2 Come, fill our hearts with inward strength,
Make our enlarged souls possess,
And learn the height, and breadth, and length,
Of thine eternal love and grace.
3 Now to the God whose power can do
More than our thoughts and wishes know,
Be everlasting honors done
By all the church, through Christ his Son.
S. M. St. Thomas. Mornington.
BEHOLD the throne of grace!
The promise calls me near;
There Jesus shows a smiling face,
And waits to answer prayer.
2 Thine image, Lord, bestow,
Thy presence and thy love:
I ask to serve thee here below,
And reign with thee above.
3 Teach me to live by faith,
Conform my will to thine;
Let me victorious be in death,
And then in glory shine.
4 If thou these blessings give,
And wilt my portion be,
All worldly joys I'll cheerful leave,
And find my heaven in thee.
C. M. Wachusett. Princeton,
356 Longing for a closer Walk with God.
OH! for a closer walk with God,
A calm and heavenly frame-
A light, to shine upon the road
That leads me to the Lamb.
2 Where is the blessedness I knew,
When first I saw the Lord?
Where is the soul-refreshing view
Of Jesus and his word?
3 What peaceful hours I once enjoyed!-
How sweet their memory still!-
But they have left an aching void
The world can never fill.
4 Return, O holy Dove! return-
Sweet messenger of rest!
I hate the sins that made thee mourn,
And drove thee from my breast.
5 The dearest idol I have known,
Whate'er that idol be,
Help me to tear it from thy throne,
And worship only thee.
mf 6 So shall my walk be close with God;
Calm and serene my frame;
So purer light shall mark the road
That leads me to the Lamb.
Christians perfected by Grace through Christ.
FATHER of peace, and God of love,
We own thy power to save;
That power by which our Saviour rose
Victorious o'er the grave.
2 We triumph in that Saviour's name,
Still watchful for our good;
Who brought th' eternal covenant down,
And sealed it with his blood.
3 So may the Spirit seal our souls,
And mould them to thy will;
Our treacherous hearts no more shall rove,
But keep thy covenant still.
mf 4 Still may we gain superior strength,
And press with vigor on,
Till full perfection crown our hopes,
And fix us near thy throne.
Blessedness of the Righteous.
BLEST are the humble souls, that see
Their emptiness and poverty:
Treasures of grace to them are given,
And crowns of joy laid up in heaven.
2 Blest are the men of broken heart,
Who mourn for sin with inward smart:
The blood of Christ divinely flows,
A healing balm for all their woes.
3 Blest are the meek, who stand afar
From rage and passion, noise and war:
God will secure their happy state,
And plead their cause against the great.
4 Blest are the souls that thirst for grace,
Hunger and long for righteousness:
They shall be well supplied, and fed
With living streams and living bread.
5 Blest are the men whose mercies move
To acts of kindness and of love:
From Christ, the Lord, shall they obtain
Like sympathy and love again.
6 Blest are the pure, whose hearts are clean,
Who never tread the ways of sin:
With endless pleasure they shall see
A God of spotless purity.
7 Blest are the men of peaceful life,
Who quench the coals of growing strife:
They shall be called the heirs of bliss,
The sons of God-the God of peace.
8 Blest are the faithful, who partake
Of pain and shame for Jesus' sake:
Their souls shall triumph in the Lord,
Eternal life is their reward.
THE CHRISTIAN VIEWED IN VARIOUS RELATIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES.
Vital Union to Christ.
DEAR Saviour, we are thine
By everlasting bonds:
Our hearts, our souls we would resign
Entirely to thy hands.
2 To thee we still would cleave
With ever-growing zeal:
If millions tempt us Christ to leave,
Oh let them ne'er prevail.
3 Thy Spirit shall unite
Our souls to thee, our head;
Shall form us to thy image bright,
And teach thy paths to tread.
4 Death may our souls divide
From these abodes of clay;
But love shall keep us near thy side,
Through all the gloomy way
5 Since Christ and we are one,
Why should we doubt or fear?
If he in heaven hath fixed his throne,
He'll fix his members there.
Alfreton. Hague.
WHEN sins and fears prevailing rise,
And fainting hope almost expires,
To thee, O Lord, I lift my eyes,
To thee I breathe my soul's desires.
2 Art thou not mine, my living Lord?
And can my hope, my comfort die?—
'Tis fixed on thine almighty word-
That word which built the earth and sky.
3 If my immortal Saviour lives,
Then my immortal life is sure:
His word a firm foundation gives;
Here I may build-and rest secure.
4 Here let my faith unshaken dwell;
Forever sure the promise stands:
Not all the powers of earth, or hell,
Can e'er dissolve the sacred bands.
5 Here, O my soul, thy trust repose:
If Jesus is forever mine,
Not death itself-that last of foes-
Shall break a union so divine.
I KNOW that my Redeemer lives-
What joy the blest assurance gives!
He lives-he lives! who once was dead,
He lives, my everlasting head!
2 He lives to bless me with his love,
He lives to plead for me above;
He lives my hungry soul to feed,
He lives to help in time of need.
3 He lives, and grants me daily breath,
He lives, and I shall conquer death;
He lives my mansion to prepare,
He lives to bring me safely there.
4 He lives!-all glory to his name!
He lives, my Saviour, still the same;
How great the joy this sentence gives,
'I know that my Redeemer lives!'
Deriving Strength from Christ.
LET me but hear my Saviour say,
Strength shall be equal to thy day;'
Then I rejoice in deep distress,
Upheld by all-sufficient grace.
2 I can do all things-or can bear
All suffering, if my Lord be there;
Sweet pleasures mingle with the pains,
While he my sinking head sustains.
3 I glory in infirmity,
That Christ's own power may rest on me:
When I am weak-then am I strong;
Grace is my shield-and Christ my song.
C. M. Covington. Mansfield.
Living by Faith on the Son of God.
BLEST Jesus, while in mortal flesh
I hold my frail abode,
Still would my spirit rest on thee,
My Saviour, and my God.
2 On thy dear cross I fix my eyes,
Then raise them to thy seat;
Till love dissolves my inmost soul,
At my Redeemer's feet.
3 Be dead, my heart, to worldly charms;
Be dead to every sin;
<And tell the boldest foe without,
That Jesus reigns within.
SON of God, thy blessing grant,
Still supply my every want;
Tree of life, thine influence shed,
With thy fruit my spirit feed.
2 Tenderest branch, alas! am I ;
Without thee, I droop and die;
Weaker than a bruised reed,
Help I every moment need.
3 All my hopes on thee depend; Love me, save me, to the end! Give me thy supporting grace, mf Take the everlasting praise.
|