Hymns and Spiritual Songs Part 53

7 [Jesus, thy feast we celebrate, We shew thy death, we sing thy Name, Till thou return, and we shall eat The marriage-supper of the Lamb.]

Hymn 3:2.

Communion with Christ, and with saints, 1 Cor. 10. 16 17.

1 [Jesus invites his saints To meet around his board; Here pardon'd rebels sit, and hold Communion with their Lord.

2 For food he gives his flesh, He bids us drink his blood, Amazing favour! matchless grace Of our descending G.o.d!]

3 This holy bread and wine Maintains our fainting breath, By union with our living Lord, And interest in his death.

4 Our heavenly Father calls Christ and his members one; We the young children of his love, And he the first-born Son.

5 We are but several parts Of the same broken bread; One body hath its several limbs, But Jesus is the head.

6 Let all our powers be join'd His glorious Name to raise; Pleasure and love fill every mind, And every voice be praise.

Hymn 3:3.

The new testament in the blood of Christ; or, The new covenant sealed.

1 "The promise of my Father's love "Shall stand for ever good;"

He said, and gave his soul to death, And seal'd the grace with blood.

2 To this dear covenant of thy word I set my worthless name; I seal th' engagement to my Lord, And make my humble claim.

3 Thy light, and strength, and pardoning grace, And glory shall be mine; My life and soul, my heart and flesh, And all my powers are thine.

4 I call that legacy my own Which Jesus did bequeath; 'Twas purchas'd with a dying groan, And ratify'd in death.

5 Sweet is the memory of his Name, Who bless'd us in his will, And to his testament of love Made his own life the seal.

Hymn 3:4.

Christ's dying love; or, Our pardon bought at a dear price.

1 How condescending and how kind Was G.o.d's eternal Son!

Our misery reach'd his heavenly mind, And pity brought him down.

2 [When Justice by our sins provok'd Drew forth its dreadful sword, He gave his soul up to the stroke, Without a murmuring word.]

3 [He sunk beneath our heavy woes To raise us to his throne; There's ne'er a gift his hand bestows But cost his heart a groan.]

4 This was compa.s.sion like a G.o.d, That when the Saviour knew The price of pardon was his blood, His pity ne'er withdrew.

5 Now tho' he reigns exalted high, His love is still as great: Well he remembers Calvary, Nor lets his saints forget.

6 [Here we behold his bowels roll, As kind as when he dy'd; And see the sorrows of his soul Bleed thro' his wounded side.]

7 [Here we receive repeated seals Of Jesus' dying love: Hard is the wretch that never feels One soft affection move.]

8 Here let our hearts begin to melt, While we his death record, And with our joy for pardon'd guilt Mourn that we pierc'd the Lord.

Hymn 3:5.

Christ the bread of life, John 6. 31 35 39.

1 Let us adore th' eternal Word, 'Tis he our souls hath fed; Thou art our living stream, O Lord, And thou th' immortal bread.

2 [The manna came from lower skies, But Jesus from above, Where the fresh springs of pleasure rise And rivers flow with love.

3 The Jews the fathers dy'd at last, Who ate that heavenly bread; But these provisions which we taste Can raise us from the dead.]

4 Bless'd be the Lord that gives his flesh To nourish dying men; And often spreads his table fresh, Lest we should faint again.

5 Our souls shall draw their heavenly breath While Jesus finds supplies; Nor shall our graces sink to death, For Jesus never dies.

6 [Daily our mortal flesh decays, But Christ our life shall come; His unresisted power shall raise Our bodies from the tomb.]

Hymn 3:6.

The memorial of our absent Lord, John 16. 16. Luke 22. 19. John 14. 3.

1 Jesus is gone above the skies, Where our weak senses reach him not And carnal objects court our eyes To thrust our Saviour from our thought.

2 He knows what wandering hearts we have, Apt to forget his lovely face; And to refresh our minds he gave These kind memorials of his grace.

3 The Lord of life this table spread With his own flesh and dying blood; We on the rich provision feed, And taste the wine, and bless the G.o.d.

4 Let sinful sweets be all forgot, And earth grow less in our esteem; Christ and his love fill every thought, And faith and hope be fix'd on him.

5 While he is absent from our sight 'Tis to prepare our souls a place, That we may dwell in heavenly light, And live for ever near his face.

6 Our eyes look upwards to the hills Whence our returning Lord shall come; We wait thy chariot's awful wheels To fetch our longing spirits home.]

Hymn 3:7.

Crucifixion to the world by the cross of Christ, Gal. 6. 14.

1 When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of Glory dy'd, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride.

2 Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, Save in the death of Christ my G.o.d; All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to his blood.

3 See from his head, his hands, his feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down; Did e'er such love and sorrow meet?

Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

4 [His dying crimson like a robe Spreads o'er his body on the tree; Then am I dead to all the globe, And all the globe is dead to me.]