ON OPENING A PLACE FOR SOCIAL PRAYER
JESUS, where'er thy people meet,
There they behold thy mercy-seat;
Where'er they seek thee thou art found,
And ev'ry place is hallow'd ground.
For thou, within no walls confin'd,
Inhabitest the humble mind;
Such ever bring thee, where they come,
And going, take thee to their home.
Dear Shepherd of thy chosen few!
Thy former mercies here renew;
Here, to our waiting hearts, proclaim
The sweetness of thy saving name.
Here may we prove the pow'r of pray'r,
To strengthen faith, and sweeten care;
To teach our faint desires to rise, ·
And bring all heav'n before our eyes.
Behold! at thy commanding word,
We stretch the curtain and the cord';
Come thou, and fill this wider space,
And help us with a large encrease.
Lord, we are few, but thou art near;
Nor short thine arm, nor deaf thine ear;
Oh rend the heav'ns, come quickly down,
And make a thousand hearts thine own!
XXVII. [BK. 11. liii.]
WELCOME TO THE TABLE
THIS is the feast of heav'nly wine,
And GOD invites to sup;
The juices of the living vine
Were press'd, to fill the cup.
Oh, bless the Saviour, ye that eat,
With royal dainties fed;
Not heav'n affords a costlier treat,
For JESUS is the bread!
The vile, the lost, he calls to them,
Ye trembling souls appear!
The righteous, in their own esteem,
Have no acceptance here
20 help] bless later editions.
Then thy people's doors he pass'd,
Where the bloody sign was plac'd ;
Hear us, now, upon our knees
Plead the blood of CHRIST for these!
LORD, we tremble, for we know
How the fierce malicious foe,
Wheeling round his watchful flight,
Keeps them ever in his sight:
Spread thy pinions, King of kings!
Hide them safe beneath thy wings;
Lest the rav'nous bird of prey
Stoop, and bear the brood away.
XXV. [BK. II. xxxviii.]
JEHOVAH-JESUS
MY song shall bless the LORD of all,
My praise shall climb to his abode;
Thee, Saviour, by that name I call,
The great Supreme, the mighty GOD.
Without beginning, or decline,
Object of faith, and not of sense;
Eternal ages saw him shine,
He shines eternal ages hence.
As much, when in the manger laid,
Almighty ruler of the sky;
As when the six days' works he made
Fill'd all the morning-stars with joy.
Of all the crowns JEHOVAH bears,
Salvation is his dearest claim;
That gracious sound well-pleas'd he hears,
And owns EMMANUEL for his name.
A cheerful confidence I feel,
My well-plac'd hopes with joy I see;
My bosom glows with heav'nly zeal,
To worship him who died for me.
As man, he pities my complaint,
His pow'r and truth are all divine;
He will not fail, he cannot faint,
Salvation's sure, and must be mine.
11 works] work later editions.
Restraining pray'r, we cease to fight; Pray'r makes the Christian's armour bright; And Satan trembles, when he sees
The weakest saint upon his knees.
While Moses stood with arms spread wide,
Success was found on Israel's side 1;
But when thro' weariness they fail'd,
That moment Amalek prevail'd.
Have you no words! Ah, think again,
Words flow apace when you complain;
And fill your fellow-creature's ear
With the sad tale of all your care.
Were half the breath thus vainly spent,
To heav'n in supplication sent;
Your cheerful song would oft'ner be, "Hear what the LORD has done for me!" 24
THE LIGHT AND GLORY OF THE WORD
THE Spirit breathes upon the word,
And brings the truth to sight;
Precepts and promises afford
A sanctifying light.
A glory gilds the sacred page,
Majestic like the sun;
It gives a light to ev'ry age,
It gives, but borrows none.
The hand that gave it, still supplies
The gracious light and heat;
His truths upon the nations rise,
They rise, but never set.
Let everlasting thanks be thine!
For such a bright display,
As makes a world of darkness shine
With beams of heav'nly day.
My soul rejoices to pursue
The steps of him I love;
Till glory breaks upon my view
In brighter worlds above.
XXX-19 breaks] break Southey.
Approach ye poor, nor dare refuse
The banquet spread for you;
Dear Saviour, this is welcome news,
Then I may venture too.
If guilt and sin afford a plea,
And may obtain a place;
Surely the LORD will welcome me,
And I shall see his face!
XXVIII. [ВK. II. lv.]
JESUS HASTING TO SUFFER
THE Saviour! what a noble flame
Was kindled in his breast,
When hasting to Jerusalem
He march'd before the rest!
Good-will to men, and zeal for God,
His ev'ry thought engross;
He longs to be baptiz'd with blood1,
He pants to reach the cross.
With all his suff'rings full in view,
And woes, to us unknown,
Forth to the task his spirit flew,
"Twas love that urg'd him on.
LORD, we return thee what we can!
Our hearts shall sound abroad
Salvation, to the dying Man,
And to the rising GOD!
And while thy bleeding glories here
Engage our wond'ring eyes;
We learn our lighter cross to bear,
And hasten to the skies.
XXIX. [BK. II. lx.]
EXHORTATION TO PRAYER
WHAT various hindrances we meet
In coming to a mercy-seat!
Yet who that knows the worth of pray'r,
But wishes to be often there?
Pray'r makes the dark'ned cloud withdraw,
Pray'r climbs the ladder Jacob saw;
Gives exercise to faith and love,
Brings ev'ry blessing from above.
Restraining pray'r, we cease to fight;
Pray'r makes the Christian's armour bright;
And Satan trembles, when he sees
The weakest saint upon his knees.
While Moses stood with arms spread wide,
Success was found on Israel's side';
But when thro' weariness they fail'd,
That moment Amalek prevail'd.
Have you no words! Ah, think again,
Words flow apace when you complain;
And fill your fellow-creature's ear
With the sad tale of all your care.
Were half the breath thus vainly spent,
To heav'n in supplication sent;
Your cheerful song would oft'ner be,
"Hear what the LORD has done for me!" 24
THE LIGHT AND GLORY OF THE WORD
THE Spirit breathes upon the word,
And brings the truth to sight;
Precepts and promises afford
A sanctifying light.
A glory gilds the sacred page,
Majestic like the sun;
It gives a light to ev'ry age,
It gives, but borrows none.
The hand that gave it, still supplies
The gracious light and heat;
His truths upon the nations rise,
They rise, but never set.
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