VI.

CHRIST ASCENDED.

"And ascended into Heaven; and sitteth on the right hand of the Father."

LXV.

Thou 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 oppress'd;

Lord! send Thy promised Comforter,
And lead us to Thy rest!

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!

Thou art gone up on high:

But Thou shalt come again
With all the bright ones of the sky

Attendant in Thy train.

Oh! by Thy saving power

So make us live and die,

That we may stand, in that dread hour,

At Thy right hand on high !

Emma Toke. 1851.

LXVI.

Thou, who didst stoop below
To drain the cup of woe
Wearing the form of frail mortality,

Thy blessed labours done,

Thy crown of victory won,

Hast pass'd from earth, pass'd to Thy home on high.

It was no path of flowers

Through this dark world of ours,

Beloved of the Father, Thou didst tread :

And shall we in dismay

Shrink from the narrow way,

When clouds and darkness are around it spread?

O Thou, who art our life,

Be with us through the strife!

Thy holy head by earth's fierce storms was bowed; Raise Thou our eyes above,

To see a Father's love

Beam, like the bow of promise, through the cloud.

E'en through the awful gloom

Which hovers o'er the tomb,

That light of love our guiding star shall be:

Our spirits shall not dread

The shadowy way to tread,

Friend, Guardian, Saviour! which doth lead to

Thee.

Sarah Appleton Miles. [1840.]

LXVII.

To Him, who for our sins was slain,
To Him, for all His dying pain,

Sing we Hallelujah i

To Him, the Lamb our sacrifice,

Who gave His soul our ransom-price,
Sing we Hallelujah!

To Him, who died that we might die
To sin, and live with Him on high,
Sing we Hallelujah!
To Him, who rose that we might rise
And reign with Him beyond the skies,
Sing we Hallelujah!

To Him, who now for us doth plead
And helpeth us in all our need,

Sing we Hallelujah!

To Him, who doth prepare on high

Our home in immortality,

Sing we Hallelujah!

To Him be glory evermore;

Ye heavenly hosts, your Lord adore ;

Sing we Hallelujah!

To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,

One God most great, our joy and boast,

Sing we Hallelujah!

Arthur Tozer Russell. 1851

LXVIII.

Saviour, when in dust to Thee
Low we bend the adoring knee;
When repentant to the skies
Scarce we lift our weeping eyes;

Oh! by all the pains and woe Suffer'd once for man below, Bending from Thy throne on high, Hear our solemn Litany!

By Thy helpless infant years,
By Thy life of want and tears,
By Thy days of sore distress
In the savage wilderness;
By the dread mysterious hour
Of the insulting tempter's power;
Turn, oh! turn a favouring eye,
Hear our solemn Litany!

By the sacred griefs that wept
O'er the grave where Lazarus slept ;
By the boding tears that flowed
Over Salem's lov'd abode ;
By the anguish'd sigh that told
Treachery lurk'd within Thy fold;
From Thy seat above the sky,
Hear our solemn Litany!

By Thine hour of dire despair;
By Thine agony of prayer;
By the cross, the nail, the thorn,
Piercing spear, and torturing scorn;
By the gloom that veil'd the skies
O'er the dreadful sacrifice;
Listen to our humble cry,
Hear our solemn Litany!

By Thy deep expiring groan ;
By the sad sepulchral stone;
By the vault, whose dark abode
Held in vain the rising God;

Oh! from earth to heaven restored,
Mighty re-ascended Lord,

Listen, listen to the cry

Of our solemn Litany!

Sir Robert Grant. 1815.

LXIX.

Saviour, who, exalted high
In Thy Father's majesty,
Yet vouchsaf'st Thyself to show
To Thy faithful flock below;
Foretaste of that blissful sight,
When, arrayed in glorious light,
Beaming with paternal grace,
They shall see Thee face to face:
Saviour, though this earthly shroud
Now my mortal vision cloud,
Still Thy presence let me see,
Manifest Thyself to me!

Son of God, to Thee I cry :
By the holy mystery

Of Thy dwelling here on earth,
By thy pure and holy birth,
Offspring of the Virgin's womb;
By the light, through midnight gloom
Bursting on the shepherds' gaze ;
By the angels' song of praise :
By the leading of the star,

The Eastern sages' guide from far;

By their gifts, with worship meet
Offer'd at thy infant feet :

Lord, Thy presence let me see,

Manifest Thyself to me!

Man of sorrows, hear me cry!
By Thy great humility;