7 Our everlasting love is due To him that ransom"d sinners lost; And pity"d rebels when he knew The vast expense his love would cost.]
Hymn 3:13.
Divine love making a feast, and calling in the guests, Luke 14. 17 22 23.
1 How sweet and awful is the place With Christ within the doors, While everlasting love displays The choicest of her stores!
2 Here every bowel of our G.o.d With soft compa.s.sion rolls Here peace and pardon bought with blood Is food for dying souls.
3 [While all our hearts and all our songs Join to admire the feast, Each of us cry with thankful tongues, "Lord, why was I a guest?
4 "Why was I made to hear thy voice, "And enter while there"s room?
"When thousands make a wretched choice, "And rather starve than come."]
5 "Twas the same love that spread the feast, That sweetly forc"d us in, Else we had still refus"d to taste, And perish"d in our sin.
6 [Pity the nations, O our G.o.d, Constrain the earth to come; Send thy victorious word abroad, And bring the strangers home.
7 We long to see thy churches full, That all the chosen race May with one voice and heart and soul, Sing thy redeeming grace.]
Hymn 3:14.
The song of Simeon, Luke 2. 28; or, A sight of Christ makes death easy.
1 Now have our hearts embrac"d our G.o.d, We would forget all earthly charms, And wish to die as Simeon would, With his young Saviour in his arms.
2 Our lips should learn that joyful song, Were but our hearts prepar"d like his; Our souls still willing to be gone, And at thy word depart in peace.
3 Here we have seen thy face, O Lord, And view"d salvation with our eyes, Tasted and felt the living word, The bread descending from the skies.
4 Thou hast prepar"d this dying Lamb, Hast set his blood before our face, To teach the terrors of thy Name, And show the wonders of thy grace.
5 He is our light; our morning star Shall shine on nations yet unknown; The glory of thine Israel here, And joy of spirits near the throne.
Hymn 3:15.
Our Lord Jesus at his own table.
1 [The memory of our dying Lord Awakes a thankful tongue: How rich he spread his royal board, And blest the food, and sung.
2 Happy the men that eat this bread, But double bless"d was he That gently bow"d his loving head, And lean"d it, Lord, on thee.
3 By faith the same delights we taste As that great favourite did, And sit and lean on Jesus" breast, And take the heavenly bread.]
4 Down from the palace of the skies, Hither the King descends; "Come my beloved, eat, (he cries) "And drink salvation, friends.
5 "[My flesh is food and physic too, "A balm for all your pains; "And the red streams of pardon flow "From these my pierced veins."]
6 Hosanna to his bounteous love For such a taste below!
And yet he feeds his saints above With n.o.bler blessings too.
7 [Come the dear day, the glorious hour That brings our souls to rest!
Then we shall need these types no more, But dwell at th" heavenly feast.]
Hymn 3:16.
The agonies of Christ.
1 Now let our pains be all forgot, Our hearts no more repine, Our sufferings are not worth a thought, When, Lord, compar"d with thine.
2 In lively figures here we see The bleeding Prince of love; Each of us hope he dy"d for me, And then our griefs remove.
3 [Our humble faith here takes her rise, While sitting round his board; And back to Calvary she flies, To view her groaning Lord.
4 His soul, what agonies it felt When his own G.o.d withdrew!
And the large load of all our guilt Lay heavy on him too.
5 But the divinity within Supported him to bear: Dying he conquer"d h.e.l.l and sin, And made his triumph there.]
6 Grace, wisdom, justice join"d and wrought The wonders of that day: No mortal tongue, nor mortal thought Can equal thanks repay.
7 Our hymns should sound like those above, Could we our voices raise; Yet, Lord, our hearts shall all be love, And all our lives be praise.
Hymn 3:17.
Incomparable food; or, The flesh and blood of Christ.
1[We sing th" amazing deeds That grace divine performs; Th" eternal G.o.d comes down and bleeds To nourish dying worms.
2 This soul reviving wine, Dear Saviour, "tis thy blood; We thank that sacred flesh of thine For this immortal food.]
3 The banquet that we eat Is made of heavenly things, Earth hath no dainties half so sweet As our Redeemer brings.
4 In vain had Adam sought And search"d his garden round, For there was no such blessed fruit In all the happy ground.
5 Th" angelic host above Can never taste this food, They feast upon their Maker"s love, But not a Saviour"s blood.
6 On us th" Almighty Lord Bestows this matchless grace, And meets us with some cheering word, With pleasure in his face.
7 Come, all ye drooping saints, And banquet with the King, This wine will drown your sad complaints, And tune your voice to sing.
8 Salvation to the Name Of our adored Christ: Thro" the wide earth his grace proclaim His glory in the high"st.
Hymn 3:18.
The same.
1 Jesus, we bow before thy feet, Thy table is divinely stor"d: Thy sacred flesh our souls have eat, "Tis living bread; we thank thee, Lord!