Long Metre. DODDRIDGE.
On opening a new place of worship.
AND will the great Eternal GOD
And will he from his radiant throne
Regard our temples as his own?
2 We bring the tribute of our praise;
And sing that condescending grace,
Which to our notes will lend an ear,
And call us sinful mortals near.
3 Our Father's watchful care we bless,
Which guards our house of pray'r in peace,
That no tumultuous foes invade,
To fill the worshippers with dread.
4 These walls we to thy honour raise;
Long may they echo with thy praise;
And thou, descending, fill the place
With choicest tokens of thy grace.
5 And in the great decisive day,
When God the nations shall survey,
May it before the world appear,
That crowds were born to glory here.
Common Metre. ORIGINAL.
The same subject.
GREATEST of beings! Source of good!
We bow before thy throne,
Which from eternity hath stood,
And worship Thee alone.
2 No bounds thy high perfections know,
But fill creation wide;.
And wilt thou visit men below?
Wilt thou on earth abide?
3 Wilt thou vouchsafe thy presence here?
And shed propitious rays,
While with united hands we rear
An altar to thy praise?
4 Here, then, in ev'ry heart be found
The dwelling of thy choice;
And here be heard that sweetest sound,
The cheerful, thankful voice.
5 While life eternal all pursue,
Here may the way be shown,
To know thyself, GOD only true,
And Christ thy chosen Son.
6 Here may the mind, while sunk in
And comfort long delays,
On mercy's gentle breast repose,
And change its sighs for praise.
7 May love, with sweet resistless force,
Compel her guests to come;
Arrest the sinner's downward course
And call the wand'rer home.
8 Here be the solemn witness giv❜n,*
Hence be it spread abroad;
"There's none like thee in earth or heav'n, "The LORD ALONE IS GOD."
Common Metre. SALISBURY COLLECTION.
A baptismal hymn.
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 fulfil
All righteousness," he said;
He spake obedient, and beneath
The yielding wave was laid.
3 Hark! a glad voice; the Father speaks,
From Heav'n's exalted height;
"This is my Son, my well-belov'd,
My joy, my chief delight."
4 Jesus, the Saviour, well belov'd!
His name we will profess,
Joshua xxii. 24. The children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, called the altar Ed; for it shall be a witness between us, that the LORD is GOD.
Like him, desirous to fulfil
Each law of righteousness.
5 No more we'll count ourselves our own, But his in bonds of love;
Long Metre. WATTS.
Institution of the Lord's supper.
1 'WAS on that dreadful, doleful night,
When the whole pow'r of darkness rose
Against the son of GoD's delight,
And friends betray'd him to his foes:
2 Before the mournful scene began,
He took the bread, and bless'd, and brake: What love thro' all his actions ran! What wondrous words of grace he spake! 3 "This is my body, broke for sin; Receive, and eat the living food:"
Then took the cup, and bless'd the wine, "Tis the new cov'nant in my blood."
"Meet at my table, and record
The love of your departed Lord;
Do this," he cried, "till time shall end,
In mem❜ry of your dying friend."
Long Metre. ENFIELD'S SELECTION.
Celebration of the Lord's supper.
HIS feast was Jesus' high behest,
This cup
of thanks his last request;
Ye, who can feel his worth, attend,
Eat, drink, in mem'ry of your friend.
2 Around the patriot's bust ye throng,
Him ye exalt in swelling song;
For him the wreath of glory bind,
Who freed from vassalage his kind.
3 And shall not he your praises reap,
Who rescues from the iron sleep?
The great deliverer, whose breath
Unbinds the captives ev'n of death?
4 Shall he who, fellow-men to save,
Became a tenant of the grave,
Unthank'd, uncelebrated, rise?
Pass unremember'd to the skies?
5 Christians! unite with loud acclaim,
To hymn the Saviour's welcome name;
On earth extol his wondrous love;
Repeat his praise in worlds above.
Long Metre. EXETER COLLECTION.
The love of Christ.
HEN in obedience to their Lord,
His followers meet around his board,
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