L. M. The divine glory manifested in Redemption. 2 Cor. iii. 10, 18.
1 THE heav'ns, and earth, and seas, declare
Thy glory, Lord, and constant care;
Proofs of thy wisdom and thy pow'r
Are furnish'd by each passing hour.
2 But when we view thy works of grace
Accomplish'd for our fallen race;
No more we ask the stars to tell
What Jesus only can reveal.
3 When, in the gospel's fairer skies,
The Sun of righteousness doth rise,
In him at once our eyes behold
More than creation ever told.
4 Creation sings, in strains sublime,
God's praises through the range of time;
But mercy, truth, and holiness,
Shine brightest in redemption's rays.
L. M. The glory of God displayed in the Cross of Christ.
I Cor. i. 23, 24.
1 NATURE with open volume stands,
To spread her Maker's praise abroad;
And ev'ry labour of his hands
Shows something worthy of a God.
2 But in the grace that rescu'd man
His brightest form of glory shines;
Here, on the cross, 'tis fairest drawn
In precious blood, and crimson lines.
3 Here, his whole name appears complete;
Nor wit can guess, nor reason prove,
Which attribute the best is writ,
His pow'r, his wisdom, or his love.
4 Oh! the sweet wonders of that cross,
Where Christ the Saviour lov'd and died!
All that the world esteems is loss,
Compar'd with Jesus crucified.
5 We would for ever speak his name
In sounds to mortal ears unknown;
With angels join to praise the Lamb,
And worship round his heav'nly throne.
C. M. God's glory in Redemption. 2 Cor. iii. 18. 1 FATHER! how wide thy glory shines, How high thy wonders rise!
Known through the earth by thousand signs,
By thousand through the skies.
2 But when we view thy grand design
To save rebellious worms,
Where holiness and mercy join,
In their sublimest forms;
3 Our thoughts are lost in rev'rend awe,
We love and we adore;
The highest angel never saw
So much of God before.
4 Here, thy perfections best are known;
Nor can a creature guess,
Which, in redemption, brightest shone,
The justice or the grace.
5 Now the full glories of the Lamb
Adorn the heav'nly plains;
Bright seraphs learn Immanuel's name,
And tune their loftiest strains.
6 O may we bear our humble parts
In those exalted songs!
Wonder and joy shall tune our hearts,
And praise command our tongues.
8.7. Praise for Creation, Providence, and Redemption. Founded on various Scriptures.
1 MIGHTY God, while angels bless thee,
May not mortals sing thy name?
Lord of men as well as angels,
Thou art all creation's theme.
2 Lord of every land and nation,
Ancient of eternal days;
Through all earth and heav'n be sounded,
Thy most just and worthy praise.
3 For the grandeur of thy nature,
Grand beyond a seraph's thought,
For thy works of pow'r and wonder,
Works with skill and kindness wrought.
4 For thy providence that governs
Through thine empire's wide domain;
Wings the angel-guides the sparrow,
Blessed be thy glorious reign.
5 But thy rich, thy free redemption,
Through the bloodshed of the Lamb,
Thought is poor, and poor expression,
To attempt the lofty theme.
6 Brightness of the Father's glory,
Shall thy praise unutter'd lie?
Flee, ye saints, such guilty silence;
Sing the Lord who came to die.
7 Did archangels sing thy coming?
Did the shepherds learn their lays?
Shame would cover us ungrateful,
Should our tongues refuse to praise.
8 From the highest throne in glory,
To the cross of deepest woe;
All to ransom guilty captives!
Flow, thanksgivings, ever flow.
9 Now ascended, mighty Saviour,
Chang'd the footstool for the throne;
Thence return, and reign for ever,
Make the universe thine own.
10 Mercy's triumphs thus completed
From above proclaim "'tis done!"
Grant us, Lord, this great salvation,
Thou hast for thy people won.
7s. Creation, Providence, and Redemption. Ps. cxxxvi. 1 LET us with a grateful mind, Praise the Lord supremely kind; Great his pow'r, his goodness great, Join his praise to celebrate :
For his mercy shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.
2 Wide he spread the skies above,
And enrich'd the earth with love,
Form'd the heav'nly worlds so bright,
Fill'd the universe with light:
For his mercy shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.
3 All things living he doth feed,
And supplies our varied need;
Man and beast his bounty share,
Saints are his peculiar care:
For his mercy shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.
4 He the chosen tribes did bless,
Journeying through the wilderness,
Rescu'd them from Pharaoh's hand,
Led them to the promis'd land:
For his mercy shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.
5 He, with a propitious eye,
Look'd upon us from on high,
When through our first father's fall,
Captives under Satan's thrall:
For his mercy shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.
6 He salvation to us brought,
By his Son's atonement wrought;
And his Spirit freely giv'n,
Seals to us the bliss of heav'n :
For his mercy shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.
7 Let us then, with grateful mind,
Praise the Lord supremely kind;
Great his pow'r, his goodness great,-
Join his praise to celebrate:
For his mercy shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.
The sov'reign King of kings;
And be his grace ador'd.
His pow'r and grace are still the same;
And let his name have endless praise.
How mighty is his hand!
What wonders hath he done!
He form'd the earth and seas,
And spread the heav'ns alone.
Thy mercy, Lord, shall still endure :
And ever sure abides thy word.
He sent his only Son
To save us from our woe;
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