HYMN LI. Long Metre.
The Sight of Christ in Heaven.
1 DESCEND, ye hosts of angels bright,
And bear us on your guardian wings,
Through regions of celestial light,
Above the reach of earthly things;
2 Beyond this curtain of the sky,
Up where eternal ages roll!
Where solid pleasures never die,
And fruits immortal feast the soul.
SO for a beatifick sight
Of our Almighty Father's throne!
There sits our Saviour, crown'd with light,
Cloth'd with a body like our own.
4 Adoring saints around him stand,
And heavenly powers before him fall;
The God shines gracious through the man,
And sheds bright glories on them all.
5 What joys unspeakable they feel!
Whilst to their golden harps they sing;
And echo from each heavenly hill,
The glorious triumph of their King-
6 O may the happy day draw nigh,
When we shall rise to realms above,
To join the musick of the sky,
And celebrate redeeming love.
1 Do not I love thee, O my Lord?
Behold my heart and see;
And turn each worthless idol out,
That dares to rival thee.
2 Is not thy name melodious still
To my enraptur'd ear?
Doth not my pulse with pleasure beat,
My Saviour's voice to hear?
3 Hast thou a lamb in all thy flock
I would disdain to feed?
Hast thou a foe, before whose face
I fear thy cause to plead ?
4 Would not my ardent spirit vie
With angels round thy throne,
To execute thy sacred will,
And make thy glory known?
5 Would not my heart pour out its blood,
In honour of thy name?
And challenge the cold hand of death
To damp th' immortal flame?
6 Thou know'st I love thee, O my Lord;
But how I long to soar
Above the sphere of mortal joys,
Aud learn to love thee more! DODDRIDGE.
HYMN LIII. Long Metre. * or b
Christian Privileges and Obligations.
I DOST thou my worthless name record,
Free of thy holy city, Lord?
Am I, a sinner, call'd to share
The precious privileges there?
2 Art thou my King, my Father styl'd?
And I thy servant and thy child?
Whilst many of the human race
Are aliens from thy Zion's grace?
3 Lo, wretched millions draw their breath
In lands of ignorance and death!
But I enjoy my share of time
Within thy gospel's favour'd clime.
4 Shall I receive this grace in vain ?
Shall I my great vocation stain ?
Away, ye works in darkness wrought!
Away, each sensual, wanton thought!
5 My soul, I charge thee to excel,
In thinking right and acting well;
Deep let thy searching powers engage,
Unbias'd in the sacred page.
6 Heighten the force of good desire;
To deeds of shining worth aspire;
More firm in fortitude, despise
The world's seducing vanities.
7 Strong and more strong, thy passions rule,
Advancing still in virtue's school;
Contending still, with noble strife,
To imitate thy Saviour's life.
HYMN LIV. Long Metre.
The only living and true God.
(Psalm 86.)
1 ETERNAL God, almighty Cause
Of earth and sea and worlds unknown;
All things are subject to thy laws,
All things depend on thee alone.
2 Thy glorious being singly stands,
Of all within itself possest;
Controll❜d by none are thy commands;
Thou from thyself alone art blest.
3 To thee alone ourselves we owe,
To thee alone our homage pay;
All other gods we disavow,
Deny their claims, renounce their sway. 4 In thee, O Lord, our hope shall rest, Fountain of peace and joy and love!
Thy favour only makes us blest;
Without thee, all would nothing prove.
5 Worship to thee alone belongs,
Worship to thee alone we give;
Thine be our hearts, and thine our songs,
And to thy glory we would live.
6 Spread thy great name through heathen lands, Their idol deities dethrone ;
Subdue the world to thy commands,
And reign, as thou art, God alone.
The Consolations of Age.
1 ETERNAL God, enthron'd on high,
Whom angel hosts adore;
Who yet to suppliant dust art nigh,
Thy presence I implore.
2 O guide me down the steep of age,
And keep my passions cool;
Teach me to scan the sacred page,
And practise every rule.
3 My flying years time urges on,
My strength must soon decay?
My friends, my youth's companions gone,
Can I expect to stay?
4 Can I exemption plead, when death
Projects his awful dart?
Can med'cines then prolong my breath,
Or cordials shield my heart?
5 But thou canst cheer my mortal hour,
On thee my hope depends;
Support me by Almighty power,
While dust to dust descends.
6 Then let my soul, O gracious God,
Ascend to realms of day;
And, in that sacred blest abode,
Its endless anthems pay.
7 Throughout the heaven's remotest bound
Thy matchless love proclaim;
And join the choir of saints that sound
Their great Redeemer's name.
B. WILLIAMS's Collection.
1 ETERNAL God, I bless thy name, The same thy power, thy grace the same; The tokens of thy friendly care
Open and close and crown the year. 2 Supported by thy guardian hand, Amidst ten thousand deaths I stand; And see, when I survey thy ways, Ten thousand monuments of praise. 3 Thus far thy arm has led me on,
Thus far I make thy mercy known;
And whilst I tread this desert land,
New mercies shall new songs demand.
4 My grateful voice on Jordan's shore
Shall raise one sacred pillar more ;
Then bear, in thy bright courts above,
Inscriptions of immortal love.
1 ETERNAL Love! how large the sum,
Of blessings from thy hand!
To banish sorrow and be blest
s thy supreme command.
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