"Then said Jesus to his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me."- Matt. 16 : 24.

"Our blessed Lord, when he calls us to take up our cross, sends us not on a way which he does not know. He himself has gone before us, bearing his own cross; and thus he says: 'Follow me.' It is to the fellowship of his sufferings that we are called, greater than any that we can ever know, for he was God as well as man."

Thou Lamb of God, thou Prince of Peace,
For thee my thirsty soul doth pine;
My longing heart implores thy grace-
Oh! make me in thy likeness shine.

When pain o'er my weak flesh prevails,
With heavenly patience arm my breast;
When grief my wounded soul assails,
In lowly meekness may I rest.

Close by thy side still may I keep,

Howe'er life's various currents flow;
With steadfast eye mark every step,
And follow thee where'er thou go.

Thou, Lord, the dreadful fight hast won;
Alone thou hast the wine-press trod;
In me thy strengthening grace be shown;
Oh! may I conquer through thy blood.

So when on Sion thou shalt stand,

And all heaven's hosts adore their king;
Shall I be found at thy right hand,

And free from pain thy glories sing!

"He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."-Mal. 3:6.

"Let the Lord absolutely have the ordering of your evils and troubles, and put them off you by recommending your cross and your furnace to him who hath skill to melt his own metal, and knows well what to do with his furnace."

Why should I murmur or repine,

O Lamb of God, who bled for me?
What are my griefs compared with thine-
Thy tears, thy groans, thine agony !

If thou the furnace dost employ,
Thou sittest as refiner near,
To purge away the base alloy,

Till thine own image bright appear.

Though oft thy way is in the sea,

Thy footsteps in the wingéd storm;
Though crested billows threaten me—
Love slumbers in their frowning form!

Submissive would I kiss the rod ;
Needful each stroke I humbly own;
Or let me trust thee, O my God!
If now the "need be" is unknown.

Wave upon wave which rolled before
Tempestuous o'er this ruffled breast,
There lulled to sleep, shall break no more
The rapture of eternal rest.

"Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory.”John 17: 24.

"So Christ ascended to the Father as our fore-runner. There the door of salvation stands open to all believers; and, by virtue of Christ's ascension, they also shall ascend after him, 'far above all heavens.'"

From the cross uplifted high,

Where the Saviour deigns to die,
What melodious sounds we hear,
Bursting on the ravished ear!
"Love's redeeming work is done;
Come and welcome, sinner, come.

"Sprinkle now with blood the throne,
Why beneath thy burdens groan?
On my piercéd body laid,
Justice owns the ransom paid;
Bow the knee, embrace the Son;
Come and welcome, sinner, come.

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Spread for thee, the festal board
See with richest dainties stored;
To thy Father's bosom pressed,
Yet again a child confessed,
Never from his house to roam,
Come and welcome, sinner, come.

"Soon the days of life shall end;
Lo! I come, your Saviour, friend,
Safe your spirits to convey
To the realms of endless day,

Up to my eternal home;

Come and welcome, sinner, come."

"Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee." - Ps. 73: 24.

"By faith I see the promised land, and every day brings me nearer to the possession of my heavenly inheritance. Then shall I see God and live; and face to face behold my triumphant Redeemer. I have nothing here to linger for; my hopes, my rest, my treasure, and my joys are all above."

I sojourn in a vale of tears,
Alas! how can I sing?

My harp doth on the willows hang,
Untuned in every string.

Oh! come, my dear almighty Lord,

My sweetest, surest Friend:

Come, for I loathe these Kedar tents—
Thy fiery chariots send.

What have I here?-my thoughts and joys,

So long disposed to roam,

Are fixed-and I will follow them

To my eternal home.

What have I in this barren land?

My Jesus is not here;

Mine eyes will ne'er be blest, until
My Jesus doth appear.

My Jesus is gone up to heaven,
To get a place for me;

For 'tis his will that where he is,

His followers should be.

Canaan I view from Pisgah's top;
Of Eshcol's grapes I taste;
My Lord, who sends unto me here,
Will send for me at last.

I have a God that changeth not,
Why should I be perplexed?
My God, who owns me in this world,
Will own me in the next.

Go fearless, then, my soul, with God,
Into another room:

Thou who hast walked with him here,
Go, see thy God, at home.

"Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."

"O ye children of sorrow! dream of any thing rather than of what ye endure, now excusing you from future punishment, or giving you a sort of title to rest beyond the grave. But affliction worketh for us glory, in the sense of preparing or fitting us for glory. God thereby disciplines his people."

"Tis my happiness below,

Not to live without the cross,
But the Saviour's power to know,
Sanctifying every loss.

Trials must and will befall;

But with humble faith to see
Love inscribed upon them all-
This is happiness to me.