For a Minister of Christ

To—"ffail, holy, holy, holy Lord!"

JESUS, my strength and righteousness,
My Saviour, and my King,
Triumphantly Thy name I bless,
Thy conquering name I sing.
Thou, Lord, hast magnified Thy name,
Thou hast maintained Thy cause,
And I enjoy the glorious shame,
The scandal of Thy cross.

Thou gavest me to speak Thy word
In the appointed hour,
I have proclaim'd my dying Lord,
And felt Thy Spirit's power:
Superior to my foes I stood,
Above their smile or frown,
On all the strangers to Thy blood
With pitying love look'd down.

O let me have Thy presence still,
Set as a flint my face,
To show the counsel of Thy will,
Which saves a world by grace.
O let me never blush to own
The glorious gospel word,
Which saves a world through faith alone,
Faith in a bleeding Lord!

This is the saving power of God:
Whoe'er this word receive,
Feel all the' effects of Jesu's blood,
And sensibly believe:
Saved from the guilt and power of sin
By instantaneous grace,
They trust to have Thy life brought in,
And always see Thy face.

The pure in heart Thy face shall see
Before they hence remove,
Redeem'd from all iniquity,
And perfected in love.
This is the great salvation! This
The prize at which we aim,
The end of faith, the hidden bliss,
The new, mysterious name.

The name inscribed in the white stone,
The unbeginning Word,
The mystery so long unknown,
The secret of the Lord.
The living bread sent down from heaven,
The saints' and angels' food,
The' immortal seed, the little leaven,
The effluence of God!

The tree of life, that blooms and grows
In the' midst of paradise,
The pure and living stream, that flows
Back to its native skies:
The Spirit's law, the covenant seal,
The' eternal righteousness,
The glorious joy unspeakable,
The' unutterable peace!

The treasure in the gospel-field,
The wisdom from above,
Hid from the wise, to babes reveal'd,
The precious pearl of love;
The mystic power of godliness,
The end of death and sin,
The antepast of heavenly bliss,
The kingdom fix'd within.

The Morning Star, that glittering bright,
Shines to the perfect day,
The Sun of Righteousness — the Light,
The Life, the Truth, the Way:
The image of the living God,
His nature, and His mind,
Himself He hath on us bestow'd,
And all in Christ we find.