A guide, a glory, a defence;
Then what have you to fear?
V
As surely as he overcame
And triumph’d once for you;
So surely you that love his name
Shall triumph in him too.
85
Salvation
By Newton
I
Salvation! what a glorious plan!
How suited to our need!
The grace that raises fallen man
Is wonderful indeed!
II
’Twas Wisdom form’d the vast design,
To ransom us when lost;
And Love’s unfathomable mine
Provided all the cost.
III
Strict Justice, with approving look,
The holy cov’nant seal’d;
And Truth and Power undertook
The whole should be fulfill d,
IV
Truth, Wisdom, Justice, Pow’r, and Love,
In all their glory shone
When Jesus left the courts above,
And died to save his own.
V
Truth, Wisdom, Justice, Pow’r, and Love.
Are equally displayed,
Now Jesus reigns enthroned above,
Our Advocate and Head.
VI
Now sin appears deserving death,
Most hateful and abhorr’d;
And yet the sinner lives by faith,
And dares approach the Lord.
86
Reigning Grace
By Newton
I
Now may the Lord reveal his face,
And teach our stammering tongues
To make his sovereign, reigning grace,
The subject of our songs!
No sweeter subject can invite
A sinner’s heart to sing;
Or more display the glorious right
Of our exalted King.
II
This subject fills the starry plains
With wonder, joy, and love;
And furnishes the noblest strains
For all the harps above:
While the redeem’d in praise combine
To grace upon the throne,
Angels in solemn chorus join,
And make the theme their own.
III
Grace reigns, to pardon crimson sins,
To melt the hardest hearts;
And from the work it once begins
It never more departs:
The world and Satan strive in vain
Against the chosen few;
Secured by grace’s conq’ring reign,
They all shall conquer too.
IV
Grace tills the soil, and sows the seeds.
Provides the sun and rain,
Till from the tender blade proceeds
The ripen’d harvest grain.
’Tis grace that call’d our souls at first,
By grace thus far we re come,
And grace will help us through the worst,
And lead us safely home.
V
Lord, when this changing life is past,
If we may see thy face,
How shall we praise and love at last,
And sing the reign of grace.
Yet let us aim, while here below,
Thy mercy to display;
And own at least the debt we owe,
Although we cannot pay.
87
Praise to the Redeemer
By Newton
I
Prepare a thankful song
To the Redeemer’s name!
His praises should employ each tongue,
And every heart inflame!
II
He laid his glory by,
And dreadful pains endured,
That rebels such as you and I
From wrath might be secured.
III
Upon the cross he died,
Our debt of sin to pay;
The blood and water from his side
Wash guilt and filth away.
IV
And now he pleading stands
For us, before the throne,
And answers all the Law’s demands,
With what himself hath done,
V
He sees us willing slaves
To sin and Satan’s power;
But with an outstretch’d arm he saves
In his appointed hour.
VI
The Holy Ghost he sends
Our stubborn souls to move;
To make his enemies his friends,
And conquer them by love.
VII
The love of sin departs,
The life of grace takes place,
Soon as his voice invites our hearts
To rise and seek his face.
VIII
The world and Satan rage,
But he their power controls;
His wisdom, love, and truth, engage
Protection for our souls.
IX
Though press’d, we will not yield,
But shall prevail at length,
For Jesus is our sun and shield,
Our righteousness and strength.
X
Assured that Christ our King
Will put our foes to flight,
We on the field of battle sing,
And triumph while we fight.
88
Man by Nature, Grace, and Glory
By Newton
I
Lord, what is man? extremes how wide
In this mysterious nature join!
The flesh to worms and dust allied,
The soul immortal and divine!
II
Divine at first, a holy flame
Kindled by the Almighty’s breath;
Till, stain’d by sin, it soon became
The seat of darkness, strife, and death.
III
But Jesus, O amazing grace!
Assumed our nature as his own,
Obey’d and suffer’d in our place,
Then took it with him to his throne.
IV
Now what is man, when grace reveals
The virtue of a Saviour’s blood?
Again a life divine he feels,
Despises earth and walks with God.
V
And what, in yonder realms above,
Is ransom’d man ordain’d to be?
With honour, holiness, and love,
No seraph more adorn’d than he.
VI
Nearest the throne, and first in song,
Man shall his hallelujahs raise;
While wond’ring angels round him throng,
And swell the chorus of his praise.33
VIII
Short Hymns
Before Sermon
89
By Newton
I
Confirm the hope thy word allows,
Behold us waiting to be fed;
Bless the provisions of thy house,
And satisfy thy poor with bread:
Drawn by thine invitation Lord,
Thirsty and hungry we are come!
Now from the fullness of thy word,
Feast us, and send us thankful home.
90
By Newton
I
Now, Lord, inspire the preacher’s heart,
And teach his tongue to speak;
Food to the hungry soul impart,
And cordials to the weak.
II
Furnish us all with light and pow’rs
To walk in wisdom’s ways;
So shall the benefit be ours,
And thou shalt have the praise.
91
By Newton
I
Thy promise, Lord, and thy command,
Have brought us here to-day;
And now, we humbly waiting stand
To hear what thou wilt say.
II
Meet us, we pray, with words of peace,
And fill our hearts with love;
That from our follies we may cease,
And henceforth faithful prove.
92
By Newton
I
Hungry and faint and poor,
Behold us, Lord, again
Assembled at thy mercy’s door,
Thy bounty to obtain.
II
Thy word invites us nigh,
Or we
