5

HIS

ASCENSION.

Still for us He intercedes;
His prevailing death He pleads;
Near Himself prepares our place,
Great Forerunner of our race
6 Now, though parted from our sight,
High above yon azure height,

Still our hearts

may

to Him rise,

Following Him beyond the skies.
7 There we shall with Thee remain,
Partners of Thy endless reign;
There Thy face unclouded see,
Find our heaven of heavens in Thee.

284

C.M.

DANIEL TURNER and JAMES FANCH.

Seen of angels.

EYOND the
Far as the

BEYOND

--I Timothy iii. 16.
glittering starry skies,
eternal hills,

There, in the boundless worlds of light,
Our great Redeemer dwells.

2 Legions of angels, round His throne, At His right hand, with golden harps,

They offer songs

divine.

3 Hail, Prince! they cry, for ever hail!

Moved Thee to quit these glorious realms

And royalties above.

4 Through all His travels here below, They did His steps attend;

Oft wondering how and where at last

The mystic

scene would end.

5 They saw His heart transfixed with wounds,

With love and grief run o'er;

They saw Him break the bars of death,
Which none ere brake before.

4 Rehearse His praise with awe profound,
Let knowledge lead the song,
Nor mock Him with a solemn sound
Upon a thoughtless tongue.

5 In Israel stood His ancient throne,
He loved that chosen race;

But now He calls the world His own,
And heathens taste His grace.

6 The British Islands are the Lord's;
There Abraham's God is known;

While powers and princes, shields and swords,
Submit before His throne.

CHARLES WESLEY.*

283 He was taken up, and a cloud received Him

I

out of their sight.-Acts i. 9.

AIL the day that sees Him rise,

H Glorious, to His native skies;

Christ, awhile to mortals given,
Enters now the gates of heaven.

2 There the glorious triumph waits ;
Lift your heads, eternal gates;
Wide unfold the radiant scene;
Take the King of Glory in!

3 Circled round with angel powers,
Their triumphant Lord, and ours,
Conqueror over death and sin;
Take the King of Glory in!

4 Him though highest heaven receives,
Still He loves the earth He leaves;
Though returning to His throne,
Still He calls mankind His own.

5 Still for us He intercedes ;
His prevailing death He pleads;
Near Himself prepares our place,
Great Forerunner of our race

6 Now, though parted from our sight,
High above yon azure height,
Still our hearts may to Him rise,
Following Him beyond the skies.
7 There we shall with Thee remain,
Partners of Thy endless reign;
There Thy face unclouded see,
Find our heaven of heavens in Thee.

284

I

C.M.

DANIEL TURNER and JAMES FANCH.
Seen of angels.-1 Timothy iii. 16.
OEYOND the glittering starry skies,
Far as the eternal hills,

BEYO

There, in the boundless worlds of light,
Our great Redeemer dwells.

2 Legions of angels, round His throne,
In countless armies shine,

At His right hand, with golden harps,
They offer songs divine.

3 Hail, Prince! they cry, for ever hail!
Whose unexampled love

Moved Thee to quit these glorious realms.
And royalties above.

4 Through all His travels here below,
They did His steps attend;

Oft wondering how and where at last
The mystic scene would end.

5 They saw His heart transfixed with wounds, With love and grief run o'er;

They saw Him break the bars of death,
Which none ere brake before.

6 They brought His chariot from above,
To bear Him to His throne;
Spread their triumphant wings, and cried,
The glorious work is done!

C.M.

WATTS.*

285 A Prince and a Saviour.—Acts v. 31.

I

H

[OSANNA to the Prince of Light,
That clothed Himself in clay,
Entered the iron gates of death,
And tore the bars away.

2 Death is no more the king of dread,
Since our Immanuel rose;

He took the tyrant's sting away,
And spoiled our hellish foes.

3 See how the Conqueror, through the heavens, Up to His Father flies;

With scars of honour in His flesh,
And triumph in His eyes.

4 There our exalted Saviour reigns,
And scatters blessings down;
Our Jesus fills His glorious seat
On the celestial throne.

5 Raise your devotion, mortal tongues,
To reach His blest abode;
Sweet be the accents of your songs
To our incarnate God.

6 Bright angels, strike your loudest strings,
Your sweetest voices raise ;

Let heaven and all created things
Sound our Immanuel's praise.

C.M. [C. F. ALEXANDER.]

286 I go to prepare a place for you.—John xiv. 2.

I

THE

THE eternal gates lift up their heads,
The doors are opened wide;

The King of Glory is gone up

Unto His Father's side.

2 Thou art gone in before us, Lord,
Thou hast prepared a place,
That we may be where now Thou art,
And look upon Thy face.

3 And ever on our earthly path
A gleam of glory lies;

A light still breaks upon the cloud
That veils Thee from our eyes.

4 Lift up our thoughts, lift up
our songs,
And let Thy grace be given,
That while we linger yet below,
Our hearts may be in heaven.

5 That where Thou art, at God's right hand,

Our hope, our love may be;

Dwell in us now, that we may dwell
For evermore in Thee.

7,6. Double.

287 That where I am, there ye may be also.

John xiv. 3.

I O! God to heaven ascendeth ;
Throughout its regions vast,

With shouts triumphant blendeth
The trumpet's thrilling blast;
Sing praise with exultation,

Sing praise to Christ the Lord;
King of each heathen nation,
The God of Hosts adored.

[cox.]