2 Us in the stead of Christ, they pray,
Us, in the stead of God entreat,
To cast our arms, our sins away,
And find forgiveness at his feet.
3 Our God in Christ! thine embassy,
And proffer'd mercy, we embrace;
And gladly reconciled to thee,
Thy condescending mercy praise.
4 Poor debtors, by our Lord's request,
A full acquittance we receive!
And criminals, with pardon blest,
We, at our Judge's instance, live!
PRAISE to the Lord on high,
Who spreads his triumphs wide!
While Jesus' fragrant name
Is breathed on every side:
Balmy and rich the odours rise,
And fill the earth and reach the skies.
2 Ten thousand dying souls,
Its influence feel-and live; Sweeter than vital air
The incense they receive:
They breathe anew, and rise and sing Jesus the Lord, their conquering King. 3 But sinners scorn the grace,
That brings salvation nigh:
They turn away their face,
And faint, and fall, and die.
So sad a doom, ye saints, deplore,
For O! they fall to rise no more.
4 Yet wise and mighty God,
Shall all thy servants be,
In those who live or die,
A savour sweet to thee;
Supremely bright thy grace shall shine,
Guarded with flames of wrath divine.
HYMN 505. L. P. M. [307]
COMFORT, ye ministers of grace,
Comfort my people saith your God!
Ye soon shall see his smiling face,
His golden sceptre, not his rod;
And own, when now the cloud's removed,
He only chastened whom he loved.
2 Who sow in tears, in joy shall reap;
The Lord shall comfort all that mourn:
Who now go on their way and weep,
With joy they doubtless shall return;
And bring their sheaves with vast increase,
And have their fruit to holiness.
HYMN 506. L. M. [261]
JESUS, thy wand'ring sheep behold!
See, Lord, with yearning bowels see,
Poor souls that cannot find the fold,
Till sought and gather'd in by thee.
2 Lost are they now and scatter'd wide,
In pain, and weariness, and want;
With no kind shepherd near, to guide
The sick, and spiritless and faint.
3 Thou, only thou, the kind and good,
And sheep-redeeming Shepherd art;
Collect thy flock, and give them food
And pastors after thine own heart.
4 Give the pure word of general grace,
And great shall be the preacher's crowd;
Preachers who all the sinful race
Point to the all-atoning blood.
HYMN 507. L. M.
FATHER, if justly still we claim
To us and ours the promise made,
To us be graciously the same,
And crown with living fire our head! 2 Our claim admit, and from above Of holiness the Spirit shower; Of wise discernment, humble love, And zeal, and unity, and power! 3 The Spirit of convincing speech, Of power demonstrative, impart; Such as may every conscience reach, And sound the unbelieving heart. 4 The Spirit of refining fire,
Searching the inmost of the mind, To purge all fierce and foul desire, And kindle life more pure and kind :
JESUS, the word of mercy give,
And let it swiftly run;
And let the priests themselves believe,
And put salvation on !
2 Clothed with the Spirit of holiness,
May all thy people prove
The plenitude of gospel grace,
The joy of perfect love!
3 Jesus, let all thy lovers shine,
Illustrious as the sun!
And, bright with borrowed rays divine,
Their glorious circuit run.
4 Beyond the reach of mortals, spread
Their light where'er they go;
And heavenly influences shed,
On all the world below!
5 As giants may they run their race,
Exulting in their might;
As burning luminaries chase,
The gloom of hellish night!
6 As the bright Sun of Righteousness,
Their healing wings display;
And let the lustre still increase,
Unto the perfect day.
HYMN 509. C. M. [223]
ONCE more we come before our God.
Once more his blessings ask:
O, may not duty seem a load!
Nor worship prove a task.
2 Father, thy quick'ning Spirit send
From heaven, in Jesus' name,
To make our waiting minds attend,
And put our souls in frame.
3 May we receive the word we hear,
Each in an honest heart;
And keep the precious treasure there,
And never with it part.
4 To seek thee all our hearts dispose,
To each thy blessings suit,
And let the seed thy servant sows,
Produce abundant fruit.
HYMN 510. L. M. [223]
GLORY to God, whose sovereign grace
Hath animated senseless stones;
Call'd us to stand before his face,
And rais'd us into Abraham's sons.
2 The people that in darkness lay,
In sin and error's deadly shade,
Have seen a glorious Gospel-day,
In Jesus' lovely face display'd.
3 Thou only, Lord, the work hast done,
And bar'd thine arm in all our sight;
Hast made the reprobates thine own,
And claim'd the outcasts as thy right.
4 Thy single arm, almighty Lord,
To us the great salvation brought:
Thy Word, thy all creating Word,
That spake at first the world from nought.
HYMN 511. L. M. [224]
ARM of the Lord, awake, awake!
Thine own immortal strength put on;
With terror cloth'd hell's kingdom shake,
And cast thy foes with fury down.
2 As in the ancient days appear!
The sacred annals speak thy fame:
Be now omnipotently near,
To endless ages still the same.
3 By death and hell pursu'd in vain,
To thee the ransom'd seed shall come:
Shouting their heavenly Zion gain,
And pass thro' death triumphant home.
4 The pain of life shall then be o'er,
The anguish and distracting care:
There sighing grief shall weep no more,
And sin shall never enter there.
5 Where pure, essential joy is found,
The Lord's redeem'd their heads shall raise,
With everlasting gladness crown'd,
And fill'd with love, and lost in praise.
HYMN 512. L. M. [331]
THE heavens declare thy glory, Lord,
In every star thy wisdom shines;
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