3 Well He knew it was expedient,
For our sake, that He should go;
That the promise of the Father
Might be shed on us below.
Now, though widowed and bereft,
Not as orphans are we left.
4 By the Spirit of Adoption,
Abba, Father, taught to say;
Waiting till our Head shall call us
Up the heaven-illumined way;
Ever looking up to Thee,
Blessed Lord, Thy members see.
292 They looked seadfastly toward Heaven as He
HOU art gone up on high,
To mansions in the skies;
And round Thy throne unceasingly
The songs of praise arise;
But we are lingering here,
With sin and care oppressed;
Lord, send Thy promised Comforter,
And lead us to Thy rest.
2 Thou art gone up on high;
But Thou didst first come down,
Through earth's most bitter agony
To pass unto Thy crown;
And, girt with griefs and fears,
Our onward course must be ;
But only let that path of tears
Lead us at last to Thee.
3 Thou art gone up on high;
But Thou shalt come again,
With all the bright ones of the sky
Attendant in Thy train.
O, by Thy saving power
So make us live and die,
That we may stand in that dread hour
At Thy right hand on high!
87,87,8887.
Psalm lxviii.
ET God arise, and let His foes
Be scattered now before Him;
Let all on Him with joy repose
Who holily adore Him.
Before the Lord let them rejoice,
And in His praise lift up their voice
Who rideth on the heavens.
2 When Thou, O God, Thy flock didst guide, Earth shook at Thy descending;
When Thou on Sinai didst abide,
The rocks beneath were rending.
Thou Lord, didst send a plenteous rain,
And didst Thy heritage sustain,
Their weariness refreshing.
With angel hosts attending;
Thou captive led'st captivity,
To heaven's high throne ascending.
Thou hast receivèd gifts for men,
That God might dwell with them again,
E'en with our race rebellious.
4 Blest be the Lord for all His love,
The God of our salvation;
He daily blesseth from above
His own-His ransomed nation.
The Father, Son, and Spirit bless,
One God of Power and Holiness;
Eternal be our praises.
How shall I copy Him I love?
Nor from those blessèd footsteps swerve,
Which lead me to His seat above?
2 Privations, sorrows, bitter scorn,
The life of toil, the mean abode,
The faithless kiss, the crown of thorn,
Are these the consecrated road?
3 'Twas thus He suffered, though a Son,
Foreknowing, choosing, feeling all,
Until the perfect work was done,
And drunk the bitter cup of gall.
4 Lord, should my path through suffering lie,
Forbid it I should e'er repine;
Still let me turn to Calvary,
Nor heed my griefs, remembering Thine.
5 O let me think how Thou didst leave
Untasted every pure delight,
To fast, to faint, to watch, to grieve
The toilsome day, the homeless night;
6 To faint, to grieve, to die for me!
Thou camest not Thyself to please;
And, dear as earthly comforts be,
Shall I not love Thee more than these?
7 Yes! I would count them all but loss,
To gain the notice of Thine eye;
Flesh shrinks and trembles at the cross,
But Thou canst give the victory.
295 I have given you an example.-John xiii. 15
ORD, as to Thy dear cross we flee,
And plead to be forgiven,
So let Thy life our pattern be,
And form our souls for heaven.
2 Help us, through good report and ill,
Our daily cross to bear;
Like Thee to do our Father's will,
Our brethren's griefs to share.
3 Let grace our selfishness expel,
Our earthliness refine,
And kindness in our bosoms dwell,
As free and true as Thine.
4 If joys shall at Thy bidding flee,
And grief's dark day come on,
We, too, O Christ, would cry like Thee,
Father, Thy will be done!
5 Should friends misjudge, or foes defame,
Or brethren faithless prove,
Then like Thine own, be all our aim,
To conquer them by love.
6 Kept peaceful in the midst of strife,
Forgiving and forgiven,
O may we lead the pilgrim's life,
And follow Thee to heaven.
296 He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself
also so to walk even as He walked.—1 John ii. 6.
Y dear Redeemer and my Lord,
I read my duty in Thy word;
But in Thy life the law appears
Drawn out in living characters.
2 Such was Thy truth, and such Thy zeal,
Such deference to Thy Father's will,
Such love, and meekness so divine,
I would transcribe and make them mine.
3 Cold mountains and the midnight air
Witnessed the fervour of Thy prayer;
The desert Thy temptations knew,
Thy conflict and Thy victory too.
4 Be Thou my pattern; make me bear
More of Thy gracious image here;
Then God, the Judge, shall own my name
Amongst the followers of the Lamb.
He humbled Himself. Philippians ii. 8.
[ESUS, exalted far on high,
To whom a name is given,
A name surpassing every name
That 's known in earth or heaven.
2 Before whose throne shall every knee
Bow down with one accord;
Before whose throne shall every tongue
Confess that Thou art Lord.
3 Jesus, who in the form of God
Didst equal honour claim,
Yet, to redeem our guilty souls,
Didst stoop to death and shame ;
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