2 Lo! in the clouds of heaven appears God’s well-belovéd Son; He brings a train of brighter years— His kingdom is begun: He comes, a guilty world to bless With mercy, truth and righteousness.
3 O Father, haste the promised hour When at his feet shall lie All rule, authority, and power, Beneath the ample sky, When he shall reign from pole to pole, The Lord of every human soul.
4 When all shall heed the words he said, Amid their daily cares, And by the loving life he led Shall strive to pattern theirs; And he who conquered Death shall win, The mighty conquest over Sin.
257 C. P. M. The only foundation.
Had I ten thousand gifts beside, I’d cleave to Jesus crucified, And build on him alone; For no foundation is there given On which to place my hopes of heaven, But Christ, the corner-stone.
2 Possessing Christ I all possess, Wisdom, and strength, and righteousness, And holiness complete; Bold in his name, I dare draw nigh Before the Ruler of the sky, And all his justice meet.
3 There is no path to heavenly bliss, To solid joy or lasting peace, But Christ, th’ appointed road; O may we tread the sacred way, By faith rejoice, and praise, and pray, Till we sit down with God!
4 The types and shadows of the word Unite in Christ, the Man, the Lord, The Saviour kind and true; O may we still his word believe, And all his promises receive, And all his precepts do.
5 As he above for ever lives, And life to dying mortals gives, Eternal and divine; O may his Spirit in me dwell! Then, saved from sin, and death, and hell, Eternal life is mine.
258 S. M. All we like sheep have gone astray. Isaiah. 53:6.
Like sheep we went astray, And broke the fold of God; Each wandering in a different way, But all the downward road.
2 How dreadful was the hour When God our wanderings laid, And did at once his vengeance pour Upon the Shepherd’s head.
3 How glorious was the grace When Christ sustained the stroke! His life and blood the Shepherd pays, A ransom for the flock.
4 But God hath raised his head O’er all the sons of men, And made him see a numerous seed To recompense his pain.
259 S. M. Seen of angels. 1 Tim. 3:16.
Beyond the starry skies, Far as th’ eternal hills, Yon heaven of heavens, with living light, Our great Redeemer fills.
2 Around him angels fair, In countless armies shine; And ever, in exalted lays, They offer songs divine.
3 “Hail, Prince of life!” they cry, “Whose unexampled love Moved thee to quit those glorious realms And royalties above.”
4 And when he stooped to earth, And suffered rude disdain, They cast their honors at his feet, And waited in his train.
5 They saw him on the cross, While darkness vailed the skies; And when he burst the gates of death, They saw the Conqueror rise.
6 They thronged his chariot wheels, And bore him to his throne; Then swept their golden harps and sung— “The glorious work is done.”
260 8s & 5s. And they sung a new song. Rev. 14:3.
Sing of Jesus, sing for ever Of the love that changes never! Who, or what, from him can sever Those he makes his own?
2 With his blood the Lord hath bought them, When they knew him not, he sought them, And from all their wanderings brought them; His the praise alone.
3 Through the desert Jesus leads them, With the bread of heaven he feeds them, And through all their way he speeds them To their home above.
4 There they see the Lord who bought them, Him who came from heaven and sought them, Him who by his Spirit taught them, Him they serve and love.
261 7s, 6 lines. And that rock was Christ. 1 Cor. 10:4.
Rock of ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in thee; Let the water and the blood, From thy riven side which flowed, Be of sin the double cure; Cleanse me from its guilt and power.
2 Not the labor of my hands Can fulfill the law’s demands; Could my zeal no respite know, Could my tears for ever flow, All for sin could not atone; Thou must save and thou alone.
3 Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to thy cross I cling; Naked, come to thee for dress; Helpless, look to thee for grace; Foul, I to the fountain fly; Wash me, Saviour, or I die.
4 While I draw this fleeting breath, When my heart-strings break in death, When I soar to worlds unknown, See thee on thy judgment throne, Rock of ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in thee.
262 7s, double. A covert from the storm. Isaiah 4:6.
Jesus, lover of my soul, Let me to thy bosom fly, While the billows near me roll, While the tempest still is high; Hide me, O my Saviour, hide, Till the storm of life is past, Safe into the haven guide, O receive my soul at last.