HYMN CLXXXI. Long Metre.
Christians the Sons of God.
1 NOT all the nobles of the earth, Who boast the honours of their birth, Such real dignity can claim,
As those who bear the christian name.
2 To them the privilege is gfven,
To be the sons and heirs of heaven ;
Sons of the God, who reigns on high,
And heirs of joys beyond the sky.
3 On them, a happy, chosen race,
Their Father pours his richest grace;
To them his counsels he imparts,
And writes his law within their hearts.
4 When through temptation they rebel,
His chastening rod he makes them feel;
Then with a Father's tender heart
He sooths the pain and heals the smart.
5 Their daily wants his hands supply,
Their steps he guards with watchful eye;
Leads them from earth to heaven above,
And crowns them with eternal love.
6 Have I the honour, Lord, to be
One of this numerous family ?
On me thy gracious gift bestow,
To call my God my Father too.
7 So may my conduct ever prove
My filial piety and love;
Whilst all my brethren clearly trace
Their Father's image in my face.
HYMN CLXXXII. Long Metre.
Divine Compassion to Sinners.
1 NOT to condemn the sons of
Did Christ the Son of God appear ;
No weapons in his hands are seen,
No flaming sword nor thunder there.
2 Such was the pity of our God,
He lov'd the race of man so well,
He sent his Son to bear our load
Of sins, and save our souls from hell.
3 Let sinners hear the Saviour's word,
Trust in his mighty name, and live;
A thousand joys his lips afford,
His hands a thousand blessings give.
4 "Come, all ye weary fainting souls,
"Ye heavy laden sinners, come; .
"I'll give you rest from all your toils,
"And lead you to my heavenly home.
5 "Ye shall find rest that learn of me,
"I'm of a meek and lowly mind;
"But passion rages like the sea,
"And pride is restless as the wind.
6 "Blest is the man whose shoulders take
"My yoke, and bear it with delight;
"My yoke is easy to his neck,
"My grace shall make the burden light."
7 Jesus, we come at thy command,
With faith and hope and humble zeal,
Resign our spirits to thy hand,
To rule and guide us at thy will.
1 NOT to the terrors of the Lord,
The tempest, fire and smoke;
Not to the thunder of that word
Which God on Sinai spoke ;
2 But we are come to Sion's hill,
The city of our God,
Where milder words declare his will,
And spread his love abroad.
3 Behold th' innumerable host
Of angels cloth'd in light!
Behold the spirits of the just,
Whose faith is turn'd to sight!
4 Behold the blest assembly there,
Whose names are writ in heaven!
And God, the Judge of all, declares
Their vilest sins forgiven.
5 The saints on earth, and all the dead,
But one communion make;
All join in Christ, their living Head,
And of his grace partake.
6 In such society as this
My weary soul would rest;
The man that dwells where Jesus is,
Must be forever blest.
HYMN CLXXXIV. Common Metre.
On the Death of a Minister.
1 NOW let our drooping hearts revive, And all our tears be dry: /
Why should those eyes be drown'd in grief, Which view a Saviour nigh?
2 What though the gloomy tyrant death
Doth God's own house invade ?
What though the prophet and the priest
Be number'd with the dead?
3 Though earthly shepherds dwell in dust,
The aged and the young;
The watchful eye in darkness clos'd,
And mute th' instructive tongue :
4 Th' eternal Shepherd still survives,
New comfort to impart ;
His hand still guides us, and his voice
Still animates our heart.
5 "Lo, I am with you," saith the Lord,
"My church shall safe abide ;
"For I will ne'er forsake my own,
"Whose souls in me confide.”
• Through every scene of life and death
This promise is our trust;
And this shall be our children's song
When we are laid in dust.
HYMN CLXXXV. Common Metre.
The Intercession of Christ.
1 NOW let our humble faith behold
Our great High Priest above,
And celebrate his constant care
And sympathetick love.
2 Exalted to his Father's throne,
With matchless honours crown'd;
And Lord of all th' angelick host,
Who wait the throne around.'
3 The names of all the saints he bears,
Engraven on his heart;
Nor shall the meanest saint complain
That he hath lost his part.
Those characters shall firm remain
Our everlasting trust,
When gems and monuments and crowns
Are moulder'd into dust.
God's Love to his Church.
1 NOW shall my inward joys arise
And burst into a song :
Almighty love inspires my heart,
And pleasures tune my tongue.
2 God, on his thirsty Sion hill,
Some mercy-drops has thrown,
And solemn oaths have bound his love
To shower salvation down.
3 Why do we then indulge our fears,
Suspicions and complaints?
Is he a God! and shall his grace
Grow weary of his saints?
4 Can a kind mother e'er forget
The object of her care?
Among a thousand tender thoughts,
Her suckling have no share?
5 "Yet, (saith the Lord) should nature change, "And mothers monsters prove,
"Sion still dwells upon the heart
"Of everlasting love.
|