That flesh, that dying blood of thine,
Is bread of life, is heavenly wine.
4 Is he a Tree? the world receives
Salvation from his healing leaves;

That righteous Branch, that fruitful Bough,
Is David's root and offspring too.
5 Is he a Rose? not Sharon yields.
Such fragrancy in all her fields:
Or if the Lily he assume,

The vallies bless the rich perfume.
6 Is he a Vine? his heavenly Root
Supplies the boughs with life and fruit:
An everlasting union join

Each soul to Christ, the living Vine!
7 Is he the Head? Each member lives
Upon the vital power he gives!
The saints below, and saints above,
Join'd by his spirit and his love.

8 Is he a Star? He breaks the night,
Piercing the shades with dawning light;
I know his glories from afar,

I know the bright, the Morning-Star. 9 Is he a Fire? He'll purge my dross; But the true gold sustains no loss: Like a refiner shall he sit,

And tread the refuse with his feet.

10 Is he a Rock? How firm he proves!
The Rock of Ages never moves;
Yet, the sweet streams that from him flow,
Attend us all the desert through.

11 Is he a Way? He leads to God,
The path is drawn in lines of blood!

There would I walk with hope and zeal,
Till I arrive at Zion's hill.

12 Is he a Door? I'll enter in ;

Behold the pastures, large and green!
A paradise divinely fair,

And all the sheep have freedom there.

13 Is he a Sun? His beams are grace, His course is joy and righteousness: Nations rejoice when he appears

To chase their clouds and dry their tears. 14 Is he a Temple? I adore

Th' indwelling Majesty and power;
And still to his most holy place
Whene'er I pray, I'll turn my face.

HYMN 282.

WATTS

C. M.

Christ the Great High Priest of our Profession.
HOU dear Redeemer, dying Lamb!
We love to hear
of thee;

THO

No music like thy charming name,
Can half so pleasing be!

2 O may we ever hear thy voice
In mercy to us speak!

And in our Priest will we rejoice,
Thou great Melchisedec.

3 Our Jesus shall be still our theme
While in this world we stay;
We'll sing our Jesus' lovely name,
When all things else decay:

4 When we appear in yonder cloud,
With all his favour'd throng,

Then will we sing more sweet and loud,
And Christ shall be our song.

God's tender Care of his Church,

NWnd burst into a song;

TOW shall my inward joys arise,

Almighty love inspires my heart,
And pleasures tune my tongue.

2 God on his thirsty Zion's hill
Some mercy-drops has thrown,

And solemn oaths have bound his love
To shower salvation down.

3 Why do we then indulge our fears,
Suspicion and complaints?
Is he a God, and shall his
Grow weary of his saints?

grace

4 Can a kind woman e'er forget
The infant of her womb,

And 'mongst a thousand tender thoughts,
Her suckling have no room?

5 Yet, saith the Lord, should nature change,
And mothers monsters prove,

Zion still dwells upon the heart

Of everlasting love.

6 Deep on the palms of both my hands
I have engrav'd her name;

My hands shall raise her ruin'd walls,
And build her broken frame.

HYMN 284. L. M.

Persecution.

BSURD and vain attempt to bind

To force conviction, and reclaim
The wand'ring, by destructive flame!
2 Bold arrogance, to snatch from heaven
Dominion not to mortals given!

O'er conscience to usurp the throne,
Accountable to God alone!

3 Mad zeal! that fills the world with wo!
That hurls down kingdoms at a blow!
That wakens vengeance to devour
The foes of antichristian power!

4 Jesus, thy gentle law of love
Does no such cruelties approve ;
Mild as thyself, thy doctrine wields
No arms, but what persuasion yields.
5 By proofs divine and reason strong,
It draws the willing soul along ;

WATTS.

And conquests to thy church acquires,
By eloquence, which Heaven inspires.
6 O happy, who are thus compell'd
To the rich feast, by Jesus held!
May we this blessing know, and prize
The light which liberty supplies.

HYMN 285. L. M.
Holy Resolution.

SCOTT.

H, wretched souls, who strive in vain!

A nobler toil may I sustain,

A nobler satisfaction win.

2 I would resolve with all my heart,
With all my pow'rs to serve the Lord;
Nor from his precepts e'er depart,
Whose service is a rich reward.
3 O be his service all my joy!

Around let my example shine;
Till others love the blest employ.
And join in labours so divine.
4 Be this the purpose of my soul,
My solemn, my determin'd choice,
To yield to his supreme control,
And in his kind commands rejoice.
5 0 may I never faint nor tire,

Nor wander from thy sacred ways!
Great God, accept my soul's desire,
And give me strength to live thy praise.

HYMN 286. S. M.

MRS. STEELE.

Christ the Branch of David, and the morning Star.

LL hail, mysterious King!

Thou righteous Branch, which thence did spring, To give the nations fruit.

2 Our weary souls shall rest
Beneath thy grateful shade;

Our thirsting lips the sweets shall taste,
By thy blest fruits convey'd.

3 Fair morning Star, arise!
With living glories bright;
And pour on these awak'ning eyes
A flood of sacred light.

4 The horrid gloom is fled,

Pierc'd by thy heavenly ray;

Shine, and our wand'ring footsteps lead

To everlasting day.

DODDRIDGE altered.

HYMN 287. C. M.

A Pillar of the Heavenly Temple.

LL hail, victorious Saviour, hail!
I bow to thy command,

And own that David's royal key
Well fits thy sov'reign hand.

2 Open the treasures of thy love,
And shed thy gifts abroad;
Unveil to my rejoicing eyes
The temple of my God.

3 There as a pillar let me stand,
On an eternal base;

Uprear'd by thy almighty hand,
And polish'd by thy grace.

4 There, deep engraven let me bear
The title of my God;

And mark the New Jerusalem,
As my secure abode.

5 In lasting characters inscribe

Thy own beloved name;

That endless ages there may read
The great Immanuel's claim.

DODDRIDGE.