Hymns and Spiritual Songs Part 48

6 I love the Lord, that stoops so low To give his word a seal; But the rich grace his hands bestow Exceeds the figures still.

Hymn 2:142.

Faith in Christ our sacrifice.

1 Not all the blood of beasts On Jewish altars slain Could give the guilty conscience peace, Or wash away the stain.

2 But Christ the heavenly Lamb Takes all our sins away; A sacrifice of n.o.bler name And richer blood than they.

3 My faith would lay her hand On that dear head of thine, While like a penitent I stand And there confess my sin.

4 My soul looks back to see The burdens thou didst bear When hanging on the cursed tree, And hopes her guilt was there.

5 Believing we rejoice To see the curse remove; We bless the Lamb with cheerful voice, And sing his bleeding love.

Hymn 2:143.

Flesh and spirit.

1 What different powers of grace and sin Attend our mortal state!

I hate the thoughts that work within, And do the works I hate.

2 Now I complain, and groan, and die, While sin and Satan reign: Now raise my songs of triumph high, For grace prevails again.

3 So darkness struggles with the light Till perfect day arise; Water and fire maintain the fight Until the weaker dies.

4 Thus will the flesh and spirit strive, And vex and break my peace; But I shall quit this mortal life, And sin for ever cease.

Hymn 2:144.

The effusion of the Spirit; or, The success of the gospel.

1 Great was the day, the joy was great, When the divine disciples met; Whilst on their heads the Spirit came, And sat like tongues of cloven flame.

2 What gifts, what miracles he gave!

And power to kill, and power to save!

Furnish'd their tongues with wondrous words, Instead of shields, and spears, and swords.

3 Thus arm'd, he sent the champions forth From east to west, from south to north; "Go, and a.s.sert your Saviour's cause, "Go, spread the mystery of his cross."

4 These weapons of the holy war, Of what almighty force they are To make our stubborn pa.s.sions bow, And lay the proudest rebel low!

5 Nations, the learned and the rude, Are by these heavenly arms subdu'd; While Satan rages at his loss, And hates the doctrine of the cross.

6 Great King of Grace, my heart subdue, I would be led in triumph too, A willing captive to my Lord, And sing the victories of his word.

Hymn 2:145.

Sight through a gla.s.s, and face to face.

1 I love the windows of thy grace Thro' which my Lord is seen, And long to meet my Saviour's face Without a gla.s.s between.

2 O, that the happy hour were come To change my faith to sight!

I shall behold my Lord at home In a diviner light.

3 Haste, my beloved, and remove These interposing days: Then shall my pa.s.sions all be love, And all my powers be praise.

Hymn 2:146.

The vanity of creatures; or, No rest on earth.

1 Man has a soul of vast desires, He burns within with restless fires; Tost to and fro, his pa.s.sions fly From vanity to vanity.

2 In vain on earth we hope to find Some solid good to fill the mind, We try new pleasures, but we feel The inward thirst and torment still.

3 So when a raging fever burns We shift from side to side by turns, And 'tis a poor relief we gain To change the place, but keep the pain.

4 Great G.o.d, subdue this vicious thirst, This love to vanity and dust; Cure the vile fever of the mind, And feed our souls with joys refin'd.

Hymn 2:147.

The creation of the world, Gen. 1.

1 "Now let a s.p.a.cious world arise,"

Said the Creator-Lord: At once the obedient earth and skies Rose at his sovereign word.

2 [Dark was the deep; the waters lay Confus'd and drown'd the land: He call'd the light; the new-born day Attends on his command.

3 He bids the clouds ascend on high; The clouds ascend and bear A watery treasure to the sky, And float on softer air.

4 The liquid element below Was gather'd by his hand; The rolling seas together flow, And leave the solid land.

5 With herbs and plants, a flowery birth, The naked globe he crown'd, Ere there was rain to bless the earth, Or sun to warm the ground.

6 Then he adorn'd the upper skies; Behold the sun appears, The moon and stars in order rise To make our months and years,

7 Out of the deep th' almighty King Did vital beings frame; The painted fowls of every wing, And fish of every name.]

8 He gave the lion and the worm At once their wondrous birth; And grazing beasts of various form, Rose from the teeming earth.

9 Adam was fram'd of equal clay, Tho' sovereign of the rest, Design'd for n.o.bler ends than they, With G.o.d's own image bless'd.

10 Thus glorious in the Maker's eye The young creation stood; He saw the building from on high, His word p.r.o.nounc'd it good.

11 Lord, while the frame of nature stands, Thy praise shall fill my tongue; But the new world of grace demands A more exalted song.

Hymn 2:148.