Thy saving power and love display;
And guide us to the realms of day:
Thus, Lord, thy waiting servants bless,
And crown thy Gospel with success.
1 FATHER of mercies, bow thine ear,
Attentive to our earnest prayer:
We plead for those who plead for thee;
Successful pleaders may they be!
2 Clothe, Lord, with energy divine
Their words, and let those words be thine;
To them thy sacred truth reveal,
Suppress their fear, inflame their zeal.
3 Teach them to sow the precious seed;
Teach them thy chosen flock to feed;
Teach them immortal souls to gain,
Souls that shall well reward their pain.
4 Let thronging multitudes around
Hear from their lips the joyful sound,
In humble strains thy grace implore,
And feel thy new-creating power.
5 Let sinners break their massy chains,
And mourning souls forget their pains;
Let light through distant realms be spread,
And Zion rear her drooping head.
ON what has now been sown,
Thy blessing, Lord, bestow;
The power is thine alone,
To make it spring and grow:
Do thou the gracious harvest raise;
And thou alone shalt have the praise.
1 NOT unto us, but thee alone,
Blest Lamb, be glory giv'n!
Here shall thy praises be begun,
And carried on in heav'n.
2 Till we the veil of flesh lay down,
Accept our weaker lays;
And, when we reach thy Father's throne,
We'll give thee nobler praise.
1 DISMISS us with thy blessing, Lord,
Help us to feed upon thy word;
All that has been amiss forgive,
And let thy truth within us live.
2 Though we are guilty, thou art good:
Wash all our works in Jesu's blood;
Give every fetter'd soul release,
And bid us all depart in peace.
1 THE peace which God alone reveals,
And by his word of grace imparts,
Which only the believer feels,
Direct and keep and cheer our hearts!
2 And may the holy Three in One,
The Father, Word, and Comforter,
Pour an abundant blessing down
On ev'ry soul assembled here!
MAY the grace of Christ our Saviour,
And the Father's boundless love,
With the Holy Spirit's favour,
Rest upon us from above!
Thus may we abide in union
With each other and the Lord;
And possess, in sweet communion,
Joys which earth cannot afford.
SOME Sweet savour of thy favour
Shed abroad in ev'ry heart:
Heav'n-ward as to thee we go,
Leaving guilt and fear below,
Blessing, praising without ceasing,
Bid us, Lord, depart.
1 THUS saith the mercy of the Lord, "I'll be a God to thee;
"I'll bless thy num'rous race, and they "Shall be a seed for me."
2 Abra'm believ'd the promis'd grace,
And gave his son to God;
But water seals the blessing now,
That once was seal'd with blood.
3 Thus Lydia sanctified her house,
When she receiv'd the word;
Thus the believing jailor gave
His household to the Lord.
4 Thus later saints, eternal King!
Thine ancient truth embrace;
To thee their infant-offspring bring,
And humbly claim thy grace.
1 How large the promise, how divine, To Abra'm and his seed! "I'll be a God to thee and thine, Supplying all their need."
2 The words of this extensive love
From age to age endure:
The Angel of the cov'nant proves,
And seals the blessing sure.
3 Jesus the ancient faith confirms,
To our great fathers giv'n;
He takes young children to his arms,
And calls them heirs of heav'n.
4 Then let the children of the saints
Be dedicate to God:
Pour out thy Spirit on them, Lord,
And wash them in thy blood!
5 Thus to the parents and their seed
Shall thy salvation come;
And num'rous households meet at last
In one eternal home.
I SEE Israel's gentle Shepherd stand,
With all-engaging charms!
Hark, how he calls the tender lambs,
And folds them in his arms!
2 "Permit them to approach," he cries,
"Nor scorn their humble name;
"For 'twas to bless such souls as these
“The Lord of Angels came.”
3 We bring them, Lord, by fervent prayer,
And yield them up to thee:
Joyful that we ourselves are thine,
Thine let our offspring be!
4 Ye little flock, with pleasure hear;
Ye children, seek his face;
And fly with transport to receive
The blessings of his grace.
[PSALMS 40, 116.--HYMNS 14, 101, 139, 151, 161, 167, 189.]
1 My God, and is thy table spread?
And does thy cup with love o'erflow?
Thither be all thy children led,
And let them all thy goodness know.
2 Hail, sacred feast, which Jesus makes,
Rich banquet of his flesh and blood!
Thrice happy he, who here partakes
That sacred stream, that heav'nly food.
3 O let thy table honour'd be,
And furnish'd well with joyful guests!
And may each soul salvation see,
That here its sacred pledges tastes!
4 Drawn by thy quick'ning grace, O Lord,
In thronging numbers let them come;
And gather from their Father's board
The bread that lives beyond the tomb.
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