4 Burst thy shackles; drop thy clay;
Sweetly breathe thyself away;
Singing, to thy crown remove,
Swift of wing, and fired with love.,
5 Shudder not to pass the stream:
Venture all thy care on Him-
Him, whose dying love and power
Still'd its tossings, hush'd its roar.
6 Safe is the expanded wave,-
Gentle as a summer's eve;
Not one object of his care
Ever suffer'd shipwreck there.
7 See the haven full in view;
Love divine shall bear thee through:
Trust to that propitious gale;
Weigh thine anchor, spread thy sail.
8 Saints in glory, perfect made,
Wait thy passage through the shade;
Swiftly to their wish be given;
Kindle higher joy in heaven.

675

P. M. The dying Christian to his soul.

VITAL spark, of heavenly flame,

Quit, О quit this mortal frame. Trembling, hoping, ling’ring, flying, O the pain, the bliss of dying ! Cease, fond nature, cease thy strife, And let me languish into life. 2 Hark! they whisper : angels say, — Sister spirit, come away!

-What is this absorbs me quite,Steals my senses, shuts my sight,Drowns my spirit, draws my breath ? Tell me, my soul, can this be death?

3 The world recedes : it disappears ; Heaven opens on my eyes; my ears

With sounds seraphic ring. Lend, lend your wings ! I mount ! I fly! O grave, where is thy victory?

o death, where is thy sting ?

THE SCRIPTURES. 676

C. M.
Riches of God's word.
NHE counsels of redeeming grace

The sacred leaves unfold;
And here the Saviour's lovely face

Our raptured eyes behold.
2 Here light descending from above

Directs our doubtful feet: Here promises of heavenly love

Our ardent wishes meet. 3 Our num'rous griefs are here redress’d,

And all our wants supplied : Naught we can ask to make us blest

Is in this book denied.
4 For these inestimable gains,

That so enrich the mind,
O may we search with eager pains,

Assured that we shall find. 677

C. M. Excellency and sufficiency. ATHER of mercies, in thy word

; Forever be thy Name adored

For these celestial lines. 2 Here may the wretched sons of want

Exhaustless riches find;
Riches above what earth can grant,

And lasting as the mind.

3 Here the fair tree of knowledge grows,

And yields a free repast; Sublimer sweets than nature knows

Invite the longing taste. 4 Here the Redeemer's welcome voice

Spreads heavenly peace around; And life, and everlasting joys,

Attend the blissful sound.
5 O may these heavenly pages be

Our ever dear delight;
And still new beauties may we see,

And still increasing light.
6 Divine Instructer, gracious Lord,

Be thou forever near;
Teach us to love thy sacred word,

And view the Saviour there.

!

678

C. M.
Light and glory of the sacred page.
HAT glory gilds the sacred page!

Majestic, like the sun,
It gives a light to every age;

It gives, but borrows none. 2 The power that gave it still supplies

The gracious light and heat ; Its truths upon the nations rise :

They rise, but never set.
3 Lord ! everlasting thanks be thine

For such a bright display,
As makes a world of darkness shine

With beams of heavenly day. 4 Our souls rejoicingly pursue

The steps of Him we love, Till glory break upon our view

In brighter worlds above.

679

C. M. The Spirit's enlightening influences. YOME, Holy Ghost, our hearts inspire;

Let us thine influence prove; Source of the old prophetic fire ;

Fountain of life and love. 2 Come, Holy Ghost, for moved by thee

The prophets wrote and spoke : Unlock the truth, thyself the key;

Unseal the sacred book. 3 Expand thy wings, Celestial Dove;

Brood o'er our nature's night; On our disorder'd spirits move,

And let there now be light. 4 God, through himself, we then shall know,

If thou within us shine;
And sound, with all thy saints below,

The depths of love divine. 680

C. M.
The revealing Spirit.
ATHER of all, in whom alone

We live, and move, and breathe ;
One bright, celestial ray dart down,

And cheer thy sons beneath. 2 While in thy word we search for thee,

(We search with trembling awe ;) Open our eyes, and let us see

The wonders of thy law. 3 Now let our darkness comprehend

The light that shines so clear; Now the revealing Spirit send,

And give us ears to hear. 4 Before us make thy goodness pass,

Which here by faith we know; Let us in Jesus see thy face,

And die to all below.

681

C. M.
Perfection of the law and testimony.
HY law is perfect, Lord of light;

Thy testimonies sure ;
The statutes of thy realm are right,

And thy commandment pure.
2 Let these, O God, my soul convert,

And make thy servant wise;
Let these be gladness to my ears, -

The dayspring to mine eyes.
3 By these may I be warn'd betimes;

Who knows the guile within ? Lord, save me from presumptuous crimes ;

Cleanse me from secret sin. 4 So may the words my lips express,

The thoughts that throng my mind,O Lord, my strength and righteousness,

With thee acceptance find. 682

C. M.
Safety in keeping God's precepts.
OW perfect is thy word,

Thy judgments all are just;
And ever in thy promise, Lord,

May man securely trust. 2 I hear thy word in love;

In faith thy word obey;
O send thy Spirit from above,

To teach me, Lord, thy way. 3 Thy counsels all are plain,

Thy precepts all are pure;
And long as heaven and earth remain,

Thy truth shall still endure. 4 O may my soul, with joy,

Trust in thy faithful word:
Be it through life my glad employ,

To keep thy precepts, Lord.