866

1

COME,

8-7 s.

YOME, thou fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing thy grace,
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,

Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some celestial measure,
Sung by ransomed hosts above;
O the vast the boundless treasure
Of my Lord's unchanging love!
2 Here I raise my Ebenezer ;

Hither by thine help I'm come;
And I hope, by thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed his precious blood.
3 0 to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let that grace, Lord, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to thee
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Take my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it from thy courts above!

867

1

"Joy in heaven.”—Luke xv. 7.

L. M.

HO can describe the joys that rise
Through all the courts of paradise,

To see a prodigal return,

To see an heir of glory born?

2 With joy the Father doth approve
The fruit of his eternal love;

The Son with joy looks down, and sees
The purchase of his agonies.

3 The Spirit takes delight to view
The contrite soul he formed anew;
And saints and angels join to sing
The growing empire of their King.

L. M.

1

THE

The Institution of a Gospel Ministry
from Christ.-Ephes. iv. 7, 8.
HE Saviour, when to heaven he rose,
In splendid triumph o'er his foes,
Scattered his gifts on men below,
And wide his royal bounties flow.

868

2 Hence sprung the Apostles' honoured name; Sacred beyond heroic fame:

In lowlier forms before our eyes, Pastors from hence, and teachers rise. 3 From Christ their varied gifts derive, And fed by Christ their graces live: While guarded by his mighty hand, Midst all the rage of hell they stand. 4 So shall the bright succession run Through the last courses of the sun; While unborn churches by their care Shall rise and flourish large and fair. 5 Jesus, now teach our hearts to know The spring whence all these blessings flow; Pastors and people shout thy praise

Through the long round of endless days.

10s & 11 s.

869 1 DISPOSER thine The weak and the ISPOSER Supreme, And Judge of the earth,

poor;

To frail earthen vessels And things of no worth Entrusting thy riches, Which always endure; 2 Those vessels soon fail, Though full of thy light, And at thy decree Are broken and gone;

Then brightly appeareth The arm of thy might, As through the clouds riven The lightnings have shone.

3 Like clouds are they borne To do thy great will, And swift as the winds About the world go; The fire of thy presence Their spirits doth fill, They thunder, they lighten, The waters o'erflow, 4 Their sound goeth forth, "Christ Jesus is Lord:" Then Satan doth fear, His citadels fall:

As when the dread trumpets Went forth at thy word,

And one long blast shattered The Canaanite's wall. 5 Then loud be their trump, And stirring their

sound,

To rouse us, O Lord, From slumber of sin;
The lights thou hast kindled In darkness around,
O may they illumine Our spirits within!

6 All honour and praise, Dominion and might,
To God Three in One Eternally be;

Who round us hath shed His marvellous light, And called us from darkness His glory to see.

870

"Let there be light!"

THOU

664, 6664.

1 ПHOU, whose Almighty Word,
Chaos and darkness heard,
And took their flight;

Hear us, we humbly pray,
And where the gospel-day
Sheds not its glorious ray,
Let there be light!

2 Thou, who didst come to bring
On thy redeeming wing

Healing and sight;

Health to the sick in mind,

8s & 6 s.

Sight to the inly blind,
O now to all mankind
Let there be light!

3 Spirit of truth and love,
Life-giving, holy Dove,
Speed forth thy flight;

Move on the waters' face,
Spreading the beams of grace,
And in earth's darkest place
Let there be light!

4 Blessed and holy Three,
Glorious Trinity,

TE

Grace, love, and might,

Boundless as ocean's tide,
Rolling in fullest pride,

Through the world far and wide,
Let there be light!

"Shew whom thou hast chosen, &c."
Acts i. 24, 25.

1 TEACHER of hearts, 'tis thine alone
Thine officers to ordain,

Point out thy instruments, unknown

To undiscerning men;

The pastors of thy church apprize
Of thine unseen decree,
And stir them up to recognize
The men designed by thee.

2 The men whom thou hast inly moved
Their charge to undertake,
And toil for precious souls, beloved
For their Redeemer's sake;

Thy chosen ministers reveal,
With whom thou always art,
And then their saving gospel seal
On every listening heart.

871

872

S. M.

"Preaching the kingdom of God, and testifying those things which concern the Lord Jesus."-Acts xxviii. 31.

1

[ESUS, thy servants bless,

Who, sent by thee, proclaim

The peace, and joy, and righteousness
Experienced in thy name:
The kingdom of our God,
Which thy great Spirit imparts,
The power of thy victorious blood,
Which reigns in faithful hearts.

2 Their souls with faith supply,
With life and liberty;

And then they preach and testify
The things concerning thee:
And live for this alone,

Thy grace to minister,

And all thou hast for sinners done,
In life and death declare.

873

1

"The Lord gave testimony to the word."
Acts xiv. 3.

BOLD

OLD in our Almighty Lord,
While thee we testify,

7s & 6s (1-8).

Present to confirm the word
We on thyself rely;
Thou thy confessors confess
The truth in sinners' hearts reveal,
Welcome news of saving grace
By thy own Spirit seal.

2 More than outward wonder show
On those that humbly hear,
Let their souls the witness know
The indwelling Comforter;