Liturgy and Hymns for the Use of the Protestant Church of the United Brethren, Or Unitas Fratum

XIX. THE HAPPINESS OF CHILDREN OF GOD.

T. 114.

387.* JESUS, my King, thy kind and

gracious sceptre

[me: Assuages every grief that burdens When I with all my heart apply to thee, [preceptor; Then thy peace-giving Spirit's my Thy comforts so refresh and cheer

my heart,

That fear and restlessness must soon depart.

2 The gifts of Christ are so inestimable, [can afford: That all the world nought equal What are the treasures which the worldlings hoard?

To comfort weary souls they are not able, [dantly; But Jesus can and does abunAll earthly joys will fail, but never He.

3 How highly bless'd, how happy is the spirit [inly mourns, Which, weary of self-working, And unto him for aid and succour turns: The humble every good from him [ease, He to the troubled soul imparteth Restoring to the wounded conscience peace.

inherit;

empty chaff:

[give, Yea, what this world can never May, thro' the Shepherd's grace, each needy sheep receive.

2 Here is a pasture, rich and neverfailing, [flow; Here living waters in abundance None can conceive the grace with them prevailing,

Who Jesus' shepherd-voice obey and know:

He banishes all fear and strife, And leads them gently on to everlasting life.

3 Whoe'er would spend his days in lasting pleasure,

Must come to Christ, and join his flock with speed;

Here is a feast prepar'd, rich beyond measure,

The world meanwhile on empty husks must feed: [good, Those souls may share in every Whose Shepherd doth possess the treasuries of God.

O DAYS of solid happiness,

O antepast of heaven, When, in the accepted time of grace,

We know our sins forgiven: Cleans'd in the precious flood Of Christ's atoning blood, Enjoying in our hearts by faith The blessings purchas'd by his death.

2 The peace of God then fills the soul, | 2 If my sin's burden would oppress

And heals the wounded spirit;
The broken heart is then madewhole,
By virtue of his merit:
Yea, his sweet looks of grace
Convey such happiness,

That we in his redeeming love
Anticipate the bliss above.

3 But why do tears, & grief, & care,
Sometimes allay our gladness,
And, tho' his favour still we share,
Awaken thoughts of sadness?
"Tis when to mind we call
The wormwood and the gall
Of our past state, as sinners lost,
And what a price our ransom cost.
4 When thus we contemplate the
grace,

The love, and condescension
Of Christ to our apostate race,
Which pass all comprehension,
Low at his feet we bend;
Own him the sinners' friend,
Determin'd to know nought beside
Christ Jesus, and him crucified.

5 How pleasant is our lot, how good
And blest beyond expression;
For, having cleans'd us by his blood,
He bears us with compassion,
Applies his healing power
To us each day and hour;
Yea, we in him redemption have
In death itself and in the grave.
6 And this our joyful theme shall be,
When, call'd to see our Saviour,
We join the glorious company

Around his throne for ever;
Then we in highest strain
Shall praise the Lamb once slain,
Who hath redeem'd us by his blood,
And made us kings & priests to God.
T. 218.

390.*

HOW bless'd am I, most gracious Saviour,

Reposing on thy sacred love; With grief o'erwhelm'd, I seek thy favour,

And thy reviving bounty prove : The dismal clouds of night must vanish, (plenish, When joys divine my heart reWhile I recline upon thy breast: Ah, then I find on earth my heaven; Such comforts to all those are given,

Who seek in thee their peace & rest.

me,

Or legal thunders me affright, Or fear of death & hell distress me, By faith to thee I take my flight: In thee I always find protection 'Gainst Satan's darts and sin's infection, [place;

Thou art my shield and hidingThough foes assail in combination, Who shall condemn? Lord, my salvation,

My confidence is in thy grace.

3 If thou thro' thorny paths wilt lead me,

I'll simply trust in thee, O Lord; The clouds at thy command must feed me, [ford:

And rocks must drink to me afIn thy kind leadings acquiescing, I'm sure to meet with nought but blessing;

If I have thee, it doth suffice: I know that souls, to bliss created, Who shall to glory be translated,

Must humbled be before they rise. 4 Friend of my soul, O how contented

Am I, when leaning upon thee By sin I am no more tormented,

Since thou dost aid & comfort me: O may the heart-reviving feeling I have of thy most gracious dealing,

A foretaste yield of joys above: I scorn, vain world, thy adulation, For Jesus is my delectation, And I'm an object of his love.

3 Thou who didst love me first, Teach me to trust in thee Unshaken, till I thee above Shall praise eternally:

E'en here thou art my song;
Thy grace doth richly claim,
That thy church militant on earth
Give glory to thy name.

4 Unfeigned thanks receive,
For thy unbounded grace,
From us, who in thy name believe,
And humbly seek thy face;
Lord, we are bound to thee,
Since thou our souls hast gain'd,
And for us, by thy precious blood,
Eternal bliss obtain'd.

5 The merits of thy death
Each day to us apply,
And grant,that to the throne of grace
We boldly may draw nigh;
That mercy we may find
And help in time of need;
Thus shall we, by thy Spirit led,
From grace to grace proceed.

6 Thy cross and saving name
We freely will confess,
Thy gospel spread thro' all the earth,
Make known thy righteousness;
To all mankind proclaim
The virtue of thy blood,
And cry in every sinner's ear,
"Behold the Lamb of God."
392.*

T. 11.

BLEST are they, supremely blest,
Who, of Jesus' grace possess'd,
Cleave to him by living faith,
Till they shall resign their breath.
2 One with Christ, their Head, they
Happiness beyond compare; [share
Since on him their hopes they build,
He is their reward and shield.

3 Tho' all earthly joys be fled,
If in him they trust indeed,
He will be their constant friend,
And protect them to the end.
4 If to Jesus they appeal,
When their faith and courage fail,
He assures them of his love, [prove.
Doth their strength in weakness

5 They who simply to him cleave,
From his fulness grace receive;
And throughout their mortal days
Their employment is his praise.

WITH grateful hearts we all de-
clare,

That in Christ's congregation
We may substantial blessings share,
Since he is our salvation;
And he requires of us, that we,

Deeply abas'd before him,
Stir up each other heartily
To love and to adore him.
2 The grace is great, unspeakable,
The privilege unbounded,
That we, although deserving hell,
By sin most deeply wounded,
Are by the virtue of Christ's death
From sin's pollution cleared,
And, cleaving unto him by faith,
Are one with him declared.

JESUS, whose hands once pierc'd with nails

Were stretch'd upon the wood, Out of whose wounds in plenteous streams

Flow'd the atoning blood;
How safely rests a weary child
Who keeps thee, Lord, in view;
Let unbelief say what it will,

This is for ever true.

2 The more the Lamb of God we
view,

The more we walk in light;
His gracious presence doth dispel
Sin's dark and dismal night:
The cheering beams, which Christ
the Sun

Of righteousness displays,
Enkindle many a lifeless heart,
And love unfeigned raise.

3 Is there a thing that moves and
breaks

That warms a heart as cold as ice;
A heart as hard as stone,

'Tis Jesus' blood alone:
This precious balm can truly cheer,
And heal the wounded soul;
What multitudes of broken hearts

This stream of life makes whole.

4 Hark, O my soul, what sing the

choirs

Around the glorious throne? "The Lamb was slain," for evermore Sounds in the sweetest tone; The elders there cast down their crowns,

And all, in endless day,

Sing praise to him who shed his blood,

And wash'd their guilt away.

5 This, while on earth, we will declare,

Cheerful in our degree, That thro' Christ's all-atoning blood Each soul may happy be: But thou, O Lord, make every day Thy grace to us more sweet, Till we behold thy pierced side, And worship at thy feet.

OH, if the Lamb had not been slain,

To save us from perdition, And everlasting life to gain,

What had been our condition? But since in him poor sinners find A friend so faithful, true, and kind, We cannot but be happy.

2 With all our errors and mistakes He bears, and loves us dearly; A contrite soul he ne'er forsakes,

That follows him sincerely: When the whole heart to him is given,

We have a foretaste here of heaven, In fellowship with Jesus.

3 When we have fail'd and deeply mourn,

That we the Spirit grieved, And to our Lord for comfort turn, We quickly are relieved: Whene'er we say, with humble shame,

"Lord Jesus, I have been to blame,"

He saith, "Thou art forgiven." 4 As pardon'd sinners we rejoice With Jesus' congregation; Above all other things we prize

His bitter death and passion; His wounds, his tears, and bloody sweat

We bear in mind, nor can forget
His unexampled mercy.

grace;

That we, as vessels, for thy use made ready,

May glorify thy name in every place,

And care in true simplicity, As thine espoused souls, for what belongs to thee.

4 How precious are thy thoughts, beloved Saviour,

Thy thoughts of peace o'er us, the sum how great;

Already here we in thy sight find favour,

In thy sweet nearness heaven anticipate:

And oh, what bliss awaits us there, Where we with the redeem'd shall in thy glory share.

5 But since the pure in heart alone inherit

Those promises so precious and so sweet;

From all defilement of the flesh and spirit

Cleanse us, and make us for thy

service meet;

That we ourselves to thee may yield, Till thy whole counsel be in each of us fulfill'd.

5 If he is mine, unharm'd I pass

397. T. 594. WHAT peace divine, unutterable, When we with Christ our God converse;

curse:

No angel's tongue to express is able, What feels a sinner free from [ing, Such bliss to enjoy in all its meanImplies our sinful hearts to know, And by the Holy Spirit's training,

Before the cross of Christ to bow. 2 From him true heavenly life deriving,

With cleansing power from sin's each stain,

Partakers of his grace reviving,

Within us all is born again: We hunger then for food celestial, We thirst for life's exhaustless stream; [restrial, And wean'd from love of things terWe find in Christ our bliss su

Have known this change from death to life;

Who look to him with faith and patience,

While pilgrims in this world of strife: [vation His blood-bought grace and full salTheir solace prove, while here below;

And, when complete their faith's probation,

To see his face with joy they go.
T. 14.

398.

IF Christ is mine, then all is mine,
And more than angels know;
Both present things, and things to
And grace, and glory too. [come,
2 If he is mine, then though he
He never will forsake: [frown,
His chastisements all work for good,
And but his love bespeak.

3 If he is mine, I need not fear
The rage of earth and hell;
He will support my feeble frame,
And all their power repel.

4 If he is mine, let friends forsake,
And earthly comforts flee,
He the dispenser of all good,
Is more than all to me.

Thro' death's tremendous vale, He'll be my comfort and my stay, When heart and flesh shall fail.

6 Let Christ assure me he is mine, I nothing want beside;

My soul shall at the fountain live, When all the streams are dried.

399.

T. 14. AMAZING grace, how sweet the sound,

That sav'd a wretch like me; I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.

2 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,

How precious did that grace appear
And grace my fears reliev'd;
The hour I first believ'd.

3 Thro' many dangers, toils, and I am already come; [snares, 'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,

And grace will lead me home. 4 The Lord hath promis'd good to His word my hope secures; [me, He will my shield and portion be As long as life endures.

5 Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,

And mortal life shall cease, I shall possess within the veil A life of joy and peace.

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