4 And when my Saviour calls me home, Still this my cry shall be— Hinder me not—come, welcome death— I’ll gladly go with thee.
381 C. M. He that is ashamed of me, and of my word. Mark 8:38.
Ashamed of Christ! our souls disdain The mean, ungenerous thought; Shall we disown that friend whose blood To man salvation brought?
2 With the glad news of love and peace, From heaven to earth he came; For us endured the painful cross, For us despised the shame.
3 To his command let us submit Ourselves without delay; Our lives—yea, thousand lives of ours, His love can ne’er repay.
4 Each faithful follower Jesus views With infinite delight; Their lives to him are dear—their death Is precious in his sight.
5 To bear his name—his cross to bear— Our highest honor this! Who nobly suffers for him now, Shall reign with him in bliss.
382 C. M. He left us an example.
Buried beneath the yielding wave, The great Redeemer lies; Faith views him in the watery grave, And thence beholds him rise.
2 With joy we in his footsteps tread, And would his cause maintain, Like him be numbered with the dead, And with him rise and reign.
3 Now, blest Redeemer, we to thee Our grateful voices raise; Washed in the fountain of thy blood, Our lives shall be thy praise.
383 C. M. Lord, if thou wilt, etc. Matt. 8:2.
O Lord, and will thy pardoning love Embrace a wretch so vile? Wilt thou my load of guilt remove, And bless me with thy smile?
2 Hast thou the cross for me endured, And all its shame despised? And shall I be ashamed, O Lord, With thee to be baptized?
3 Didst thou the great example lead, In Jordan’s swelling flood! And shall my pride disdain the deed, That’s worthy of my God!
4 O Lord, the ardor of thy love Reproves my cold delays; And now my willing footsteps move In thy delightful ways.
384 C. M. The Holy Spirit descended, etc. Luke 3:22.
Meekly in Jordan’s flowing stream The great Redeemer bowed; Bright was the glory’s sacred beam That hushed the wondering crowd.
2 Thus God descended to approve The deed that Christ had done; Thus came the emblematic Dove, And hovered over the Son.
3 So may the Spirit come to-day To our baptismal scene; Let thoughts of earth be far away, And every mind serene.
4 This day we give to holy joy; This day to heaven belongs; Raised to new life, we will employ In melody our tongues.
385 C. M. I come to do thy will. Heb. 10:7.
“I come,” the great Redeemer cries, “To do thy will, O Lord!” At Jordan’s flood, behold! he seals The sure prophetic word.
2 “Thus it becomes us to fulfill All righteousness,” he said; He spake obedient, and beneath The yielding wave was laid.
3 Hark! a glad voice—the Father speaks, From heaven’s exalted hight; “This is my Son, my well beloved, In whom I do delight.”
4 Jesus, the Saviour, well beloved! His name we will profess, Like him, desirous to fulfill Each law of righteousness.
5 No more we’ll count ourselves our own, But his in bonds of love; O! may such bonds for ever draw Our souls to things above.
386 S. M. Math. 3:16.
Come and behold the place Where once your Saviour lay; Confess that he is Lord of all, And humble homage pay.
2 Laid in the watery grave, He quickly rose again; Buried with him, we too shall rise, And endless life obtain.
3 Now may the Spirit crown, With tokens of his grace, The solemn service of this day, And bid us go in peace.
387 S. M. The same.
Saviour, thy law we love, Thy pure example bless, And with a firm, unwavering zeal, Would in thy footsteps press.
2 Not to the fiery pains By which the martyrs bled; Not to the scourge, the thorn, the cross, Our favored feet are led—
3 But, at this peaceful tide, Assembled in thy fear, The homage of obedient hearts, We humbly offer here.
388 S. M. Follow thou me. John 21:22.
Here, Saviour, we would come, In thine appointed way; Obedient to thy high commands, Our solemn vows we pay.
2 O, bless this sacred rite, To bring us near to thee; And may we find that as our day, Our strength shall also be.
389 S. M. Thus it becometh us. Matt. 3:15.
With willing hearts we tread The path the Saviour trod; We love th’ example of our Head, The glorious Lamb of God.
2 On thee, on thee alone, Our hope and faith rely; O thou who didst for sin atone, Who didst for sinners die.
3 We trust thy sacrifice, To thy dear cross we flee; O, may we die to sin, and rise To life and bliss in thee.