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Monthly Preparations for Holy Communion · Richard Baxter

Monthly Preparations for Holy Communion, Hymns

Hymns ſuited to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. To be ſung in the common Tunes.

A Hymn for the Sacrament.

HYMN I.

I.

A New and well compoſed Song,

With raptures fill'd of Love,

And extaſies of Joy, let's tune

Unto our Lord above.

Awake my drowſie ſleepy Soul,

Awake dull heavy heart,

And all my faculties and powers,

Joyn, in and bear a part.

II.

Let judgment weigh the argument,

Let fancy it adorn,

Let memory bring forth its ſtore,

Thoughts, offer your firſt-born.

God did aſſume the ſhape of Man,

With fleſh his glory vail'd,

Himſelf he humbled unto death.

He to the Croſs was nail'd.

III.

Made ſin, us to acquit from ſin;

Accurſed, us to bleſs,

Of Righteouſneſs he wrought a Robe

To hide our nakedneſs.

Darling of Heaven he was and is,

The Father's chief delight:

Angels wonder, the Saints above

Are raviſh'd at his ſight.

IV.

Array'd he is with Majeſty,

Angels do him attend;

All pow'r is his in Heaven and Earth,

All to his Scepter bend.

A glorious Crown is on his head

Moſt lovely is his face,

Treaſures of wiſdom are with him,

For us he's ſtor'd with grace.

V.

His Love doth paſs dimenſions,

His Love exceeds all thought,

Stronger than death, this Love to us

Salvation hath brought.

Hence all the Clouds away, away,

Darken no more mine eye,

Fain would I ſee this lovely one,

Whoſe dwelling is on high.

VI.

Open thine Eye, here Jeſus ſtands,

He looks, he breathes, he moves:

By Faith thou may'ſt diſcern him plain,

In this ſweet Feaſt of Loves.

And art thou here indeed, my Lord!

Draw nearer yet to me,

And nearer, nearer, my dear Lord;

Too near thou canſt not be.

VII.

Come my Beloved, let me view

Thy beauteous lovely face;

Thee I would fold in arms of love,

Fain I would thee embrace.

I feel, I feel a flame within,

Dear Lord, I thee admire;

Thy ſparkling beauty which I ſee,

Hath ſet me all on fire.

VIII.

Thy kind looks have me overcome,

The glances of thine Eye,

Sweetly my Soul tranſported have,

I feel an extaſie.

Unutterable Joys I feel,

How ſweet! how ſweet! how ſweet

Not transcribed in the source: a duplicate page, 1 page.
Not transcribed in the source: a duplicate page, 1 page.

Is this taſte of thy Love, whilſt I

And my Beloved meet!

IX.

Sure this the Gate of Heaven is,

Methinks I'm entring in,

Where I ſhall always ſee thy face,

And no more grieve or ſin.

Ten thouſand praiſes let us give

Unto our Lord on high;

Let heart, and lip, and life combine

To make the melody.

HYMN II.

I.

O Come let us joyn all like one,

The Lord to magnifie;

Let us together lift his name

In ſweet ſounds to the Sky.

Sweet Hymns of Love come let us ſing,

Let Love us act and move;

Let Love our voices tune to praiſe

Our God, for God is Love.

II.

God's Love the lofty Heav'ns above,

In height doth far tranſcend:

Its depth, the Sea; its breadth and length

Is without bound or end.

God's Love to us is wonderful:

To us who Rebels were,

God gave his only Son to die,

That Rebels he might ſpare.

III.

From guilt and reigning power of ſin,

And Satan's ſlavery;

From fire of Hell us to redeem,

God gave his Son to die.

Chriſt ſuffer'd in our ſtead, he was

More harmleſs than the Dove:

That God ſhould lay our ſins on him;

This, this indeed is Love.

IV.

O come let us give God our Loves,

Let every heart take fire;

Let flames come forth and joyn in one,

And unto Heav'n aſpire.

…weet Spirit come, like Southern Gales,

Within us breathe and move;

Blow up our ſpark into a flame,

That we may burn with love.

V.

That we with all our hearts may love,

Our hearts Lord circumciſe:

Of Love perſum'd with ſweet Incenſe,

Accept the Sacrifice.

VI.

Draw near, O God, unvail thy ſelf,

Our cloudineſs remove;

O ſhine! and ſmile on us, that we

may ſee thy face and love.

VII.

Dear Jeſus, come and viſit us,

A ſtranger do not prove;

Heal wounds of ſin, ſpeak peace that we

Thy voice may hear and love.

VIII.

Our ſelves we offer with our hearts,

Our whole ſelves we reſign

To thee who art the God of Love,

We are and will be thine.

HYMN III.

I.

GOD hath us brought into his Courts,

And Chambers of his Love,

That he might feed and feaſt us here,

With dainties from above.

Heav'n opened is before our Eye,

The Vail is rent, that we

May upward look, and his dear Son

Crowned with Glory ſee.

II.

This Jeſus crowned was with Thorns,

Scourged with cruel hands,

His fleſh was torn, when to the Croſs

He tyed was with Bands.

Tears trickled from his mournful eyes,

Sweat dropped from his face,

Blood flowed from his hands and feet,

And ſide, in ſtreams apace.

III.

His groans were ſtrong, his crys were loud,

Preſſures of wrath did lye

Upon his Soul, with ſenſe of which

In anguiſh he did dye.

He harmleſs was, and innocent;

No guilt upon him lay,

But as our Surety he our debts

Did by his ſufferings pay.

IV.

Thus did he Juſtice ſatisfie,

By dying in our room,

That we might juſtified be

By Faith, that to him come.

The Bread we eat at this great Feaſt,

Chriſt's fleſh is, and his blood

Is repreſented by the Wine;

This, this indeed is food.

V.

Here is the heavenly Manna, which

Our God to us doth give:

Who eateth other bread ſhall die;

In eating this we live.

A hidden life of Grace we have,

Breathing deſires and love;

Chriſt is our Life, the Author, Spring,

By whom our Graces move.

VI.

Come let us look unto our Lord;

This Glaſs will ſhow his face,

Not veiled over with dark Types,

As heretofore it was.

God-man, that name is wonderful;

So is his beauty; ſo

His love is full of wonders, both

Beyond our reach to go.

VII.

Yet where we cannot comprehend,

Looking, let us admire,

Admiring love, loving rejoyce,

And to enjoy aſpire.

Our Lord is preſent at this Feaſt;

He looks, let's meet his Eye

With ours; ſweet glances, looks of love

It may be we ſhall ſpy.

VIII.

Come Lord draw near, we long, we long

Thy face to ſee, thy love

To taſte, thy voice to hear, within

To feel thy Spirit move.

Thou art all fair, thou haſt no ſpot,

Thy beauty is divine:

Thou art all love, embrace us Lord

In thoſe ſweet Arms of thine.

IX.

We look, we wait, we hope, we truſt,

We long, we love, we burn.

Raviſh thou doſt our hearts, whilſt thou

To us thine Eye doſt turn.

With all the powers of our Souls

Dear Jeſus we thee praiſe,

In ſongs of joy and thankfulneſs

Our voices we do raiſe.

X.

Hoſanna's we, Hoſanna's we

Do ſing with one accord

In Hallelujah's of triumph

We joyn to praiſe the Lord.

Ye Angels and triumphant Saints,

Praiſe ye our Lord above,

Whilſt we his Servants here below

Do ſing his praiſe with love.

HYMN IV.

I.

THouſands of thouſands ſtand around

Thy Throne, O God, moſt high;

Ten thouſand times ten thouſand ſound

Thy praiſe, but who am I?

Thine arm of might, moſt mighty King

Both Rocks and hearts doth break;

My God, thou canſt do every thing

But what would ſhow thee weak.

II.

Moſt pure and holy are thine Eyes,

Moſt holy is thy Name;

Thy Saints, and Laws, and Penalties,

Thy holineſs proclaim.

Mercy is God's Memorial,

And in all Ages prais'd;

My God, thine only Son did fall,

That Mercy might be rais'd.

III.

Thy bright back-parts, O God of Grace,

I humbly here adore;

Shew me thy glory and thy face,

That I may praiſe thee more.

Myſterious depths of endleſs love

Our admirations raiſe.

My God, thy Name exalted is

Far above all our praiſe:

HYMN V.

I.

TO whom, Lord, ſhould I ſing, but thee,

The maker of my Tongue?

Lo, other Lords would ſeize on me,

But I to thee belong.

As thou Lord, an immortal Soul

Haſt breathed into me,

So let my Soul be breathing forth

Immortal thanks to thee.

II.

Sing and triumph in boundleſs grace,

Which thus hath ſet thee free;

Extol with ſhouts my ſaved Soul

Thy Saviour's love to thee.

Sweet Chriſt, thou haſt refreſht our Souls

With thine abundant grace,

For which we magnifie thy Name,

Longing to ſee thy face.

III.

Down from above the bleſſed Dove

Is come into my breaſt,

To witneſs God's Eternal Love,

This is my heavenly Feaſt.

This makes me Abba Father cry,

With confidence of Soul!

It makes me cry, my Lord, my God,

And that, without controul.

IV.

Thou art all power, thou art all love,

And ſo thou art to me;

Bleſt be my God now and henceforth,

And to Eternity.

HYMN VI.

I.

LORD give me a believing heart,

Advance it more and more;

Rebuke thoſe doubts and ſcruples that

Are crowding at my door.

Lord let thy Word and Spirit guide

Thy Servant in thy way;

May I walk cloſely with my God,

And run no more aſtray.

III.

All they that ſit down with thee muſt

Be decked with thy Grace;

Thou ſmil'ſt on ſuch Communicants,

And they behold thy face.

Come holy Spirit, come and take

My filthy Garments hence,

The guilt, the ſtain, the love of ſin,

Will give my Lord offence.

III.

Let nothing that is not divine,

Within thy preſence move,

What e're would cauſe thee not to ſhine

In tokens of thy Love.

Awake Repentance, Faith and Love,

Awake O every Grace!

Come, come, attend this glorious King,

And how before his face.

IV.

Let not my Jeſus now be ſtrange,

And hide himſelf from me;

O cauſe thy face to ſhine upon

The Soul that longs for thee.

HYMN VII.

I.

WE to our heavenly Father give

The tribute praiſe we owe,

Who by his purifying Grace

Prepares us here below.

Lo here's the moſt amazing proof

Of great and matchleſs Love!

Not that our Early love to God

Did his prevent and move.

II.

His motives all to pity us

From his own bowels flow;

Thence came the richeſt gift of Heav'n

To Guilty Men below.

That to his glorious grace all praiſe

Might be intirely paid:

Who, that he might forgive our ſins,

Chriſt's Blood our Ranſom made;

III.

Let then this glorious gift of God

Yet more our Souls refine,

That his pure Image may in us

With greater glory ſhine.

Draw us, dear Lord, and towards thee

We with ſwift wings will move,

Thou Object of our higheſt hopes,

And of our deareſt Love.

IV.

Thankſgiving is an heav'nly work,

It's all in Heav'n they do,

To thank and praiſe the Lord moſt high,

On Earth is ſweet work too.

O! bleſſed are the Saints above,

How active is your ſtate!

You ever bleſs the Lord our God,

Not at our broken rate.

VI.

But, O! how weak are crawling Worms?

How ſhort our Sabbath-days?

We die more hours by far in ſleep,

Than we do live in praiſe.

O glorious God! accept our wills,

And weakneſſes forgive;

We wiſh our Souls were like the Saints,

Unlike them as we live.

V.

But, O my God! reach down thy hand,

And take us up to thee,

That we about thy Throne may ſtand,

And all thy Glory ſee.

All glory to the ſacred Three,

One Everlaſting Lord,

As at the firſt, ſtill may he be

Belov'd, obey'd, ador'd.

HYMN VIII.

I.

COme let's adore the King of Love,

The King of ſuff'rings too,

For love it was that brought him down,

And ſet him here below.

Love drew him from his Paradice,

Where Flowers that fade not grow,

And planted him in our poor duſt,

Among us, Weeds below.

II.

O narrow thoughts, and narrow ſpeech!

Here your defects confeſs.

The life of God, the death of Chriſt,

How faintly you expreſs.

O thou! who from a Virgin root

Made'ſt this fair Flower to ſpring,

Help us to raiſe both heart and voice,

And with more ſpirit ſing,

III.

To Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt,

One undivided Three,

All higheſt praiſe, all humbleſt thanks

Now and for ever be.

HYMN IX.

To the Tune of the 100 Pſalm.

I.

TUne now your ſelves my heart ſtrings high,

Let us aloft our voices raiſe,

That our loud ſong may reach the Sky,

And there preſent to thee our praiſe.

To thee, bleſt Jeſus, who came'ſt down

From thoſe bright Spheres of Joy above,

To purchaſe us a dear bought Crown,

And woe our Souls t'eſpouſe thy Love.

Long had the World in darkneſs ſat,

Till thou with thy all-glorious light

Began to dawn from Heav'ns fair Gate,

And with thy beam diſpell'd their night.

We too, alas! ſtill here had ſtood

As common ſlaves in this ſame ſhade,

But Jeſus came, and with his Blood

Our general Ranſom freely paid.

And now, my Lord, my God, my All,

What ſhall I moſt in thee admire,

That pow'r which made the world, & ſhall

The world again diſſolve with Fire!

Oh no! thy ſtrange humility,

Thy wounds, thy pains, thy Croſs, thy death

Theſe ſhall alone my wonder be,

My health, my joy, my ſtaff, my breath.

To thee, great God, to thee alone,

Three Perſons in One Deity,

As former Ages ſtill have done,

All Glory now and ever be.

HYMN X.

I.

THE Mighty Jeſus, fill'd with love

Did theſe dark Regions leave:

The heav'nly Hoſts all wandring ſtood

King Jeſus to receive.

The great Jehovah ſets a Throne,

Inſtalls our glorious King;

Both Heav'n and Earth muſt him adore;

And loud Hoſannah's ſing.

II.

There ſits the King of Peace and Love,

A Saviour is his name,

Mercy his Nature and delight,

And ever ſo the ſame.

Come all that fear, come all that want,

And ſpeedy ſuccour find;

He n're denies a praying Soul,

He is ſoo good and kind.

III.

Behold and wonder at his Love,

We are his daily care,

His ear, his heart, is always fixt

To hear and anſwer prayer.

Be not afraid to bring your Suit,

Come with a chearful heart.

Weak crys, mixt prayers cannot bar

A grant to his own part.

IV.

Satan, it's true, preſents his Plea,

And Juſtice brings its claim;

But all are ſilent when he pleads,

His Blood, his Love, his Name!

Let holy Souls then daily go

To Jeſus on his Throne,

And love that all-prevailing Friend

Who ſays we are his own.

HYMN XI. As the 67th Pſalm.

I.

O This ungrateful World!

To kill ſo kind a Friend,

That made the Lord of Glory die,

What might this act portend?

But wonder, holy Souls,

God's thoughts all thoughts tranſcend:

Chriſt murder'd by a Rebel World,

And yet he is our Friend.

II.

It's true, Chriſt left the Earth,

But is enthron'd above,

Not to revenge this cruel act,

But lives and reigns in love,

II.

Sweet is his work on high,

Peace is the charming voice;

Let but a Soul embrace his Call,

The heav'nly Hoſt rejoyce.

Behold he ſtands and calls,

Come Sinners, come to me,

My Love, my Kingdom ſhall be yours

To all Eternity.

III.

Believe my faithful Word,

All my deſigns are Grace,

Take now the Earneſt of my Love

Before you ſee my face.

Never be ſtrange to me,

I wait to hear your cry,

Let me but know your preſſing wants,

And you ſhall have ſupply.

IV.

Never diſtruſt my Love,

I Am, this is my Name;

Sin makes me hide my face a while,

When yet my Love's the ſame.

Never regard your Foes,

They are no match for me;

Plead ſtill my Conqueſts with your God,

And you ſhall Victors be.

HYMN XII.

I.

FIll'd with the ſenſe of ſin and wrath,

And black deſpair drew nigh,

To Chriſt I fled for ſucc'ring Grace,

He heard my mournful cry:

Under his pleaſant ſhade I ſate,

Sweet notes of Love I heard;

My welcome was above my thought,

How was I lov'd and chear'd!

II.

He came to me, but not alone,

Divine fruits were my fair;

I waited what he firſt would ſay,

Your ſins now pardon'd are:

Peace with Jehovah is my gift,

No frowns appear above;

Go boldly to my Father's Throne,

Love waits your Soul to love.

III.

The Book of Life, your Name is there,

And ever there ſhall be,

Love wrote it there, Love keeps it there

To all Eternity.

Ask what you will, I have God's Ear,

He never me deny'd:

Come with your fears, come with your wants,

And you ſhall be ſupply'd.

IV.

I give my Angels for your Guard,

You are their daily care,

Let Satan tempt and ſhoot his Darts,

They can prevent the ſnare.

O Lord! what can I now reply,

What, love at ſuch a rate!

But this I'll pray, O let my Love

Bear an Eternal Date.

Another.

I.

The time is paſt when humane Race

Became God's Enemy:

The World ne're ſaw ſo black a Night,

When Adam eat the Tree,

Vaſt gulf of Woes became his due,

Which had no bounds nor end;

What e're he did, what e're he thought,

Still guilt did him attend.

II.

God ſaw this ſad tremendous Fall,

His Truth ſaid, might thy Word

Juſtice requir'd, the Sinner's Blood

No pity him afford;

But Love, that charming Attribute

Prepar'd a kind Reply,

The Pleas of Juſtice I'll adjuſt,

My only Son ſhall die.

III.

Bleſt was the day when Adam heard

That chearing word of Grace,

I'll ſend the Lord of Glory here,

And hide my angry face.

Hear what he ſays, he knows my heart,

My Mercy ſhall rejoice,

Peace he'll proclaim, the War will ceaſe,

If you obey his voice.

IV.

Go trembling Sinner, go to him,

Fear not your former guilt,

His Death has anſwer'd my demands,

And I will you acquit.

Come take the Pledge, believe my Son,

I am your own, your All,

I have a Father's hand and heart,

To hear you when you call.

V.

My Chriſt did lovingly invite

Me to his charming Feaſt;

He added to his wond'rous Love,

Made me a wiliing Gueſt.

I came and found a Banquet rare,

He brought me Angels food,

He bid me take and eat my fill,

For my Eternal good.

VI.

He ſpoke ſuch chearing words of Grace,

What do you want, my Friend?

What, can you doubt my kind deſign?

Conſider and attend.

Sin cannot now defeat my Love,

Since pardons I will give.

Sin ſeems an unreſiſted Foe,

It ſhall not always live.

VII.

You feel a dreadful War within,

Luſts claim a rightleſs Throne,

But this united force I'll break,

Since now you are my own.

Satan with all his Darts and Snares

Shall prove a fruitleſs Foe;

You are deſign'd for Heaven's Bliſs,

He to Eternal Woe.

VIII.

Never diſtruſt my wond'rous Love,

The beſt is yet behind,

No Tongue nor Thought can repreſent

How good I'll be, and kind;

Refreſh your Souls with what I give,

Wait till you come on high:

I long till all my Members ſee

What's in Eternity.

Another.

I.

What made the Lord of Glory die?

Shall God the anſwer make?

Our guilty Souls may trembling ſtand

To hear Hehovah ſpeak:

But God has ſpoke, he ſent his Son,

But ſtay dejected heart,

Not to condemn a Rebel World,

But to regain his part.

II.

The Death of Chriſt no vengeance cries,

It is a ſign of Peace;

It pardons ſins, and pays our debts,

And gives our Souls releaſe;

Let Law & Conſcience bring their charge,

Let Juſtice plead our guilt:

The Death of Chriſt can ſilence all,

And God will us acquit.

III.

Oh Soul! ſhall baniſht fears return,

When you can pardon plead.

Hold faſt this charming Pledge of Love,

For you it is decreed;

Let Angels ſing their higheſt Note,

Let Earth triumph below,

Let the Redeemed of the Lord

Their Saviour's Glory ſhow.