Help me, Lord, thy Works to praise

Verse 1
Help me, Lord, thy Works to praise,
Jesus, dear atoning Lamb; (John 1:29, I Pet. 1:18-19)
Countless are thy Works of Grace
Since I knew Thee by thy Name; (Ex. 33:17, Isa. 43:1, Isa. 45:4, John 10:3)
Thee, my Saviour, I adore,
Glory, Strength ascribe to Thee; (Ps. 29:1, Ps. 96:7, Rev. 5:12)
Thou hast shed forth all thy Power, (Acts 2:33)
Jesus prov’d indeed to me.

Verse 2
Thou hast rescu’d me from Death,
Spoil’d the Lion of his Prey, (Ps. 22:20-21, II Tim. 4:17)
Pluck’d from the Devourer’s Teeth, (Job 29:17, Ps. 124:6)
Tore my trembling Soul away;
Thou hast been my Sun and Shield, (Ps. 84:11)
Sav’d me from the Fowler’s Net, (Ps. 91:3, Ps. 124:7)
Still from falling hast withheld, (Ps. 56:13, Ps. 116:8, Jude 1:24)
Set upon the Rock my Feet. (Ps. 40:2)

Verse 3
Satan all his Arts essay’d,
Now no more a Fiend in sight
Slyly his Approach he made
As a Messenger of Light; (II Cor. 11:13-15)
Mask’d in deep Humility, (Col. 2:18)
Unsuspected he drew near;
Who in him could Evil see,
What could a poor Sinner fear?

Verse 4
As a Lion once he walk’d
Seeking whom he might devour, (I Pet. 5:8)
Now with silent Tread he stalk’d,
Wiser now, he would not roar:
My Destruction to ensure,
Closely he disguis’d his Skill,
None like him so meek, so pure,
None so tame, so smooth, so still!

Verse 5
Weak, unarm’d, of Sin afraid,
Sick he found me, weary, faint;
He was ready with his Aid,
He would banish my Complaint,
He would find me out the Way,
Sure and only Way to Peace,
If I would but him obey
All my Cares at once should cease.

Verse 6
Simple Love no evil Thought: (I Cor. 13:4-5)
Cheated with a Show of Good,
Greedily the Hook I caught,
Baited with my Saviour’s Blood;
Baffl’d by the Tempter’s Art (Matt. 4:3, II Cor. 11:15, I Thess. 3:5)
Willing I receiv’d his Yoke,
Binding my unwary Heart, (Gal. 5:1)
Listning while the Serpent spoke. (Gen. 3:1, II Cor. 11:3)

Verse 7
“Foolish Child,” he subtly cried,
“Spare thyself this needless Pain,
“Cast thy zealous Works aside,
“Hurry not thyself in vain;
“Do not pain so much and strive, (Luke 13:24)
“Do not labour up the Hill,
“I a new Commandment give, (John 13:34 - used in the sense that Satan likes to use and twist Jesus’ words)
“Spare thyself, I say; be still. (Ps. 46:10 - used in the sense that Satan likes to use and twist Jesus’ words)

Verse 8
“Run not after Means of Grace,
“Fancying them by GOD enjoin’d,
“Leave the consecrated Place,
“Look at him and ye shall find:
“Ordinances profit not,
“Ordinances cannot save,
“Cast them by, be all forgot,
“Word and Church and Altar leave.

Verse 9
“All who use, in Means confide,
“Vainly you the Charge deny;
“Lay them for a while aside,
“Only for a Season try:
“Give your Prayers and Reading o’re (Col. 4:2, I Thess. 5:17, I Tim. 4:13)
[incomplete]

Verse 10
“Toward the Mark you need not press, (Phil. 3:14)
“Need not strive to enter in, (Luke 13:24)
“Following after Holiness, (Heb. 12:14)
“Lab’ring to extirpate Sin. (Rom. 8:13)
“Let not Sin disturb your Rest,
“Sin, ’tis a mere thing of nought,
“Need not be with Grief confest; (Ps. 32:5, I John 1:9)
“Sloth despise and mind it not.

Verse 11
“Why should Sin occasion Pain?
“Sin in you must always be;
“Let it quietly remain,
“Sin and Christ may well agree: (Rom. 6:1-2, I John 3:5-6)
“Christ, you know, did all fulfil, (Matt. 5:17)
“Nought is left for Man to do, (Eph. 2:8-9, Phil. 2:12-13)
“Freely follow your own Will,
“Christ was meek and chaste for you.

Verse 12
“Go not after empty Schemes,
“Schemes of Righteousness brought in,
“Listen not to idle Dreams,
“Dreams of living without Sin: (I John 3:6, I John 3:8, I John 5:18)
“If you once have tasted Peace,
“Never can you farther go,
“No inherent Righteousness,
“No Perfection, is below. (Matt. 5:48, II Cor. 7:1)

Verse 13
“Safely then set up your Rest,
“Where you are, in stillness keep;
“Let not casual Sin molest
“Like the Child when put to sleep:
“Hurry fix yourself no more,
“Care not what you are or how; (II Cor. 13:5)
“Hush, be still, all Work is o’re, (Heb. 4:10, Heb. 6:11-12)
“You are a poor Sinner now.

Verse 14
“Other Followers of the Lamb (Rev. 14:4)
“Painfully deny their Will;
“Call yourself (’tis all the same)
“A poor Sinner, and be still;
“After Christ their Cross they bear, (Matt. 10:38, Matt. 16:24, Mark 8:34, Mark 10:21, Luke 9:23, Luke 14:27)
“You may use your Liberty; (Gal. 5:13)
“Only cry, My Saviour dear,
“He hath borne the Cross for me. (John 19:17, Heb. 12:2, I Pet. 2:24)

Verse 15
“Be not into Bondage brought, (Gal. 5:1)
“What need a poor Sinner do?
“Christ, I say, the Work hath wrought,
“Nothing now remains for you: (Eph. 2:8-10, Phil. 2:12-13, Tit. 3:5-8)
“Men may bid you strive and press, (Luke 13:24, Phil. 3:14)
“Ask, and seek, and knock, and call; (Matt. 7:7, Luke 11:9)
“Works, and Means, and Holiness
“All are empty, legal all.

Verse 16
“Lay your zealous Scruples by,
“Be not to yourself severe,
“With the World you may comply, (Rom. 12:2, James 4:4)
“Little Tongues you need not fear:
“Put your Gold and Jewels on, (I Tim. 2:9, I Pet. 3:3)
“You are born to high Estate; (Rom. 12:16)
“Pride in baser Minds is shewn,
“You are truly good and great.” (Gen. 3:4-5, Prov. 16:18)

Verse 17
Here my Spirit took th’ Alarm,
Half perceiv’d the naked Snare, (I Tim. 3:7, II Tim. 2:26)
Started from th’ apparent Harm,
Flattery too gross to bear;
Back recoil’d my frighted Heart,
Satan his advantage knew, (II Cor. 2:11)
Left within his poison’d Dart, (Eph. 6:16)
Dropp’d his Feignings and withdrew. (Luke 4:13, II Cor. 11:14)

Verse 18
Oft he went and came again,
Watch’d me with an evil Eye, (Mark 7:22)
Sent me many an humble Man,
Smooth Retailers of his Lie; (Rom. 16:18)
All my Goings they beset,
Soothing me with nicest Skill,
Hunting me as with a Net, (Ps. 57:6, Ps. 140:5)
Sweetly whispering, “Be still.’” (Ps. 46:10)

Verse 19
Willingly I heard them speak
Of my dear Redeemer’s Blood, (Eph. 1:7, I Pet. 1:18-19)
(Men so loving, mild, and meek,
All they said must needs be good!) (Matt. 7:15, II Cor. 11:13-15)
Long’d my Judgment to submit,
Lov’d them for their dying Lord,
Kiss’d the Ground beneath their Feet,
Honour’d and almost ador’d.

Verse 20
How then, O my simple Heart,
Didst Thou ’scape out of their Toils?
Christ the tempted took my Part, (Heb. 2:18, Heb. 4:15)
Would not quit his lawful Spoils,
Would not let me wholly yield,
Blest forever be his Name;
Me he forcibly withheld,
Kept me till the Rescue came. (John 10:28-29, I Cor. 10:13, I Pet. 1:5)

Verse 21
GOD who sends by whom he will,
GOD the good, the mighty GOD,
Baffl’d all their Strength and Skill,
All his Power in Weakness shew’d, (II Cor. 12:9)
Sent from out their Host of Foes
One in Sin and Stillness drown’d;
Where the rankest Poison grows
There the Antidote is found. (Rom. 5:20)

Verse 22
Mene tekel! here the Days, (Dan. 5:25-27)
Here the Reign of Stillness ends;
I disclaim the faithless Race,
Hold no Fellowship with Fiends. (I Cor. 10:20-21, Eph. 5:11)
Thou art in the Balance weigh’d,
Wanting art Thou found at last; (Dan. 5:25-27)
Stillness, all thy Hell’s display’d,
All thy Hour of Darkness past. (Luke 22:53)

Verse 23
Now I see with other Eyes
What before I would not see,
Froward (?), Haplessness (?), disguise,
Close serpentine Subtlety, (Gen. 3:1, II Cor. 11:3)
Shy Reserve that shuns the Light, (John 3:20-21)
Double Heart and Double Tongue, (Ps. 12:2, I Tim. 3:8)
Wisdom dark and deep as Night,
Deep as Hell from whence it sprung. (James 3:15)

Verse 24
Who the Cunning can declare
Of these silent, simple ones? (Eph. 4:14)
Simple, yet surpassing far
Loyola and all his Sons!
O how skillful to o’rethrow
Altar, Church, Foundations, Walls!
None suspects the secret Blow
Till the sudden Ruin falls. (I Thess. 5:3)

Verse 25
Who can all their Virtues paint!
Tell me, which shall I commend?
Say, ye mighty to supplant,
Wise to undermine, your Friend;
Shall I praise your magic Art?
Exquisite Dissemblers, say;
Dearest Friends your Whispers part, (Prov. 16:28)
Steal th’ unwary Heart away. (Rom. 16:18)

Verse 26
O how winning your Address,
When the first Approach ye make!
Every carnal Taste ye please,
Every Shape and Colour take;
Now your Brother dear ye praise,
Now your Brother dear exclude,
On his Fall yourselves to raise, (III John 1:9-10)
Genuine German Gratitude!

Verse 27
Gainers ye by others’ Loss,
Ye like Persian Monarchs reign,
All into your Hands engross,
All besides yourselves disdain; (Luke 18:9)
All to you for Faith must come,
All beside yourselves are blind,
Closely keeping after Rome,
Popes ye are of all Mankind. (Matt. 23:8-10)

Verse 28
Such ye were too long to me,
But I now reject your Sway,
Guile and I can ne’er agree,
All your Cords I cast away:
Now the full Divorce is made,
Now the Gulf is brought between,
Ordinances disobey’d,
Pleadings for the World and Sin.

Verse 29
Will ye claim my Friendship now
More than heathen Turks or Jews?
Do ye stiffneck’d Rebels bow
GOD’s appointed Means to use?
Use because by GOD enjoin’d,
Seek the antient Christian Way, (Jer. 6:16)
Undefil’d and unrefin’d,
Now repent, believe, obey. (Mark 1:15)

Verse 30
Haste, ye Advocates for Sin,
Haste, ye Foes to Holiness,
Rent, O rent, your Hearts unclean, (Joel 2:12-13)
All your Guile and Sin confess; (I John 1:9)
All your Blasphemies abjure,
Turn and sue to be forgiven,
Turn in time, ye Sinners poor,
Turn, and we may meet in Heaven.