Hymn 2:79

Plung'd in a gulph of dark despair We wretched sinners lay, Without one cheerful beam of hope, Or spark of glimmering day.

With pitying eyes, the Prince of Grace Beheld our helpless grief, He saw, and (O amazing love!) He ran to our relief.

Down from the shining seats above With joyful haste he fled, Enter'd the grave in mortal flesh, And dwelt among the dead.

He spoil'd the Powers of darkness thus, And brake our iron chains; Jesus has freed our captive souls From everlasting pains.

[In vain the baffled prince of hell His cursed projects tries, We that were doom'd his endless slaves, Are rais'd above the skies.]

O for this love, let rocks and hills Their lasting silence break, And all harmonious human tongues The Saviour's praises speak.

[Yes, we will praise thee, dearest Lord, Our souls are all on flame, Hosanna round the spacious earth To thine adored Name.

Angels, assist our mighty joys, Strike all your harps of gold; But when you raise your highest notes His love can ne'er be told.]

Hymn 2:80. God's awful power and goodness.

O the Almighty Lord! How matchless is his power! Tremble, O earth, beneath his word, And all the heavens adore.

Let proud imperious kings Bow low before his throne, Crouch to his feet, ye haughty things, Or he shall tread you down.

Above the skies he reigns, And with amazing blows He deals unsufferable pains On his rebellious foes.

Yet, everlasting God, We love to speak thy praise; Thy sceptre's equal to thy rod, The sceptre of thy grace.

The arms of mighty love Defend our Sion well, And heavenly mercy walls us round From Babylon and hell.

Salvation to the King That sits enthron'd above; Thus we adore the God of might, And bless the God of love.

Hymn 2:81. Our sin the cause of Christ's death.

And now the scales have left mine eyes, Now I begin to see; O the curs'd deeds my sins have done! What murderous things they be!

Were these the traitors, dearest Lord, That thy fair body tore? Monsters, that stain'd those heavenly limbs With floods of purple gore?

Was it for crimes that I had done My dearest Lord was slain When justice seiz'd God's only Son, And put his soul to pain?

Forgive my guilt, O Prince of peace, I'll wound my God no more; Hence from my heart, ye sins, be gone, For Jesus I adore.

Furnish me, Lord, with heavenly arms From grace's magazine, And I'll proclaim eternal war With every darling sin.

Hymn 2:82. Redemption and protection from spiritual enemies.

Arise my soul, my joyful powers, And triumph in my God, Awake, my voice, and loud proclaim His glorious grace abroad.

He rais'd me from the deeps of sin, The gates of gaping hell, And fix'd my standing more secure Than 'twas before I fell.

The arms of everlasting love Beneath my soul he plac'd, And on the rock of ages set My slippery footsteps fast.

The city of my bless'd abode Is wall'd around with grace Salvation for a bulwark stands To shield the sacred place.

Satan may vent his sharpest spite, And all his legions roar, Almighty mercy guards my life, And bounds his raging power.

Arise, my soul, awake, my voice, And tunes of pleasure sing, Loud hallelujahs shall address My Saviour and my King.

Hymn 2:83. The passion and exaltation of Christ.

Thus saith the Ruler of the skies, "Awake, my dreadful sword; "Awake, my wrath and smite the man, "My fellow," saith the Lord.

Vengeance receiv'd the dread command, And armed down she flies, Jesus submits t' his Father's hand, And bows his head and dies.

But O! the wisdom and the grace That join with vengeance now! He dies to save our guilty race, And yet he rises too.

A person so divine was he Who yielded to be slain, That he could give his soul away, And take his life again.

Live, glorious Lord, and reign on high, Let every nation sing, And angels sound with endless joy The Saviour and the King.

Hymn 2:84. The same.

Come, all harmonious tongues, Your noblest music bring, 'Tis Christ the everlasting God, And Christ the man we sing.

Tell how he took our flesh To take away our guilt, Sing the dear drops of sacred blood That hellish monsters spilt.

[Alas, the cruel spear Went deep into his side, And the rich flood of purple gore Their murderous weapons dy'd.]

[The waves of swelling grief Did o'er his bosom roll, And mountains of almighty wrath Lay heavy on his soul.]

Down to the shades of death He bow'd his awful head, Yet he arose to live and reign When death itself is dead.

No more the bloody spear, The cross and nails no more; For hell itself shakes at his Name, And all the heavens adore.

There the Redeemer sits High on the Father's throne; The Father lays his vengeance by, And smiles upon his Son.

There his full glories shine With uncreated rays, And bless his saints' and angels' eyes To everlasting days.

Hymn 2:85. Sufficiency of pardon.

Why does your face, ye humble souls, Those mournful colours wear? What doubts are these that waste your faith, And nourish your despair?

What tho' your numerous sins exceed The stars that fill the skies, And aiming at th' eternal throne, Like pointed mountains rise?

What tho' your mighty guilt beyond The wide creation swell, And has its curs'd foundations laid Low as the deeps of hell?

See here an endless ocean flows Of never-failing grace, Behold a dying Saviour's veins The sacred flood increase:

It rises high and drowns the hills, 'T has neither shore nor bound: Nor if we search to find our sins, Our sins can ne'er be found.

Awake, our hearts, adore the grace That buries all our faults, And pardoning blood that swells above Our follies and our thoughts.

Hymn 2:86. Freedom from sin and misery in heaven.

Our sins, alas, how strong they be! And like a violent sea They break our duty, Lord, to thee, And hurry us away.

The waves of trouble how they rise! How loud the tempests roar! But death shall land our weary souls Safe on the heavenly shore.

There to fulfil his sweet commands Our speedy feet shall move, No sin shall clog our winged zeal, Or cool our burning love.

There shall we sit, and sing, and tell The wonders of his grace, Till heavenly raptures fire our hearts, And smile in every face.

For ever his dear sacred Name Shall dwell upon our tongue, And Jesus and salvation be The close of every song.

Hymn 2:87. The divine glories above our reason.

How wond'rous great, how glorious bright Must our Creator be, Who dwells amidst the dazzling light Of vast infinity!

Our soaring spirits upward rise Tow'rd the celestial throne, Fain would we see the blessed Three, And the Almighty One.

Our reason stretches all its wings, And climbs above the skies; But still how far beneath thy feet Our groveling reason lies!

[Lord, here we bend our humble souls, And awfully adore, For the weak pinions of our mind Can stretch a thought no more.]

Thy glories infinitely rise Above our labouring tongue; In vain the highest seraph tries To form an equal song.

[In humble notes our faith adores The great mysterious King, While angels strain their nobler powers, And sweep th' immortal string.]