His breath dispers'd them all with ease,
And sunk their terrors in the seas*.
3 While for our princes they prepare
In caverns deep a burning snare;
He shot from heaven a piercing ray,
And the dark treachery brought to day +.
4 Princes and priests again combine
New chains to forge, new snares to twine;
Again our gracious God appears,
And breaks their chains, and cuts their snares. 5 Obedient winds at his command
Convey his hero to our land;
The sons of Rome with terror view,
And speed their flight, when none pursue‡.
6 Such great deliverance God hath wrought,
And down to us salvation brought;
And still the care of guardian-heaven
Secures the bliss itself hath given.
7 In thee we trust, Almighty Lord,
Continued rescue to afford:
Still be thy powerful arm made bare,
For all thy servants hopes are there.
CCLXXIII. Ministers a sweet Savour, whether of Life or Death. 2 Corinthians ii. 15, 16.
1 PRAISE to the Lord on high,
Who spreads his triumphs wide!
While Jesus' fragrant name
Is breath'd 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.
* Referring to the defeat of the Spanish armada, 1588.
+ Gunpowder plot.
Revolution by king William, 1688.
3 But sinners scorn the grace,
That brings salvation nigh;
They turn their face away,
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.
CCLXXIV. God shining into the Heart. 2 Corinthians iv. 6.
1 PRAISE to the Lord of boundless might,
With uncreated glories bright!
His presence gilds the worlds above;
The unchanging source of light and love.
2 Our rising earth his eye beheld,
When in substantial darkness veil'd;
The shapeless chaos, nature's womb,
Lay buried in eternal gloom*.
3 Let there be light, Jehovah said,
And light o'er all its face was spread;
Nature array'd in charms unknown,
Gay with its new-born lustre shone.
4 He sees the mind, when lost it lies
In shades of ignorance and vice;
And darts from heaven a vivid ray,
And changes midnight into day.
5 Shine, mighty God, with vigour shine
On this benighted heart of mine;
And let thy glories stand reveal'd,
As in the Saviour's face beheld.
6 My soul, reviv'd by heaven-born day,
Thy radiant image shall display,
While all my faculties unite
To praise the Lord, who gives me light.
His breath dispers'd them all with ease,
And sunk their terrors in the seas*.
3 While for our princes they prepare
In caverns deep a burning snare;
He shot from heaven a piercing ray,
And the dark treachery brought to day +.
4 Princes and priests again combine
New chains to forge, new snares to twine;
Again our gracious God appears,
And breaks their chains, and cuts their snares. 5 Obedient winds at his command
Convey his hero to our land;
The sons of Rome with terror view,
And speed their flight, when none pursue‡.
6 Such great deliverance God hath wrought,
And down to us salvation brought;
And still the care of guardian-heaven
Secures the bliss itself hath given.
7 In thee we trust, Almighty Lord,
Continued rescue to afford:
Still be thy powerful arm made bare,
For all thy servants hopes are there.
CCLXXIII. Ministers a sweet Savour, whether of Life or Death. 2 Corinthians ii. 15, 16.
1 PRAISE to the Lord on high,
Who spreads his triumphs wide!
While Jesus' fragrant name
Is breath'd 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.
*Referring to the defeat of the Spanish armada, 1588.
+ Gunpowder plot.
Revolution by king William, 1688.
3 But sinners scorn the
grace,
That brings salvation nigh;
They turn their face away,
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.
CCLXXIV. God shining into the Heart. 2 Corinthians iv. 6.
1 PRAISE to the Lord of boundless might,
With uncreated glories bright!
His presence gilds the worlds above;
The unchanging source of light and love.
2 Our rising earth his eye beheld,
When in substantial darkness veil'd;
The shapeless chaos, nature's womb,
Lay buried in eternal gloom*.
3 Let there be light, Jehovah said,
And light o'er all its face was spread;
Nature array'd in charms unknown,
Gay with its new-born lustre shone.
4 He sees the mind, when lost it lies
In shades of ignorance and vice;
And darts from heaven a vivid *
And changes midnight into day.
5 Shine, mighty God, with vigour shine
On this benighted heart of mine;
And let thy glories stand reveal'd,
As in the Saviour's face beheld.
6 My soul, reviv'd by heaven-born day, Thy radiant image shall display, While all my faculties unite
To praise the Lord, who gives me light.
CCLXXIX. The Christian Farewel. 2 Corinthians xiii. 11.
1 THY presence, everlasting God,
Wide o'er all nature spreads abroad;
Thy watchful eyes, which cannot sleep,
In every place thy children keep.
2 While near each other we remain,
Thou dost our lives and souls sustain ;
When absent, happy if we share
Thy smiles, thy counsels, and thy care.
3 To thee we all our ways commit,
And seek our comforts near thy feet;
Still on our souls vouchsafe to shine,
And guard and guide us still as thine.
4 Give us in thy beloved house
Again to pay our grateful vows;
Or, if that joy no more be known,
Give us to meet around thy throne:
CCLXXX. Living while in the Flesh by Faith in Christ, who loved us, &c. Galatians ii. 20.
1 MY Jesus, while in mortal flesh
I hold my frail abode,
Still would my spirit rest on thee,
Its Saviour, and its God.
2 By hourly faith in thee I live
'Midst all my griefs and snares;
And death, encounter'd in thy sight,
No form of horror wears.
3 Yes, thou hast lov'd this sinful worm,
Hast given thyself for me;
Hast bought me from eternal death,
Nail'd to the bloody tree.
4 On thy dear cross I fix mine eyes,
Then raise them to thy seat;
Till love dissolves my inmost soul,
At its Redeemer's feet.
5 Be dead, my heart, to worldly charms;
Be dead to every sin n;
And tell the boldest foes without,
That Jesus reigns within.
6 My life with his connected stands,
Nor asks a surer ground;
He keeps me in his gracious arms,
Where heaven itself is found.
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