2 Not Sinai's mountain could appear
More glorious when the Lord was there;
While he pronounc'd his dreadful law,
And struck the chosen tribes with awe.
3 How bright the triumph none can tell,
When the rebellious pow'rs of hell,
That thousand souls had captive made,
Were all in chains, like captives led.
4 Rais'd by his Father to the throne,
He sent the promis'd Spirit down,
With gifts and grace for rebel men,
That God might dwell on earth again.
SECTION FOURTH HIS OFFICES.
L. M. The Offices of Christ.
1 JOIN all the names of love and pow'r,
That ever men or angels bore;
All are too mean to speak his worth,
Too mean to set the Saviour forth.
2 But O what condescending ways
He takes to teach his heav'nly grace!
Ye saints with joy and wonder view,
What forms of love he bears for you.
3 The "Angel of the Cov'nant" stands,
With his commission in his hands,
Sent from Jehovah's gracious throne,
To make the great salvation known.
4 Great Prophet! we would bless thy name,
Through whom the joyful tidings came,
Of wrath remov'd, of sins forgiv❜n,
Of hell subdu'd, and peace with heav'n.
5 Our bright Example and our Guide!
In thy direction we confide;
O may we never from thee stray,
To follow sin's forbidden way!
6 Christ is our Shepherd; he shall keep
Our wand'ring souls among his sheep;
He feeds his flock, he calls their names,
And in his bosom bears the lambs.
7 Our Surety undertakes our cause,
Fulfils Jehovah's broken laws;
Behold our souls at freedom set;
Our surety paid the dreadful debt.
8 Our great High Priest himself has died;
We need no sacrifice beside:
His blood did once for all atone,
And now he pleads before the throne.
9 Our Advocate appears on high,
To bring estranged rebels nigh ;
Not all that earth or hell can say
Succeeds to turn his love away.
10 Our Lord, our Conqu'ror, and our King!
Thy sceptre and thy sword we sing;
Thine is the vict'ry, and we sit
As ransom'd captives at thy feet.
11 Aspire, ye saints, to glorious deeds,
The "
Captain of Salvation" leads;
March on, nor fear to win the day,
Though death and hell obstruct your way. 12 Should death, and hell, and pow'rs unknown, Put all their forms of mischief on,
We shall be safe, for Christ displays
Salvation in more sov'reign ways.
L.M. God's covenant with Christ the Mediator. Ps. lxxxix.
1 FOR ever shall our songs record,
The truth and mercy of the Lord;
Mercy and truth for ever stand,
Like heav'n establish'd by his hand.
2 Thus to the Son he sware and said:
"With thee my covenant is made;
"In thee shall dying sinners live,
"Glory and grace are thine to give.
3 "Thou art my Prophet; thou my Priest;
Thy children shall be ever bless'd;
"Thou art my sov'reign King; thy throne "Shall stand eternal as my own.
4 David, my servant whom I chose
"To guard my flock, and crush my foes, "And rais'd him to the Jewish throne, "Was but a type of Christ my Son." 5 Now let the church rejoice, and sing Jesus her Saviour and her King: Celestial pow'rs his wonders show, While saints adore his grace below.
C.M. Christ our Prophet, Priest, and King. Heb. iii. 1-6.
1 WE bless the Prophet of the Lord,
Who comes with truth and grace;
Jesus, thy Spirit and thy word
Shall lead us in thy ways.
2 We rev'rence our High Priest above,
Who offer'd up his blood,
And lives to carry on his love,
By pleading with our God."
3 We honour our exalted King;
How just are his commands!
He guards our souls from hell and sin,
By his almighty hands.
4 Hosanna to his glorious name,
Who saves us by his grace;
His mercies lay a sovʼreign claim
To our immortal praise.
C. M. Christ the antitype of Aaron.
1 JESUS, in thee our eyes behold A thousand glories more
Than the rich gems, and polish'd gold,
The sons of Aaron wore.
2 They first their own burnt-off'rings brought
To cleanse themselves from sin:
Thy life was pure, without a spot,
And all thy nature clean.
3 Fresh blood, as constant as the day,
Was on their altar spilt:
But thy one off'ring takes away
For ever all our guilt.
4 Their priesthood ran through sev'ral hands For mortal was their race;
Thy never-changing office stands
Eternal as thy days.
5 Once in the circuit of a year,
With blood, but not his own,
Aaron within the veil appears,
Before the golden throne.
6 But Christ, by his own pow'rful blood,
Ascends above the skies;
And in the presence of our God
Shows his own sacrifice.
7 Jesus the King, behold him reign
On Zion's heav'nly hill;
He is the lamb that once was slain,
And wears his priesthood still.
8 He ever lives, to intercede
Before his Father's face:
Sinners, give him your cause to plead,
Nor doubt the Father's grace,
L. M. The greatness and sympathy of Christ as Priest.
Hebrews iv. 14-16.
1 WHERE high the heav'nly temple stands,
The house of God not made with hands,
A great High Priest our nature wears,
The Advocate of man appears.
2 He who for men their Surety stood,
And pour'd on earth his precious blood,
Pursues in heav'n his mighty plan,
The Saviour and the Friend of man.
3 Though now ascended up on high,
He bends to earth a brother's eye;
Partaker of the human name,
He knows the frailty of our frame.
4 Our fellow-suff'rer yet retains
A fellow-feeling of our pains;
And still remembers in the skies.
His tears, his agonies, and cries.
5 In ev'ry pang that rends the heart,
The Man of sorrows had a part;
He sympathises with our grief,
And to the suff'rer sends relief.
6 With boldness, therefore, at the throne
Let us make all our sorrows known;
And ask the aids of heav'nly pow'r
To help us in the evil hour.
C.M. The sympathy and tenderness of Christ our High
Priest. Hebrews ii. 17; iv. 14– 16.
1 WITH joy we meditate the grace
Of our High Priest above;
His heart is fill'd with tenderness,
His very name is love.
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