John 19: My faith with joy and wonder sees

My faith with joy and wonder sees
Jesus Thy sacred obsequies,
A burial which has power to save
From death, a burial of the grave!

It beautifies the hideous tomb,
It dissipates the frightful gloom,
Smoothly prepares my easiest bed,
The softest pillow for my head.

O that I now my wish might have,
And sink into my Saviour's grave;
O that this flesh no more oppress'd
With pain and sin, in hope might rest'
My soul disburden'd of its clay
On eagle's wings would soar awn)-,
Behold the Sun with eagle's eyes,
And grasp my Lord in paradise.
Seven " Short Hymns " on the words spoken on the Cross
were inserted in the First Edition, under certain verses in St.
Luke's Gospel, c. xxiii. As they were afterwards much enlarged
and improved, it is deemed better, though at the risk of a little
repetition, to place them together here in a complete form.

Expiring in the sinner's stead,
"I thirst," the Friend of sinners cries,
And feebly lifts His languid head,
And breathes His wishes to the skies.

Not for the vinegar they gave,
For life, or liberty, or ease;
He thirsted all the world to save;
He only thirsted after this.

He thirsted for this soul of mine,
That I might His salvation see,
That I might in His image shine;
Meek Lamb of God,— He long'd for me!

Willing that all His death should know,
And feel the virtue of His blood,
He thirsted to redeem His foe,
And reconcile a world to God.

And shall not we the same require,
And languish to be saved from sin?
Yes, Lord, 'tis all our heart's desire;
O wash, and make us pure within!

Be satisfied! We thirst for Thee,
We add our strong desire to Thine;
See then Thy soul's hard travail, see,
And die to make us all Divine.
The Words Spoken on the Cross.
22-. " Father, forgive them; for tiny knmo not what they do."-
i " Father, forgive the sinful race,
Who in My blood their hands imbrue;
O let that blood their sins efface;
Alas! they know not what they do."

Hear the meek Lamb for sinners plead,
For those who nail'd Him to the tree;
He suffers in His murderers' stead;
He prays for all mankind, and me.

Our sins have nail'd Him to the wood;
Our sins the Prince of Life have slain,
Have spill'd His heart's last drop of blood;
Nor can He plead and pray in vain.

We are from all our sins released,
Who trust in that expiring groan;
In Him the Father is well-pleased;
He always hears His favourite Son.

" Forgive them," gasps the parting breath,
And now the world may be forgiven,
God heard Him intercede beneath,
And seal'd the dying prayer in heaven.

" Forgive them," still the Saviour cries,
Sprinkling the nations with His blood;
The blood of sprinkling fills the skies,
And speaks believers up to God.
i While hanging on the shameful cross,
His scatter'd flock the Saviour sees,
Their wants His dying thoughts engross,
He marks and pities their distress:

He all their griefs and sorrows shares,
Nor even in death forgets His own,
But kindly for His orphans cares;
"Woman," He saith, "behold thy son."

To us the new command He gives, —
O may we all obedient prove,
And take the legacy He leaves,
His richest legacy of love.

Us each to other He commends,
And bids us in one Spirit join;
Unites, and makes us more than friends,
All kinsmen, in a bond Divine.

Then let us each to other give
The honour to a parent due,
And all with tenderest love receive,
A love which nature never knew.

Give, Jesus, give the' uniting grace,
The bond of charity Divine;
And let us all mankind embrace,
And love them with a love like Thine.