Counsels of Love

  Father, our ransomed souls would bless Thy name,
    As all Thy purposes before us shine;
  Conceived before the earth or starry frame
    Burst into being at Thy Word Divine.

  Before Thy works of old Thine eyes beheld
    That radiant sphere, in which Thy love should rest;
  And where its sacred triumphs should be swelled
    In endless song by souls supremely blest.

  ’Twas man that filled Thy vision, not the host
    That flame about Thy throne in splendour bright;
  Thyself the Object of his holy boast,
    Thy love, of his rejoicing heart, the light.

  Chosen in Christ, Thy well-beloved Son
    Blameless in holiness before Thy face;
  One, in the unity of nature, one;
    One, in the greatness of Thy heavenly grace,

  With Him who, here where Thou dishonoured wast,
    Thy Name and nature fully glorified;
  And, lest the foe should triumph to Thy cost,
    Upon a gibbet as a felon died.

  No creature knows how dear He is to Thee,
    Nor Thine appraisement of the work He wrought;
  We who a little know, on bended knee
    Desire in this to be more deeply taught.

  With Thee He lives; and we rejoice to know,
    The gloom and grief and passion all are o’er,
  The sorrow and the shame, the cross and woe,
    Have no admittance thro’ the heavenly door.

  And there our place prepared is even now,
    In Thine own home, in love’s unclouded light,
  Where glory bright encircles every brow,
    To Thy deep satisfaction and delight.

  And there that love that prompted Thee to send
    Thy Son to succour us, and Him to die,
  Shall be our portion, where shall never end
    The joys which power of praise or speech defy.

  O holy, living Father! God of light,
    And love, and peace, and truth, and righteousness!
  With heart, and soul, and strength Thy saints unite,
    Thy name—the Father’s and the Son’s to bless.