5 Teach my weak heart, O gracious Lord!
With stronger faith to call thee mine;
Bid me pronounce the blissful word,
My Father, God, with joy divine.
157 L. M. Lebanon 79. Lewton 30.
BRAZEN SERPENT. Numbers xxi. 8, 9.
1 WHEN Israel's grieving tribes complain’d, With fiery serpents greatly pain'd,
A serpent straight the prophet made. Of molten brass, to view display'd. 2 Around the fainting crowds attend, To heaven their mournful sighs ascend; They hope, they look, while from the pole Descends a power that makes them whole. 3 But, O, what healing to the heart Doth our Redeemer's cross impart ! What life, by faith, our souls receive! What pleasures do his sorrows give! 4 Still may I view the Saviour's cross, And other objects count but loss; Here still be fix'd my feasted eyes, Enraptur'd with his sacrifice!
5 Jesus the Saviour! balmy name!
Thy worth my tongue would now proclaim; By thy atonement set me free!
My life, my hope, is all from thee.
158 L. M. Islington 40. New Sabbath 122.
BREAD OF LIFE. John vi. 35-48.
1 DEPRAVED minds on ashes feed,
Nor love nor seek for heavenly bread;
They choose the husks which swine do eat,
Or meanly crave the serpent's meat.
2 Jesus! thou art the living bread
By which our needy souls are fed;
In thee alone thy children find
Enough to fill the empty mind.
3. Without this bread, I starve and die;
No other can my need supply;
But this will suit my wretched case,
Abroad, at home, in every place.
4 'Tis this relieves the hungry poor
Who ask for bread at mercy's door;
This living food descends from heaven,
As manna to the Jews was giv'n.
5 This precious food my heart revives;
What strength, what nourishment it gives!
O let me evermore be fed
With this divine celestial bread!
BRIDEGROOM and HUSBAND; or, the Marriage between
Christ and the Soul.
1 ESUS, the heavenly lover, gave
His life my wretched soul to save:
Resolv'd to make his mercy known,
He kindly claims me for his own.
2 Rebellious, I against him strove,.
Till melted and constrain'd by love;
With sin and self I freely part,
The heavenly Bridegroom wins my heart.
3 My guilt, my wretchedness he knows,
Yet takes and owns me for his spouse ;
My debts he pays, and sets me free,
And makes his riches o'er to me.
4 My filthy rags are laid aside,
He clothes me as becomes his bride;
Himself bestows my wedding-dress,
The robe of perfect righteousness.
5 Lost in astonishment, I see,
Jesus! thy boundless love to me:
With angels I thy grace adore,
And long to love and praise thee more.
6 Since thou wilt take me for thy bride,
O Saviour, keep me near thy side!
I fain would give thee all my heart,
Nor ever from my Lord depart.
160 L. M. Kimbolton 251. Chard 175.
BRIGHT and MORNING-STAR. Rev. xxii. 16.
1 YE worlds of light, that roll so near
The Saviour's throne of shining bliss,
O tell how mean your glories are,-
How faint and few, compar'd with his !
2 We sing the Bright and Morning Star,
Jésus, the spring of light and love:
See, how its rays, diffus'd from far,
Conduct us to the realms above!
3 Its cheering beams spread wide abroad,-
Point out the puzzled Christian's
Still, as he goes, he finds the road
Enlighten'd with a constant day.
4 [Thus, when the Eastern Magi brought
Their royal gifts, a star appears;
Directs them to the babe they sought,
And guides their steps, and calms their fears.]
5 When shall we reach the heav'nly place
Where this bright star shall brightest shine?
Leave far behind these scenes of night,
And view a lustre so divine?
161 C. M. Bath Chapel 26.
CHIEF AMONG TEN THOUSAND; or, the Excellencies of
Christ. Cant. v. 10-16.
1TO Christ, the Lord, let every tongue,
Its noblest tribute bring:
When he's the subject of the song,
Who can refuse to sing!
2 Survey the beauties of his face,
And on his glories dwell;
Think of the wonders of his grace,
And all his triumphs tell.
3 Majestic sweetness sits enthron'd
Upon his awful brow;
His head with radiant glories crown'd,
His lips with grace o'erflow.
4 No mortal can with him compare,
Among the sons of men :
Fairer he is than all the fair
That fill the heavenly train.
5 He saw me plung'd in deep distress,
He flew to my relief;
For me he bore the shameful cross,
And carry'd all my grief.
6 [His hand a thousand blessings pours
Upon my guilty head;
His presence gilds my darkest hours,
And guards my sleeping bed.
7 To him I owe my life, and breath,
And all the joys I have:
He makes me triumph over death,
And saves me from the grave.]
8 To heav'n, the place of his abode,
He brings my weary feet;
Shows me the glories of my God,
And makes my joys complete.
9 Since from his bounty I receive
Such proofs of love divine,
Had I a thousand hearts to give,
Lord, they should all be thine!
162 8.7. Welsh 210. Trowbridge 21..
CONSOLATION of ISRAEL. Luke ii. 25.
1 COME, thou long expected Jesus! Born to set thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
• Let us find our rest in thee:
Israel's strength and consolation.
Hope of all the saints thou art;
Dear desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.
2 Born, thy people to deliver;
Born a child and yet a king;
Born to reign in us for ever,
Now thy gracious kingdom bring:
By thine own eternal Spirit,
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By thine all-sufficient merit,
Raise us to thy glorious throne.
163 L. M. Wareham 117. Wells 102. CORNER-STONE, 1 Pet. ii. 6. Isa. xxviii. 16, 17.
1 LORD, dost thou shew a Corner-stone
For us to build our hopes upon,
That the fair edifice may rise
Sublime in light beyond the skies?
2 We own the work of sov'reign love;
Nor death nor hell the hopes shall move,
Which fix'd on this foundation stand,
Laid by thy own Almighty hand.
3 Thy people long this stone have tried,
And all the powers of hell defied;
Floods of temptation beat in vain,
Well doth this rock the house sustain.
4 When storms of wrath around prevail,
Whirlwind and thunder, fire and hail,
'Tis here our trembling souls shall hide,
And here securely they abide:
5 While they that scorn this precious stone,
Foud of some quicksand of their own,
Borne down by weighty vengeance, die,
And buried deep in ruin lie.
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