Hymns and Spiritual Songs Part 41

Look on him whom they pierced, and mourn.

1 Infinite grief! amazing woe!

Behold my bleeding Lord: h.e.l.l and the Jews conspir'd his death, And us'd the Roman sword.

2 O the sharp pangs of smarting pain My dear Redeemer bore, When knotty whips and ragged thorns His sacred body tore!

3 But knotty whips and ragged thorns In vain do I accuse; In vain I blame the Roman bands, And the more spiteful Jews.

4 'Twere you, my sins, my cruel sins, His chief tormentors were; Each of my crimes became a nail, And unbelief the spear.

5 'Twere you that pull'd the vengeance down Upon his guiltless head: Break, break, my heart, O burst mine eyes!

And let my sorrows bleed.

6 Strike, mighty grace, my flinty soul, Till melting waters flow, And deep repentance drown mine eyes In undissembled woe.

Hymn 2:96.

Distinguis.h.i.+ng love; or, Angels punished and men saved.

1 Down headlong from their native skies The rebel angels fell, And thunderbolts of flaming wrath Pursu'd them deep to h.e.l.l.

2 Down from the top of earthly bliss Rebellious man was hurl'd And Jesus stoop'd beneath the grave To reach a sinking world.

3 O love of infinite degree!

Unmeasurable grace!

Must heaven's eternal Darling die To save a traitorous race?

4 Must angels sink for ever down, And burn in quenchless fire, While G.o.d forsakes his s.h.i.+ning throne To raise us wretches higher?

5 O for this love let earth and skies With hallelujahs ring, And the full choir of human tongues All hallelujah sing.

Hymn 2:97.

The same.

1 From heaven the sinning angels fell, And wrath and darkness chain'd them down; But man, vile man, forsook his bliss, And mercy lifts him to a crown.

2 Amazing work of sovereign grace That could distinguish rebels so!

Our guilty treasons call'd aloud For everlasting fetters too.

3 To thee, to thee, Almighty Love, Our souls, ourselves, our all we pay: Millions of tongues shall sound thy praise On the bright hills of heavenly day.

Hymn 2:98.

Hardness of heart complained of.

1 My heart, how dreadful hard it is!

How heavy here it lies, Heavy and cold within my breast Just like a rock of ice!

2 Sin like a raging tyrant sits Upon this flinty throne, And every grace lies buried deep Beneath this heart of stone.

3 How seldom do I rise to G.o.d, Or taste the joys above!

This mountain presses down my faith, And chills my flaming love.

4 When smiling mercy courts my soul With all its heavenly charms, This stubborn, this relentless thing Would thrust it from my arms.

5 Against the thunders of thy word Rebellious I have stood, My heart it shakes not at the wrath And terrors of a G.o.d.

6 Dear Saviour, steep this rock of mine In thine own crimson sea: None but a bath of blood divine Can melt the flint away.

Hymn 2:99.

The book of G.o.d's decrees.

1 Let the whole race of creatures lie Abas'd before their G.o.d; Whate'er his sovereign voice hath form'd He governs with a nod.

2 [Ten thousand ages ere the skies Were into motion brought, All the long years and worlds to come Stood present to his thought.]

5 [There's not a sparrow or a worm But's found in his decrees; He raises monarchs to their thrones, And sinks them as he please.]

4 If light attends the course I run, 'Tis he provides those rays; And 'tis his hand that hides my sun, If darkness cloud my days.

5 Yet I would not be much concern'd, Nor vainly long to see The volume of his deep decrees, What months are writ for me.

6 When he reveals the book of life, O, may I read my name Amongst the chosen of his love, The followers of the Lamb!

Hymn 2:100.

The presence of Christ is the life of my soul.

1 [How full of anguish is the thought, How it distracts and tears my heart If G.o.d, at last, my sovereign Judge, Should frown, and bid my soul, "Depart!"]

2 Lord, when I quit this earthly stage, Where shall I fly but to thy breast?

For I have sought no other home For I have learn'd no other rest.

3 I cannot live contented here, Without some glimpses of thy face; And heaven without thy presence there Would be a dark and tiresome place.

4 When earthly cares engross the day And hold my thoughts aside from thee, The s.h.i.+ning hours of cheerful light Are long and tedious years to me.

5 And if no evening visit's paid Between my Saviour and my soul, How dull the night! how sad the shade!

How mournfully the minutes roll!

6 This flesh of mine might learn as soon To live, yet part with all my blood; To breathe when vital air is gone, Or thrive and grow without my food.

7 [Christ is my light, my life, my care, My blessed hope, my heavenly prize, Dearer than all my pa.s.sions are, My limbs, my bowels, or my eyes.

8 The strings that twine about my heart, Tortures and racks may tear them off, But they can never, never part With their dear hold of Christ my love.]

9 [My G.o.d! and can an humble child That loves thee with a flame so high, Be ever from thy face exil'd Without the pity of thine eye?