The fairest of ten thousand fairs;
A sun amongst ten thousand stars.
4 (His head the finest gold excels;
There wisdom in perfection dwells,
And glory, like a crown, adorns
Those temples once beset with thorns.
5 Compassions in his heart are found,
Close by the signals of his wound:
His sacred side no more shall bear
The cruel scourge, the piercing spear.)
-6 (His hands are fairer to behold,
Than diamonds, set in rings of gold;
Those heavenly hands, that on the tree
Were nailed, and torn, and bled for me.
p 7 Though once he bowed his feeble knees,
Loaded with sins and agonies,
-Now on the throne of his command,
His legs like marble pillars stand.)
8 (His eyes are majesty and love,
The eagle, tempered with the dove;
No more shall trickling sorrows roll,
Through those dear windows of his soul.
9 His mouth, that poured out long complaints,
Now smiles, and cheers his fainting saints;
His countenance more graceful is,
Than Lebanon with all its trees.)
10 All over glorious is my Lord,
Must be beloved, and yet adored;
His worth, if all the nations knew,
Sure the whole earth would love him too.]
HYMN 76. L. M.
Christ in Heaven and on Earth.
Islington. [*]
Sol. Song vi. 1—3, 12.
W what beauties in my Saviour dwell,
THEN strangers stand and hear me tell
Where he is gone, they fain would know,
That they might seek and love him too.
2 My best Beloved keeps his throne
On hills of light, in worlds unknown;
But he descends, and shows his face
In the young gardens of his grace.
3 [In vineyards, planted by his hand,
Where fruitful trees in order stand,
He feeds among the spicy beds,
Where lilies show their spotless heads.
4 He has engrossed my warmest love;
No earthly charms my soul can move:
I have a mansion in his heart,
Nor death, nor hell can make us part.]
5 He takes my soul e'er I'm aware,
And shows me where his glories are;
No chariot of Amminadib
The heavenly rapture can describe. o 60 may my spirit daily rise,
On wings of faith above the skies; e Till death shall make my last remove, To dwell forever with my Love.
HYMN 77. L. M.
Love of Christ to the Church. Sol. Song vii. 5, 6, 9, 12, 13.
in the galleries of his grace
Appears the King, and thus he says,
"How fair my saints are in my sight,
"My love, how pleasant for delight!"
2 Kind is thy language, sovereign Lord,
There's heavenly grace in every word;
From that dear mouth a stream, divine,
Flows sweeter than the choicest wine.
3 Such wondrous love awakes the lip
Of saints that were almost asleep,
To speak the praises of thy name,
And make our cold affections flame.
-4 These are the joys he lets us know,
In fields and villages below:
Gives us a relish of his love,
But keeps his noblest feast above.
• 5 In Paradise, within the gates,
A higher entertainment waits;
Fruits new and old laid up in store,
Where we shall feed, but thirst no more.]
HYMN 78. L. M.
The Strength of Christ's Love. Sol. Song viii. 5, 6, 7
W That travels from the wilderness?
WHO is this fair one in distress,
And pressed with sorrows, and with sins,
On her beloved Lord she leans.
2 This is the spouse of Christ our God,
Bought with the treasures of his blood:
And her request, and her complaint,
Is but the voice of every saint.
3 "O let my name engraven stand,
"Both on thy heart, and on thy hand;
"Seal me upon thine arm, and wear
"That pledge of love forever there.
4"Stronger than death thy love is known,
"Which floods of wrath could never drown;
"And hell and earth in vain combine,
"To quench a fire so much divine.
5" But I am jealous of my heart,
"Lest it should once from thee depart;
"Then let thy name be well impressed,
"As a fair signet, on my breast.
6 "Till thou hast brought me to thy home,
"Where fears and doubts can never come,
"Thy countenance let me often see,
"And often thou shalt hear from me.
o 7"Come, my Beloved, haste away,
"Cut short the hours of thy delay;
g"Fly like a youthful hart or roe,
"Over the hills where spices grow."]
A Morning Hymn. Psalm xix. 5, 8, and lxxiii. 24, 25.
GOD of the morning, at whose voice
The cheerful sun makes haste to rise,
And like a giant doth rejoice,
To run his journey through the skies;—
2 From the fair chambers of the east,
The circuit of his race begins,
And without weariness or rest,
Round the whole earth he flies, and shines.
o 3 Oh, like the sun may I fulfill
Th' appointed duties of the day;
With ready mind, and active will,
March on and keep my heavenly way.
e 4 (But I shall rove, and lose the race,
If God my Sun should disappear,
And leave me in this world's wide maze,
To follow every wandering star.)
-5 Lord, thy commands are clean and pure,
Enlightening our beclouded eyes;
Thy threatenings just; thy promise sure,
Thy gospel makes the simple wise.
6 Give me thy counsel for my guide,
And then receive me to thy bliss:
All my desires and hopes beside
Are faint, and cold, compared with this.]
An Evening Hymn. Ps. iv. 8; iii. 5, 6; cxlii. 8. HUS far the Lord hath led me on,
T Thus far his power prolongs my days;
And every evening should make known
Some fresh memorials of his grace.
e 2 Much of my time has run to waste,
And I perhaps am near my home;
-But he forgives my follies past,
He gives me strength for days to come.
e 3 I lay my body down to sleep;
Peace is the pillow for my head:
-While well-appointed angels keep
Their watchful stations round my bed.
4 [In vain the sons of earth or hell
Tell me a thousand frightful things;
My God in safety makes me dwell,
Beneath the shadow of his wings.
5 Faith in his name forbids my fear;
O may thy presence ne'er depart;
And, in the morning, make me hear
The love and kindness of thy heart.]
e 6 Thus when the night of death shall come,
My flesh shall rest beneath the ground;
And wait thy voice to rouse my tomb,
With sweet salvation in the sound.
HYMN 81. L. M. Nantwich. Sicilian. [*] A Song for Morning and Evening. Lam. iii. 23; Isa. xlv. 7.
1 MY God, how endless is thy love
Thy gifts are every evening new ;
And morning mercies from above,
Gently distil like early dew.
2 Thou spread'st the curtains of the night,
Great Guardian of my sleeping hours;
Thy sovereign word restores the light,
And quickens all my drowsy powers.
3 I yield my powers to thy command,
To thee I consecrate my days;
Perpetual blessings from thine hand
Demand perpetual songs of praise.
God far above Creatures; or, Man vain and mortal. Job iv. 17-21.
HALL the vile race of flesh and blood
Contend with their Creator God?
u Shall mortal worms presume to be
More holy, wise, or just than he?
-2 Behold, he puts his trust in none
Of all the spirits round his throne;
Their natures, when compared with his,
Are neither holy, just, nor wise.
e 3 But how much meaner things are they,
Who spring from dust, and dwell in clay
Touched by the finger of thy wrath,
We faint, and vanish like the moth.
4 From night to day, from day to night.
We die by thousands in thy sight;
Buried in dust whole nations lie,
Like a forgotten vanity.
p 5 Almighty Power, to thee we bow;
How frail are we! how glorious thou'
No more the sons of earth shall dare
With an eternal God compare.
HYMN 83. C. M. Isle of Wight. Bangor. [b] Affliction and Death under Providence. Job v. 6, 7, 8. from the dust affliction grows,
1 Nor troubles rise by chance:
p Yet we are born to cares and woes; A sad inheritance !
-2 As sparks break out from burning coals And still are upwards borne ;
|