They shall be call'd the heirs of bliss,
The sons of God, the God of peace.
8 Bless'd are the suff'rers, who partake
Of pain and shame for Jesu's sake;
Their souls shall triumph in the Lord,
Glory and joy are their reward.
HYMN 303. L. M. In three parts.
Characters of Christ borrowed from inanimate things in Scripture.
O worship at Emmanuel's feet,
Earth is too narrow to express
His worth, his glory, or his grace.
2 The whole creation can afford,
But some faint shadows of my Lord;
Nature, to make his beauties known,
Must mingle colours not her own.
3 Is he compar'd 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.
4 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.
5 Is he a rose? Not Sharon yields
Such fragrancy in all her fields;
Or, if the lily he assume,
The vallies bless the rich perfume.
6 Is he a vine? His heav'nly root Supplies the boughs with life and fruit; Oh, let a lasting union join
My soul to Christ, the living vine.
7 IS Christ the head? Each member lives,
And owns the vital pow'rs he gives;
The saints below, and saints above,
Join'd by his spirit and his love.
8 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.
9 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.
10 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.
11 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.
12 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.
13 IS Christ design'd a corner-stone,
For men to build their heav'n upon
I'll make him my foundation too,
Nor fear the plots of hell below.
14 Is he a temple? I adore
Th' indwelling majesty and pow'r ;
And still to his most holy place,
Whene'er I pray, I turn my face.
15 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.
16 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.
17 Oh, let me climb these higher skies,
Where storms and darkness never rise!
There he displays his pow'r abroad,
And shines and reigns th' incarnate God.
18 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.
The Names and Titles of Christ, from several
Scriptures.
IS from the treasures of his word,
I borrow titles for my Lord;
Nor art, nor nature can supply,
Sufficient forms of majesty.
2 Bright image of the Father's face,
Shining with undiminish'd rays,
Th' eternal God's eternal Son,
The heir and partner of his throne.
3 The King of kings, the Lord most high,
Writes his own name upon his thigh:
He wears a garment dipp'd in blood,
And breaks the nations with his rod.
4 Where grace can neither melt nor move,
The Lamb resents his injur'd love ;
Awakes his wrath without delay,
And Judah's Lion tears the prey.
5 But when for works of peace he comes,
What winning titles he assumes!
Light of the world, and life of men;
Nor bears those characters in vain.
6 With tender pity in his heart,
He acts the Mediator's part!
A friend and brother he appears,
And well fulfils the name he wears.
7 At length the Judge his throne ascends,
Divides the rebels from his friends ;
And saints, in full fruition, prove
His rich variety of love.
HYMN 305. L. M. In two parts.
The Offices of Christ, from several Scriptures.
OIN all the names of love and pow'r
That ever men or angels bore,
All are too mean to speak his worth,
Or set Emmanuel's glory forth.
2 But Oh, what condescending ways
He takes to teach his heav'nly grace!
My eyes with joy and wonder see,
What forms of love he bear to me.
3 The "Angel of the cov'nant stands,"
With his commission in his hands,
Sent from his Father's milder throne,
To make the great salvation known.
4 Great Prophet, let me bless thy name;
By thee the joyful tidings came.
Of wrath appeas'd, of sins forgiv'n,
Of hell subdu'd, and peace with heav'n!
5 My bright Example and my Guide,
I would be walking near thy side;
Oh, let me never run astray,
Nor follow the forbidden way!
6 I love my Shepherd, he shall keep
My wand'ring soul amongst his sheep;
He feeds his flocks, he calls their names,
And in his bosom bears the lambs.
7 My Surety undertakes my cause,
Answ'ring his Father's broken laws :
Behold my soul at freedom set,
My Surety paid the dreadful debt.
8 JESUS, my great High Priest, has dy'd, I seek no sacrifice beside;
His blood did once for all atone,
And now it pleads before the throne.
9 My Advocate appears on high,
The Father lays his thunder by:
Not all that earth or hell can say,
Shall turn my Father's heart away.
10 My Lord, my Conq'ror, and my King,
Thy sceptre and thy sword I sing;
Thine is the vict'ry, and I sit
A joyful subject at thy feet.
11 Aspire, my soul, to glorious deeds,
The Captain of salvation leads;
March on, nor fear to win the day,
Tho' death and hell obstruct the way.
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