LXXI.

Hail, Thou once despised Jesus,
Hail, thou Galilean king!
Thou didst suffer to release us,
Thou didst free salvation bring:
Hail, Thou agonizing Saviour,
Bearer of our sin and shame;
By Thy merits we find favour;
Life is given through Thy Name!
Paschal Lamb, by God appointed,
All our sins were on Thee laid ;
By Almighty Love anointed,

Thou hast full atonement made :
All Thy people are forgiven

Through the virtue of Thy Blood;

Opened is the gate of Heaven;

Peace is made 'twixt man and God.

Jesus, hail! enthroned in glory,
There for ever to abide ;

All the heavenly hosts adore Thee,
Seated at Thy Father's side.
There for sinners Thou art pleading ;
There Thou dost our place prepare ;
Ever for us interceding

Till in glory we appear.

Worship, honour, power, and blessing,

Thou art worthy to receive; Loudest praises, without ceasing,

Meet it is for us to give!

Help, ye bright angelic spirits,

Bring your sweetest, noblest lays ; Help to sing our Saviour's merits, Help to chant Immanuel's praise !

Soon we shall, with those in glory,
His transcendent grace relate;
Gladly sing th' amazing story

Of His dying love so great :
In that blessed contemplation
We for evermore shall dwell,
Crown'd with bliss and consolation,
Such as none below can tell.

John Bakewell. 1760.

LXXII.

Join all the glorious names
Of wisdom, love, and power,
That ever mortals knew,

That angels ever bore;

All are too mean to speak His worth,
Too mean to set my Saviour forth.

But oh! what gentle terms,
What condescending ways,
Doth our Redeemer use

To teach His heavenly grace!

Mine eyes with joy and wonder see
What forms of love He bears for me.

Array'd in mortal flesh

He like an Angel stands,
And holds the promises

And pardons in His hands;

Cominission'd from His Father's throne

To make His grace to mortals known.

Great Prophet of my God,

My tongue would bless Thy Name;
By Thee the joyful news
Of our salvation came;

The joyful news of sins forgiven,

Of hell subdued, and peace with Heaven.

Be Thou my Counsellor,

My Pattern, and my Guide;
And through this desert land

Still keep me near Thy side :
Oh, let my feet ne'er run astray,
Nor rove, nor seek the crooked way !

I love my Shepherd's voice ;
His watchful eyes shall keep
My wandering soul among
The thousands of His sheep :

He feeds His flock, He calls their names,
His bosom bears the tender lambs.

To this dear Surety's hand
Will I commit my cause;
He answers and fulfils

His Father's broken laws :
Behold my soul at freedom set;
My Surety paid the dreadful debt.

Jesus, my great High Priest,
Offer'd His Blood and died;
My guilty conscience seeks
No sacrifice beside:

His powerful Blood did once atone,
And now it pleads before the Throne.

My advocate appears
For my defence on high;
The Father bows His ears
And lays His thunder by:

Not all that hell or sin can say

Shall turn His heart, His love away.

My dear Almighty Lord,
My Conqueror and my King,
Thy sceptre and Thy sword,
Thy reigning grace, I sing:
Thine is the power: behold I sit
In willing bonds before Thy feet!
Now let my soul arise,

And tread the Tempter down;
My Captain leads me forth
To conquest and a crown;
A feeble saint shall win the day,
Though death and hell obstruct the way.

Should all the hosts of death
And powers of hell unknown
Put their most dreadful forms
Of rage and mischief on,

I shall be safe; for Christ displays
Superior power, and guardian grace.

Isaac Watts. 1709.

LXXIII.

Beyond the glittering starry globe

Far as th' eternal hills,

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

Immortal angels, bright and fair,

In countless armies shine,

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

“Hail! Prince,” they cry, “for ever hail!

Whose unexampled love

Moved Thee to quit these glorious realms
And royalties above!"

While Thou didst condescend on earth
To suffer rude disdain,

They cast their honours at Thy feet,
And waited on Thy train.

Blest Angels, who adoring wait
Around the Saviour's Throne,
Oh! tell us, for your eyes have seen,
The wonders He has done.

Ye saw Him, when the heavens and earth, A chaos first, He made,

And night involved the formless deep

In her tremendous shade.

And when, amidst the darksome void,
He bade the light arise,

And kindled up those shining orbs
That now adorn the skies,

Ye saw ;—and in melodious song

Your powerful voices raise,

While all the new-born worlds resound

Their great Creator's praise.

And, when on earth He deign'd to dwell,
In mortal flesh array'd,

Ye wondering saw the Holy Child
In Bethlehem's stable laid.

While in the lowly crib reposed,
His Mother's tender care,

Ye stood around His homely bed,

And watch'd His slumbers there.