1 With holy fear and humble song, The dreadful G.o.d our souls adore; Reverence and awe becomes the tongue That speaks the terrors of his power.
2 Far in the deep where darkness dwells, The land of horror and despair, Justice has built a dismal h.e.l.l, And laid her stores of vengeance there.
3 [Eternal plagues and heavy chains, Tormenting racks and fiery coals, And darts t' inflict immortal pains, Dy'd in the blood of d.a.m.ned souls.]
4 [There Satan the first sinner lies, And roars, and bites his iron bands; In vain the rebel strives to rise, Crush'd with the weight of both thine hands.]
5 There guilty ghosts of Adam's race Shriek out, and howl beneath thy rod; Once they could scorn a Saviour's grace, But they incens'd a dreadful G.o.d.
6 Tremble, my soul, and kiss the Son; Sinners, obey the Saviour's call; Else your d.a.m.nation hastens on, And h.e.l.l gapes wide to wait your fall.
Hymn 2:45.
G.o.d's condescension to our worship.
1 Thy favours Lord, surprise our souls; Will the Eternal dwell with us?
What canst thou find beneath the poles To tempt thy chariot downward thus?
2 Still might he fill his starry throne, And please his ears with Gabriel's songs; But th' heavenly Majesty comes down, And bows to hearken to our tongues.
3 Great G.o.d, what poor returns we pay For love so infinite as thine!
Words are but air, and tongues but clay, But thy compa.s.sion's all divine.
Hymn 2:46.
G.o.d's condescension to human affairs.
1 Up to the Lord that reigns on high, And views the nations from afar, Let everlasting praises fly, And tell how large his bounties are.
2 [He that can shake the worlds he made, Or with his word, or with his rod, His goodness how amazing great!
And what a condescending G.o.d!]
3 [G.o.d that must stoop to view the skies, And how to see what angels do, Down to our earth he casts his eyes, And bends his footsteps downward too.]
4 He over-rules all mortal things, And manages our mean affairs; On humble souls the King of kings Bestows his counsels and his cares.
5 Our sorrows and our tears we pour Into the bosom of our G.o.d, He hears us in the mournful hour, And helps us bear the heavy load.
6 In vain might lofty princes try Such condescension to perform; For worms were never rais'd so high Above their meanest fellow-worm.
7 O could our thankful hearts devise A tribute equal to thy grace, To the third heaven our songs should rise, And teach the golden harps thy praise.
Hymn 2:47.
Glory and grace in the person of Christ.
1 Now to the Lord a n.o.ble song!
Awake, my soul, awake, my tongue; Hosanna to th' eternal Name, And all his boundless love proclaim.
2 See where it shines in Jesus' face, The brightest image of his grace; G.o.d, in the person of his Son, Has all his mightiest works outdone.
3 The s.p.a.cious earth and spreading flood Proclaim the wise, the powerful G.o.d; And thy rich glories from afar Sparkle in every rolling star.
4 But in his looks a glory stands, The n.o.blest labour of thine hands: The pleasing l.u.s.tre of his eyes Outshines the wonders of the skies.
5 Grace, 'tis a sweet, a charming theme; My thoughts rejoice at Jesus' name: Ye angels, dwell upon the sound, Ye heavens, reflect it to the ground!
6 O, may I live to reach the place Where he unveils his lovely face, Where all his beauties you behold, And sing his Name to harps of gold!
Hymn 2:48.
Love to the creatures is dangerous.
1 How vain are all things here below!
How false, and yet how fair!
Each pleasure hath its poison too, And every sweet a snare.
2 The brightest things below the sky Give but a flattering light; We should suspect some danger nigh Where we possess delight.
3 Our dearest joys, and nearest friends, The partners of our blood, How they divide our wavering minds, And leave but half for G.o.d!
4 The fondness of a creature's love, How strong it strikes the sense!
Thither the warm affections move, Nor can we call them thence.
5 Dear Saviour, let thy beauties be My soul's eternal food; And grace command my heart away From all created good.
Hymn 2:49.
Moses dying in the embraces of G.o.d.
1 Death cannot make our souls afraid If G.o.d be with us there; We may walk thro' her darkest shade, And never yield to fear.
2 I could renounce my all below, If my Creator bid, And run, if I were call'd to go, And die as Moses did.
3 Might I but climb to Pisgah's top, And view the promis'd land, My flesh itself shall long to drop, And pray for the command.
4 Clasp'd in my heavenly Father's arms I would forget my breath, And lose my life among the charms Of so divine a death.
Hymn 2:50.
Comfort under sorrows and pains.
1 Now let the Lord my Saviour smile, And shew my name upon his heart, I would forget my pains awhile, And in the pleasure lose the smart.
But O it swells my sorrows high To see my blessed Jesus frown!
My spirits sink, my comforts die, And all the springs of life are down.
3 Yet why, my soul, why these complaints?
Still while he frowns his bowels move; Still on his heart he bears his saints, And feels their sorrows and his love.