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HYMN 146

L. M.

Characters of Christ; borrowed from inanimate things in Scripture.

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Go, worship at Immanuel's feet,

See in his face what wonders meet!

Earth is too narrow to express

His worth, his glory, or his grace.

[The whole creation can afford

But some faint shadows of my Lord;

Nature, to make his beauties known,

Must mingle colors not her own.]

[Is he compared to wine or bread?

Dear Lord, our souls would thus be fed

That flesh, that dying blood of thine,

Is bread of life, is heav'nly wine.]

[Is he a tree? The world receives

Salvation from his healing leaves;

That righteous branch, that fruitful bough,

Is David's root and offspring too.]

[Is he a rose? Not Sharon yields

Such fragrancy in all her fields:

Or if the lily he assume,

The valleys bless the rich perfume.]

[Is he a vine? His heav'nly root

Supplies the boughs with life and fruit

O let a lasting union join

My soul the branch to Christ the vine!]

[Is he the head? Each member lives,

And owns the vital powers he gives;

The saints below and saints above

Joined by his Spirit and his love.]

[Is he a fountain? There I bathe,

And heal the plague of sin and death

These waters all my soul renew,

And cleanse my spotted garments too.]

[Is he a fire? He'll purge my dross;

But the true gold sustains no loss:

Like a refiner shall he sit,

And tread the refuse with his feet.]

[Is he a rock? How firm he proves!

The Rock of ages never moves;

Yet the sweet streams that from him flow

Attend us all the desert through.]

[Is he a way? He leads to God,

The path is drawn in lines of blood;

There would I walk with hope and zeal,

Till I arrive at Zion's hill.]

[Is he a door? I'll enter in

Behold the pastures large and green,

A paradise divinely fair;

None but the sheep have freedom there.]

[Is he designed the corner-stone,

For men to build their heav'n upon?

I'll make him my foundation too,

Nor fear the plots of hell below.]

[Is he a temple? I adore

Th' indwelling majesty and power

And still to this most holy place,

Whene'er I pray, I turn my face.]

[Is he a star? He breaks the night

Piercing the shades with dawning light;

I know his glories from afar,

I know the bright, the morning star.]

[Is he a sun? His beams are grace,

His course is joy and righteousness;

Nations rejoice when he appears

To chase their clouds and dry their tears.

O let me climb those higher skies,

Where storms and darkness never rise!

There he displays his power abroad,

And shines and reigns th' incarnate God.]

Nor earth, nor seas, nor sun, nor stars,

Nor heav'n, his full resemblance bears;

His beauties we can never trace,

Till we behold him face to face.

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