luke 3:3-4

Tempting - Matthew 19:3

Herod - Matthew 2:8

Lord - Luke 2:11

Exceeding - Matthew 2:9-10

Hem - Matthew 9:20

Ephrath - Genesis 35:19

Moses - John 1:45

Answers were received from the following boys and girls:

David Vandenberg (5)

Henry Vandenberg (5)

Elisabeth Vandenberg (5)

John Vandenberg (3)

Paul Vandenberg (2)

Lisa Hoogendoorn

Shelley Hoogendoorn

Julie VanGemert (2)

Hilda VandenHoek

Anthony VandenHoek

Judy Maljaars

Kristi Rosendall

Jeff Rosendall

Rachel Rosendall

John Rosendall

Rick Rosendall

Margaret Karelse

Shirley Karelse

Karen Karelse

Michelle Karelse

Larry Slotsema

Audrey VanVeldhuizen

Rhonda VanVeldhuizen

Scott Van’tZelfde

Randy Carlson

Richard Carlson

Barbara Southway

Robert G. Southway

Jeff Boot

Jeremy Boot

Robert Southway

John Spaans

Kathy VanBemden

Mike VanBemden

Debbie VanBemden

Sally VanBemden

Walter Koppelaar

Nicholas Koppelaar

Sarah Koppelaar

Joyce Koppelaar

Jim Kraayeveld

James VandenBrink

Carrie Blok

Ray VanderKooi

Joan VanGiessen

Liz VanGiessen

Minda VanRavenswaay

Susan VanRavenswaay

Marilyn Kamp

Deb Kamp

Carol Jean Boluyt

Kristi Boluyt

Steve Boluyt

Bob Huisjen

John VanderBoon (3)

Don VanderBoon (2)

Mary Rosendall

Kevin Rosendall

Karen Jean VanGinkel

Karen Jean VanGinkel (2)

Daniel VanGinkel

Laura VanGinkel (2)

Jelaine VanGinkel

Laurie VanEss

Rich VanEss

Anita VanTilburg

Dave Engelsma

Aimee Engelsma

Laura Talbot

Sharon Talbot

Leah Talbot

LeAnn Klarenbeek

Arlen Klarenbeek

Darwyn Klarenbeek

David Klarenbeek

David Hoogendoorn (3)

Linda Talbot

(?) VanGinkel

Tim Nieuwenhuis

Robert Nieuwenhuis

Alyce Jane Nieuwenhuis

Matthew Jon Schelling

Randy DeBruine

Julie DeBruine

Sue Schelling

Karen Bazen

James Bazen

Linda Bazen

Lyle VanRavenswaay

Norm VanRavenswaay

John Fluit

Marie deKok

Terry deKok

Robert Koppert

Steven VanOostenbrugge

Karl VanOostenbrugge

Michele Seabert (2)

Anton Slingerland

Jane K. Slingerland

Dan Kamp

Robert Kamp

Jonathon Kamp

Margot Mast

Sheryl Renae denHoed

Sharon Kae denHoed

Bob Boerkoel

John Boerkoel

Joanne Boerkoel

Willie Jonkman

John Jonkman

John Brink

Annette VandenBrink

David Brink

May DenDekker

Teresa DenDekker

Harmen VanderMeulen

Sidney VanderMeulen

Elizabeth VanderMeulen

Judy denHoed

Gail denHoed

Artis denHoed

Lisa Stalker

Connie Blom

Leroy Blom

Mary Blom

Marion Blom

Douglas John Mol

Steven Johnson

Dwaine Johnson

Tammy VandenToorn

Elwyn Hoogendoorn

Annette Meeuwse

Yvonne Kegel

Brian Kegel

Ruth Bouma

Ed Bazen

Steve Bazen

Peter Bazen

Dan Bazen

Sharon Bazen

Bettina Slingerland

Joanne Slingerland

Wayne VandeWaerdt

Debbie Kamp

Marilyn Kamp

Kevin Verbeke

Judy VanVoorst

Jay VanVoorst

Rachel VanVoorst

Karla Spaans

Karol Spaans

Karen Spaans

Leonard Frens

Elaine Frens

Ross Derksen

Tom VanWingerden

Charles Bachman

Cheryl Groen

Jan Groen

Mary Hubers

Duane Hubers

Howard Hubers

Harriet Hubers

Marcia Hubers

Tim Westrate

Laurie Bleeker

Steven Bleeker

Carrie Witvoet

Debra Lynn Witvoet

Elizabeth DenDekker

Henrietta DenDekker

Melanie VanBrugge

Glen VanderKooi

Vicki Post

Doug Post

Martin VanWijk

Leslie VanWijk

Jeffrey VanWijk

Edward VanWijk

Ruth Bouma

Myra VandeStouwe

Cheryl VandeStouwe

Martin Schouten

Anita Schouten

Allan Jay Baum, Jr.

Ellen Marie Baum

Michelle VanBrugge

Roy VanZweden

Lisa Hoogendoorn

Shelley Hoogendoorn

Rob Koppert

Diane Otten

Marlene Otten

Henry Otten

William Otten

Fred Otten

Treena Kocken

Lysbeth Kroesbergen

Audrey VanVeldhuizen

Rhonda VanVeldhuizen

Stan Bylsma

Christine Bylsma

Brenda Schelling

Kathy Schelling

Linda Schelling

Beth Schelling

Marlene Grisnich

Richard Grisnich

Bill Kroesbergen

Henderika Kroesbergen

Joel Vanderkooi

Lisa Neels

Jane Kroesbergen

Cathy Kroesbergen

Anita Kroesbergen

Beverly Kroesbergen

Ken Kroesbergen

John Kroesbergen

Jonas Arnoldussen

And again we have a number of letters to answer—

LISA NEELS - As I am writing this, Lisa, it is the day before Christmas, and our temperature is about 50 degrees outside. There is no snow, but only a light rain. It is not very usual for this time of the year. Are you having lots of snow?

TREENA KOCKEN - We are all quite well, Treena. We are always glad to hear that young people are learning to know their Bibles by doing the Bible quiz and through their lessons at school and catechism. Rev. Fraanje said that the Bible is like a compass for a ship as it travels across the oceans.

MARTIN SCHOUTEN - If you had that many sheep around you on the farm, Martin, you must know the characteristics of sheep quite well. We read rather often about them in the Bible. Yes, eternity can come upon us so suddenly, and it can happen in our own homes as well as in an airplane crash.

DEBRA LYNN WITVOET - For a little puppy, Debra, death is the end, but that is not true for people. Do you think about that sometime? That is why we are taught to seek the Lord early. Can you find some texts in the Bible which teach us this?

ANITA VAN TILBURG - Although Thanksgiving is a special day we set apart, thankfulness should be in our heart every day, Anita. Wouldn’t you say that is true? The Lord blesses us in so many ways each day. How old is your grandmother now?

NICHOLAS KOPPELAAR - It was good to hear from you again, Nicholas. Did you receive the Bible as you expected? That certainly is a perfect gift. We hope that you use it every day, and that you may be like Timothy, of whom we read that he knew the holy scriptures as a boy.

HILDA VANDEN HOEK - Are you using your new school building now, Hilda? It will probably be much easier for teachers and pupils both. In Kalamazoo they are now using our new building. By the way, I know what “beschuit” are, but am not quite sure about the “muisjes”.

RICHARD CARLSON - Do you learn lots of things in your class, Richard? Your teacher tells me that she has a nice class of boys and girls, so that must mean everyone is studying and doing well. Perhaps some day I could pay your class a visit.

CARRIE WITVOET - I heard your grandfather and your grandmother were in Kalamazoo last week, Carrie, but I didn’t get to see them. Visitors are always welcome. Perhaps some day, D.V., you will be able to make that trip with them. It really isn’t too terribly far.

ANTHONY VANDEN HOEK - You found some good texts about working, Anthony. We know that some people do not like to work, but we know it is necessary and that the Lord has commanded it. But then we can also do it in a wrong way. I am sure there is plenty of work to be done on your farm.

DOUGLAS JOHN MOL - I was glad to see that you noticed my mistake, Douglas. It shows you are reading it carefully. There were others that also wrote me about it. We always try not to make any mistakes, but there usually are one or two anyway.

To all the boys and girls, our thanks again for your answers to the quiz. It is good to see so many come in each month, especially since it means that our young friends are studying God’s Word. We hope to hear from all of you each month also in this year of 1980, the Lord willing.

With love,

Your friend, “Uncle Garret”

CONFESSION AND APOSTASY

(continued)

Increasingly there is coming an universal offering of the promises of the covenant instead of a presenting of these promises. Pleading upon the promises of the covenant of grace is a work of faith. Men speak about pleading, about an urging of God upon His word, without ever having experienced the knowledge of misery. In his book, “The Death of Death in the Death of Christ”, Dr. Owen says, “The ministers of the gospel, who are stewards of the mysteries of Christ, and to whom the word of reconciliation is committed, being acquainted only with revealed things (the Lord lodging His purposes and intentions toward particular persons in the secret ark of His own bosom, not to be pryed into), are bound to admonish all, and warn all men, to whom they are sent; giving the same commands, proposing the same promises, making tenders of Jesus Christ in the same manner, to all, that the elect, whom they know not but by the event, may obtain, whilst the rest are hardened.”

In addition he says that the elect, as heirs of the promises, have actually a given right to the proffered things. He concludes that “Christ being not to be received without faith, and God giving faith to whom He pleaseth, it is manifest that He never inten-deth Christ to them on whom He will not bestow faith.” Thus it is not the willing person, but the willing God. And yet the demand of God is upon us, and we shall go lost because of our own fault. We do not know the secret counsel of God.

Through all sorts of new ideas, and especially through the doctrine, which is appearing more and more, of the denial of man’s state of death, many forsake their confession. The phenomenon emerges that those who for years have lived under the teaching of godly ministers of the past suddenly find these doctrines too heavy. They forsake their confession, and choose an easier way of salvation, which is by their own doings. They make the gospel to be the law, and there no longer appears to be any necessity for a knowledge of misery through the law.

By forsaking the experimental element in the preaching, the true life receives no food, and the preaching becomes a beautiful frame without a picture. Then the crust of the bread is given, and the center withheld. (See Calvin’s explanation of II Timothy 2:15). The distinguishing of true and false grace in the preaching no longer pleases these persons. And yet it is so necessary.

Rev. A. Hoogerland

THE INVITATION

There was a group of young men in the street and I was one of them. It was Sunday evening; but it did not matter to any of us that it was the Lord’s day: we thought it to be our own. It was our rest day. We had worked hard all of the week, but on Sunday we were free—or so we thought. We saw no harm in a little indulgence, and we had our favorite tavern to go to or we would take a walk through the fields. It was six o’clock, but we could not decide where to go. Three were for taking a walk and three for going to the tavern. “What are you going to do, Stephen?” asked one of my friends. “I don’t know” I said, “I have not made up my mind yet”.

“What a fellow you are for not making up your mind”, said one of the boys who advocated the tavern, “come with us, and make up your mind afterwards”. “I will follow you later”, I replied. “Do as you like,” he replied, and walked away with his two companions to the tavern. “You may come with us across the fields” said the other three, but I was hard to please. So there I stood, and at that moment I felt a hand gently laid on my shoulder, and heard a quiet voice saying, “Will you come with me this evening?” Turning around I saw an elderly woman who I knew by sight, as she had a small shop in the neighborhood, and I passed there twice a day on my way to and from work. “Will you not come with me this evening; do come”, she said, looking earnestly into my face. “With you?”, said I, laughing; “where do you want to take me?” “To public worship—to God’s house”, she replied. “You do not often go there, do you?” “No; I have something else to do with my time”, I said bluntly. “Well do come for once” the widow pleaded. “Pooh! What makes you ask me like this?” “Why you seemed not to know what to do with yourself; and I am sure there is nothing you can do better”, said the poor woman. “Will you not come? It may do you good”, she added earnestly.

I could not but be struck by her earnestness, and I began to feel inclined to go. It was true that I was undecided what to do, and there was something new in what she proposed. I had not been inside a church for years, and am ashamed to write this now; but I was not at all ashamed of it then. The good woman, and she was a good woman as I learned when I came to know her better, saw my hesitation and repeated her invitation. “What good will it do you if I go for once, as you say?” I asked.

“It is not for any good it would do me”, she pleaded; “it is for the good you may get”. Her arguments were not important to me at all; but her evident earnestness, and her kind, affectionate way of speaking was, and at last I agreed to go with her.

When we arrived the service had already begun, and being half ashamed of myself for allowing myself to be thus entrapped, as I thought, I slipped into the pew the usher gave me, and there I remained until the service was over.

I have at this time very little remembrance of the sermon. To tell the truth, it made no deep impression on my mind, excepting I was pleased with the manner of the preacher, and rather liked what he said. I liked the singing too; and when I left the place I made up my mind I would go again. I did go again on the following Sunday evening, but I do not think I should have gone so soon if the weather had not been too wet to take my walk, so I went to the place of worship instead. I well remember the sermon that I heard, for it pricked me in the heart. It was made, by the Holy Spirit’s gracious power, the means of my conversion; at least this I humbly hope and believe. I was for a long time in great distress, for my sins were brought to remembrance; and I was far from having a clear view of the glorious way of salvation by faith in Christ. Among all my acquaintance, there was not one to whom I could tell my trouble. At last I thought of the little old woman, and I went to her and told her what was the matter with me, adding that as she had helped me into the difficulty, I must look to her to help me out of it. She did not help me out of it, but pointed out the way of deliverance from it by talking to me about the work and love of Christ, and the work also of the Holy Spirit by whom alone I could be led to understand. And she proved to be right for I did at length lose my burden where Bunyan’s Pilgrim lost his—at the foot of the cross.

I had to bear a lot of ridicule from my old companions who put temptation in my way to draw me back into my old sins. But God gave me strength and patience to resist these temptations, and to bear reproach for Christ’s sake. A year later, I was reminding my good old friend of her effort to bring me under the sound of the gospel, and telling her how great were my obligations to her for all her kindnesses. “I wish”, I said, “that I could do something to show my gratitude other than by mere words”. “You can, Stephen”, she said. “Do tell me how”, said I. “By doing the same thing to others, as I did to you. You remember what Moses said to his father-in-law, ‘we are journeying unto the place which the Lord said I will give to thee. Come with us, and we will do thee good’. “Now,” continued my good friend, “as you have received mercy yourself, do you not wish that others may find the same mercy?” I could truly say yes to this; for indeed, it had troubled me much to see how many around me were seeking gratification in sin. “Yes”, said I, “I do wish and pray that others may find what I have found”. “Well and what does hinder you saying, ‘Come with us, and we will do you good’ to others?” said my kind friend. “Ah”, said I, “I am not like you, you know”. “No”, she said with a kind smile, “for I am a poor old woman, and you are a strong hearty young man. That is a difference to be sure, but I wish you would try”.

The next Sunday evening I was walking to the service and saw two of my former friends lounging about as if they did not know what to do with themselves. “Come now Stephen, be a good, jolly fellow once more,” said one, “you used to like the tavern and why won’t you go with us tonight instead of going to your...?” “Here is one,” thought I, “who is a willing servant of Satan; and he is not ashamed to invite others to go with him, while I am dumb in the service of my great good Lord and Master. It shall not be so any longer; I will say a word to him now”. And I did. “I cannot go with you James” I said, “but I wish you would go with me. ‘Come with us, and we will do you good’ “, I added. James burst into a loud, insulting laugh. “When I do that”, he said, “you may call me anything you like. Come along Tom, and leave him alone”. They turned away, and I passed on, more sorrowful than before. “I knew how it would be”, I thought.

But I did not know. I did not guess that two or three minutes afterwards, I should have a hand laid on my shoulder, and that, on turning around, I should see Tom May. “I’ll go with you for once, Stephen,” said Tom. “James was too hard on you and I have told him so. He has no right to abuse you for being religious, as we all ought to be. I’ll go with you. I have had a dozen minds to go before now; but you never asked me till tonight, and I thought that you did not want my company. And, Stephen”, he continued, “I have been in this place three years; and this is the first time anybody has ever asked me to go to any place of worship.” So we walked together, and though it was the first time with Tom May, it was not the last. The gospel was made the power of God unto salvation unto him, even as it had been to me.

The Sower

THE NEW YEAR

Sin has undone our wretched race,
But Jesus has restor’d
And brought the sinner face to face
With his forgiving Lord.

This we repeat from year to year,
And press upon our youth;
Lord, give them an attentive ear,
Lord, save them by thy truth.

Blessings upon the rising race!
Make this an happy hour,
According to thy richest grace,
And thine almighty pow’r.

We feel for your unhappy state,
(May you regard it too)
And would awhile ourselves forget, To pour out pray’r for you.

We see, tho’ you perceive it not,
Th’ approaching, awful doom;
O tremble at the solemn thought,
And flee the wrath to come!

Dear Saviour, let this new-born year
Spread an alarm abroad;
And cry, in ev’ry careless ear,
“Prepare to meet thy God!”

William Cowper

REMEMBER THY CREATOR!

Remember thy creator,
While youth’s fair spring is bright,
Before thy cares are greater,
Before comes age’s night.
While yet the sun shines over thee,
While stars the darkness cheer,
While life is all before thee,
Thy great Creator fear.

Remember thy Creator,
Before the dust returns
To earth, for ‘tis its nature,
And life’s last ember burns.
Before the God Who gave it,
The spirit shall appear.
O, none but Christ can save it,
Thy great Creator fear.

Submitted

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