Page:Olney Hymns - 1840.djvu/62

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GENESIS. BOOK I.

6 But grace, unask'd, his heart subdued,
And all his guilt forgave;
By faith the promised Seed he view'd,
And felt His power to save.
 
7 Thus we ourselves would justify,
Though we the law transgress,—
Like him, unable to deny,
Unwilling to confess.

8 But when by faith the sinner sees
A pardon bought with blood,
Then he forsakes his foolish pleas
And gladly turns to God.

2

Cain and Abel.— Gen. iv, 3—8.

1 WHEN Adam fell he quickly lost
God's image, which he once possess'd:
See all our nature since could boast,
In Cain, his first-born son, express'd !

2 The sacrifice the Lord ordain'd
In type of the Redeemer's blood
Self-righteous reasoning Cain disdain'd,
And thought his own first-fruits as good,

3 Yet rage and envy fill'd his mind
When, with a sullen downcast look,
He saw his brother favour find,
Who God's appointed method took.

4 By Cain's own hand good Abel died,
Because the Lord approved his faith;
And, when his blood for vengeance cried,
He vainly thought to hide his death.

5 Such was the wicked murderer Cain,
And such by nature still are we—
Untill by grace we're born again,
Malicious, blind, and proud as he.

6 Like him the way of grace we slight,
And in our own devices trust;