141 L. M. His teaching.
How sweetly flowed the gospel sound From lips of gentleness and grace, When listening thousands gathered round, And joy and gladness filled the place!
2 From heaven he came, of heaven he spoke, To heaven he led his followers’ way; Dark clouds of gloomy night he broke, Unvailing an immortal day.
3 “Come, wanderers, to my Father’s home: Come, all ye weary ones, and rest!” Yes, sacred Teacher, we will come, Obey thee, love thee, and be blest.
142 L. M. 6 lines. His baptism.
In Jordan’s tide the Baptist stands, Immersing the repenting Jews; The Son of God the rite demands, Nor dares the holy man refuse: Jesus descends beneath the wave, The emblem of his future grave!
2 Wonder, ye heavens! your Maker lies In deeps concealed from human view; Ye saints, behold him sink and rise; A fit example this for you: The sacred record, while you read, Calls you to imitate the deed.
3 But, lo! from yonder opening skies, What beams of dazzling glory spread! Dove-like the Holy Spirit flies, And lights on the Redeemer’s head: Amazed they see the power divine Around the Saviour’s temples shine.
4 But, hark! my soul, hark, and adore! What sounds are those that roll along? Not loud, like Sinai’s awful roar; But soft and sweet as Gabriel’s song: “This is my well-belovéd Son, I see well-pleased what he hath done.”
5 Thus the eternal Father spoke, Who shakes creation with a nod, Through parting skies the accents broke, And bid us hear the Son of God; O hear the awful word to-day; Hear, all ye nations, and obey!
143 L. M. His holy life.
And is the gospel peace and love? Such let our conversation be: The serpent blended with the dove— Wisdom and meek simplicity.
2 Whene’er the angry passions rise, And tempt our thoughts or tongues to strife On Jesus let us fix our eyes, Bright pattern of the Christian life.
3 O how benevolent and kind! How mild! how ready to forgive! Be his the temper of our mind, And his the rules by which we live.
4 To do his heavenly Father’s will Was his employment and delight; Humility, and love, and zeal, Shone through his life divinely bright.
5 Dispensing good where’er he came, The labors of his life were love— O! if we love the Saviour’s name, Let his divine example move.
6 But ah! how blind, how weak we are! How frail, how apt to turn aside! Lord, we depend upon thy care; O may thy spirit be our guide!
7 Thy fair example may we trace, To teach us what we ought to be; Make us, by thy transforming grace, Lord Jesus, daily more like thee.
144 L. M. The meekness and gentleness of Christ. 2 Cor. 10:1.
How beauteous were the marks divine, That in thy meekness used to shine; That lit thy lonely pathway, trod In wondrous love, O Son of God!
2 O, who like thee—so calm, so bright, So pure, so made to live in light? O, who like thee did ever go So patient through a world of woe?
3 O, who like thee so humbly bore The scorn, the scoffs of men, before? So meek, forgiving, godlike, high, So glorious in humility?
4 The bending angels stooped to see, The lisping infant clasp thy knee, And smile, as in a father’s eye, Upon thy mild divinity.
5 And death, which sets the prisoner free, Was pang, and scoff, and scorn to thee; Yet love through all thy torture glowed, And mercy with thy life-blood flowed.
6 O, in thy light be mine to go, Illuming all my way of woe; And give me ever on the road To trace thy footsteps, Son of God!
145 L. M. His miracles.
Behold the blind their sight receive! Behold the dead awake and live! The dumb speak wonders, and the lame Leap like the hart, and bless his name!
2 Thus doth the Holy Spirit own And seal the mission of the Son; The Father vindicates his cause, While he hangs bleeding on the cross.
3 He dies: the heavens in mourning stood; He rises by the power of God: Behold the Lord ascending high, No more to bleed, no more to die!
4 Hence and for ever from my heart I bid my doubts and fears depart; And to those hands my soul resign, Which bear credentials so divine.
146 L. M. His example.
My dear Redeemer and my Lord, I read my duty in thy word; But in thy life the law appears Drawn out in living characters.
2 Such was thy truth, and such thy zeal, Such deference to thy Father’s will, Such love, and meekness so divine; I would transcribe and make them mine.
3 Cold mountains and the midnight air Witnessed the fervor of thy prayer; The desert thy temptations knew, Thy conflict and thy victory too.
4 Be thou my pattern; make me bear More of thy gracious image here; Then God the judge shall own my name Among the followers of the Lamb.