The Power of Faith Part 33

He was the sufferer in my stead, The curse for sin lay on his head; The law's demands came like a flood, My Surety met them with his blood.

Till every t.i.ttle had been paid, Till due atonement had been made, No beam appeared of heavenly grace, A cloud concealed his Father's face.

From brim to bottom he drank up Of wrath the deep mysterious cup; This Jordan pa.s.sed, he rose on high, And captive led captivity.

Justice now fully satisfied, The law now honored, magnified, At G.o.d's right hand he takes his place, Executor of covenant grace.

Crowned by Jehovah's firm decree With universal sovereignty, All nature owns his powerful sway-- He speaks, the elements obey.

The emblem then thou may'st pursue, And safely pa.s.s this Jordan through; The priests but touch the watery s.p.a.ce, When, lo, the floods desert their place.

They gather up upon a heap, Leave dry the channel of the deep; The ark and priests there take their stand, And beckon thee to leave the land.

I come, my best Beloved, I come; Now lead me to our Father's home; On thy dear person fix mine eye, And faith firm footing shall supply.

I fear no ill while thou art near; But let thy voice salute my ear, Should spirits faint and 'scape the sigh, With these sweet words, "Fear not; 'tis I."

With courage fresh my soul shall tread On faith's firm ground where thou dost lead; While still upon thy gracious face My steady eye maintains its place.

And now, my Joshua, choose, and lay The stones in Jordan's middle way; Let them o'ertop the flowing wave, Memorial of thy power to save.

For, once a suit I did prefer, With feeble hope and trembling fear, That I might have a Pisgah view, In Jordan's swells, of Canaan new.

Thy softened glory let me see, Then cause thy face to s.h.i.+ne on me; And tune my heart, and tune my voice, And language furnish to rejoice.

That all around may lend their tongue, And sweetly join my dying song; Then, Newton, saved by grace like me, We'll sing of sovereign grace with thee.

*"Let us love, and sing, and wonder, Let us praise the Saviour's name; He has hushed the law's loud thunder, He has quenched mount Sinai's flame; He has washed us in his blood, He has brought us nigh to G.o.d.

*Olney Hymns, 82, book 3.

"Let us love the Lord who bought us, Pitied us when enemies; Called us by his grace, and taught us; Gave us ears, and gave us eyes: He has wafted us in his blood, He presents our souls to G.o.d.

"Let us sing, though strong temptation Threaten hard to bear us down: For the Lord, our strong salvation, Holds in view the conqueror's crown, He who washed us in his blood, Soon shall bring us home to G.o.d.

"Let us wonder, grace and justice Join and point to mercy's store; When through grace, in Christ our trust is, Justice smiles, and asks no more.

He who washed us in his blood, Has secured our way to G.o.d.

"Let us praise, and join the chorus Of the saints enthroned on high; Here they trusted him before us, Now their praises fill the sky.

Thou hast washed us in thy blood, Thou art worthy, Lamb of G.o.d.

"Hark, the name of Jesus sounded Loud from golden harps above; On that rock our hopes are founded; Sovereign grace, and sovereign love.

We shall conquer through his blood, Kings and priests be made to G.o.d."

NEWTON

HEAVEN.

To be where thou my Saviour art, To see, and be conformed to thee, Perfect in holiness this heart; _This; this_ is heaven itself to me.

To see thee in thy glory, Lord, Thy Father's glory and thy own; The eternal, the incarnate Word, Adored upon his Father's throne.

To see as seen, to know as known, My Saviour in my flesh and blood; To be made like him, with him one, I in him, and he in G.o.d.

The holy, holy, holy One, Who was, and is, and is to come, The earth his footstool, heaven his throne, The church his bride, he her Bridegroom.

Angels and elders, earth and heaven, Are summoned to unseal the book; But silent all, no answer given, None worthy found therein to look.

But Judah's Lion, David's Son, And David's Root, the great I AM, Appears upon his Father's throne, As slain for sacrifice, the Lamb.

He takes the book he can unseal; He worthy is, and he has power G.o.d's secret counsels to reveal, And to fulfil each in its hour.

The heavenly host united fall In humble wors.h.i.+p at his feet; One glorious theme inspires them all, The joy is full, the concert sweet.

New odors to the throne ascend, In accents new their praises soar; Each finds in each a glowing friend, And all the G.o.d of all adore.

And shall I join that prostrate throng, In love's ecstatic heaven-taught lays, With powers expanded, that new song Hymn to the Lamb's exalted praise?

"Worthy art thou to take the book, And loose the seals, and read therein, G.o.d's holy mysteries to unlock; Worthy art thou, for thou wast slain.

"Thou hast redeemed us with thy blood, From every nation of the earth; And made us kings and priests to G.o.d, And sharers of a heavenly birth."

Myriads of angels stand around, Uniting in the loud acclaim; And fill the temple with the sound Of our Redeemer's gentle name.

"Worthy the Lamb that once was slain, A sacrifice for every sin, All power and glory to obtain, And universal empire win."

Heaven, earth, and sea shall swell the tone Of fervent universal praise; And grateful joy around the throne, Its voice from age to age shall raise.

In all these myriads, is there one Who had on earth so much forgiven?

And shall I reach their highest tone Of love to Jesus? THIS IS HEAVEN.

And when this breast to heave shall cease, And heart and lungs are hushed to peace, Some friendly hand the eyelids close, And leave the clay to short repose.

Still on your knees be thanks expressed, According as the Lord has blessed; This tongue, then mute, can now foretell Jesus shall have done all things well.

Should the great Sovereign will it so, That I in secret with him go, 'T will be enough that He stands by, He all my wants will well supply.

Upon his dear, his faithful breast, My heart and head shall safely rest; The fluttering pulse and bursting sigh, He'll soothe with, "Fear not; it is I."

Into his hands my spirit I'll breathe, Inhaling life from him in death; Though none should see, faith can foretell My Jesus shall do all things well.

Though he deny my half-formed prayer, Well may I cast on Him my care; All things are mine, or life or death; In praise of Him I'll spend my breath.

Be this my only wish beside, That G.o.d's great name be glorified, What me concerns faith can foretell, My Jesus shall do all things well.