Ο

HIS ASCENSION.

LXXXIII. L. M. Wesley's Collec. Christ's Ascension. Psalm xxiv. 7. UR Lord is risen from the dead, Our Jesus is gone up on high; The pow'rs of hell are captive led, Dragg'd to the portals of the sky. 2 There his triumphal chariot waits, And angels chant the solemn lay; "Lift up your heads, ye heavenly gates! "Ye everlasting doors give way! 3 "Loose all your bars of massy light, "And wide unfold the radiant scene; "He claims those mansions as his right, "Receive the King of Glory in." 4"Who is the King of Glory, who?" The Lord that all his foes o'ercame, The world, sin, death, and hell o'erthrew, And Jesus is the conq'ror's name. 5 Lo! his triumphant chariot waits, And angels chant the solemn lay, "Lift up your heads, ye heav'nly gates! "Ye everlasting doors give way!" 6 Who is the King of Glory, who?" The Lord of boundless power possest, The King of saints and angels too, God over all, for ever blest!

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HIS INTERCESSION.

LXXXIV. L. M. Steele.

The Intercession of Christ. Heb. vii. 25. HWhat joy the blest assurance gives!) E lives, the great Redeemer lives,

And now before his father God,

Presents the merit of his blood.

2 Repeated crimes awake our fears,
And justice arm'd with frowns appears;
But in the Saviour's lovely face

Sweet mercy smiles, and all is peace.
3 Hence then, ye black despairing thoughts,
Above our fears, above our faults
His powerful intercessions rise,
And guilt removes, and terror dies.

4 In every dark distressful hour,
When sin and Satan join their power;

Let this dear hope repel the dart,
That Jesus bears us on his heart.
5 Great Advocate-almighty Friend-
On him our humble hopes depend;
Our cause can never, never fail,
For Jesus pleads and must prevail.

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LXXXV. C. M. Toplady.

Christ's intercession prevalent. John xvii. 24.
WAKE, sweet gratitude, and sing

A Th' ascended Saviour's love;

Sing how he lives to carry on
His people's cause above.

2 With cries and tears he offer'd up
His humble suit below;
But with authority he asks,
Enthron'd in glory now.

3 For all that come to God by him,
Salvation he demands;
Points to their names upon his breast,
And spreads his wounded hands.

4 His sweet atoning sacrifiee

Gives sanction to his claim:
"Father, I will that all my saints
"Be with me where I am:

5 "By their salvation, recompense
"The sorrows I endur'd;
"Just to the merits of thy Son,
"And faithful to thy word."

6 Eternal life, at his request,
To every saint is given:
Safety below, and after death,
The plenitude of heaven.

7 [Founded on right, thy prayer avails,
The Father smiles on thee;
And now thou in thy kingdom art,
Dear Lord, remember me.

8 Let the much incense of thy prayer
In my behalf ascend;

And as its virtue, so my praise,
Shall never, never end.]

LXXXVI. C. M. Doddridge.

Christ's Intercession typified by Aaron's Breast

1

plate. Exodus xxviii. 29.

OW let our cheerful eyes survey
Our great high priest above,

And celebrate his constant care,
And sympathetic love.

2 Though rais'd to a superior throne,
Where angels bow around,

And high o'er all the shining train
With matchless honours crown'd;
3 The names of all his saints he bears
Deep graven on his heart;
Nor shall the meanest christian say
That he hath lost his part.

4 Those characters shall fair abide,
Our everlasting trust,

When gems, and monuments, and crowns
Are moulder'd down to dust.

5 So gracious Saviour, on my breast,
May thy dear name be worn,
A sacred ornament and guard,
To endless ages borne.

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AN OBJECT OF PRAISE.

LXXXVII. C. M. Doddridge.

The condescending grace of Christ. Mat. xx. 28.

AVIOUR of men, and Lord of love,
How sweet thy gracious name!

With joy that errand we review,
On which Messiah came.

2 While all thy own angelic hands
Stood waiting on the wing,
Charm'd with the honour to obey
Their great eternal King;

3 For us, mean, wretched, sinful men,
Thou laidst that glory by;

First in our mortal flesh to serve,
Then in that flesh to die.

4 Bought with thy service and thy blood,
We doubly, Lord, are thine;
To thee our lives we would devote,
To thee our death resign.

LXXXVIII. L. M. Steele.

The exalted Saviour.

1 OW let us raise our cheerful strains,
And join the blissful choir above;

There our exalted Saviour reigns,
And there they sing his wondrous love.

O may we feel the sacred flame;
And ev'ry heart and ev'ry tongue
Adore the Saviour's glorious name!
3 Jesus, who once upon the tree
In agonizing pains expir'd;
Who dy'd for rebels-yes, 'tis he!

How bright! how lovely! how admir'd!
4 Jesus, who dy'd that we might live,
Dy'd in the wretched traitor's place ;-
O what returns can mortals give,
For such immeasurable grace?

5 Were universal nature ours,

And art with all her boasted store;
Nature and art with all their powers,
Would still confess the offering poor!
6 Yet though for bounty so divine!
We ne'er can equal honours raise,
Jesus, may all our hearts be thine,
And all our tongues proclaim thy praise!

CHARACTERS AND REPRE-
SENTATIONS OF CHRIST.

LXXXIX. L. M. Doddridge.

Noah preserved in the Ark, and the Believer in Christ. 1 Pet. iii. 20, 21.

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T

HE deluge at the Almighty's call,
In what impetuous streams it fell!
Swallow'd the mountains in its rage,
And swept a guilty world to hell.

2 In vain the tallest sons of pride
Fled from the close-pursuing wave!
Nor could their mightiest towers defend,
Nor swiftness 'scape, nor courage save.
3 How dire the wreck! how loud the roar !
How shrill the universal cry

Of millions in the last despair,
Re-echoed from the lowering sky!
Yet Noah, humble, happy saint,
Surrounded with the chosen few,
Sat in his ark, secure from fear,
And sang the grace that steer'd him thro
5 So I may sing, in Jesus safe,

While storms of vengeance round me fall,

And celebrate his constant care,
And sympathetic love.

2 Though rais'd to a superior throne,
Where angels bow around,

And high o'er all the shining train
With matchless honours crown'd;
3 The names of all his saints he bears
Deep graven on his heart;
Nor shall the meanest christian say
That he hath lost his part.

4 Those characters shall fair abide,
Our everlasting trust,

When gems, and monuments, and crowns
Are moulder'd down to dust.
5 So gracious Saviour, on my breast,
May thy dear name be worn,
A sacred ornament and guard,
To endless ages borne.

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AN OBJECT OF PRAISE.

LXXXVII. C. M. Doddridge.

The condescending grace of Christ. Mat. xx. 28.

S

AVIOUR of men, and Lord of love, How sweet thy gracious name! With joy that errand we review,

On which Messiah came.

2 While all thy own angelic bands
Stood waiting on the wing,
Charm'd with the honour to obey
Their great eternal King;

3 For us, mean, wretched, sinful men,
Thou laidst that glory by;

First in our mortal flesh to serve,
Then in that flesh to die.

4 Bought with thy service and thy blood,
We doubly, Lord, are thine;
To thee our lives we would devote,
To thee our death resign.

1

LXXXVIII. L. M. Steele.

The exalted Saviour.

Now let us raise our cheerful strains,
And join the blissful choir above;

There our exalted Saviour reigns,
And there they sing his wondrous love.