6 There I would vie with all the host,
In duty and in bliss,
While less than nothing I can boast,
And vanity confess.
7 The more thy glories strike mine eyes,
The humbler I shall lie:
Thus while I sink, my joys shall rise
Unmeasurably high.
548. Freedom from Sin and Misery in Heaven.
UR sins, alas, how strong they be?
And like a violent sea,
They break our duty, Lord, to thee,
And hurry us away.
2 The waves of trouble, how they rise!
How loud the tempests roar !
But death shall land our weary souls,
Safe on the heav'nly shore.
3 There to fulfil his sweet commands,
Our speedy feet shall move;
No sin shall clog our winged zeal,
Or cool our burning love.
4 There shall we sit, and sing, and tell
The wonders of his grace,
Till heav'nly raptures fire our hearts,
And smile in every face.
5 For ever his dear sacred name
Shall dwell upon our tongue,
And Jesus and salvation be,
The close of every song.
49. The Glory of Christ in Heaven. (C.M.)
1 THE delights, the heav'nly joys, The glories of the place,
Where Jesus sheds the brightest beams
Of his o'erflowing grace!
2 Sweet majesty, and awful love,
Sit smiling on his brow;
And all the glorious ranks above,
At humble distance bow.
3 Princes to his imperial name,
Bend their bright sceptres down;
Dominions, thrones, and powers, rejoice,
To see him wear the crown.
4 Archangels sound his lofty praise,
Through every heav'nly street;
And lay their highest honours down,
Submissive at his feet.
5 Those soft, those blessed feet of his,
That once rude iron tore,
High on a throne of light they stand,
And all the saints adore.
6 His head, the dear majestic head,
That cruel thorns did wound,
See what immortal glories shine,
And circle it around.
7 This is the man, th' exalted man,
Whom we unseen adore ;
But when our eyes behold his face,
Our hearts shall love him more.
8 Lord, let our spirits now aspire,
To see thy bless'd abode;
Our tongues rejoice in tunes of praise
To our incarnate God.
9 And whilst our faith enjoys this sight,
We long to leave our clay,
And wish thy fiery chariots, Lord,
To fetch our souls away.
550. Meditation of Heaven; or, the Joys of Faith
Y thoughts surmount these lower skies
And look within the veil ;
There springs of endless pleasure rise,
The waters never fail.
2 There I behold, with sweet delight,
The blessed Three in One;
And strong affections fix my sight
On God's incarnate Son.
3 His promise stands for ever firm,
His grace shall ne'er depart;
He binds my name upon his arm,
And seals it on his heart.
4 Light are the pains that nature brings ;
How short our sorrows are,
When, with eternal future things,
The present we compare!
5 I would not be a stranger still,
To that celestial place,
Where I for ever hope to dwell,
Near my Redeemer's face.
1. A Dialogue. Rev. vii. 12-17. (L. M.)
EXALTED high, at God's right hand,
Nearer the throne than cherubs stand,
With glory crown'd, in white array,
My wondering soul says, Who are they?
1. These are the saints, belov'd of God,
Wash'd are their robes in Jesu's blood;
More spotless than the purest white,
They shine in uncreated light.
. Brighter than angels, lo, they shine,
Their glories great, and all divine;
Tell me their origin, and say,
Their order what, and whence came they?
. Through tribulation great they came, They bore the cross, and scorn'd the shame; Within the living temple blest,
In God they dwell, and on him rest.
. And does the cross thus prove their gain?
And shall they thus for ever reign?
Seated on sapphire thrones to praise
The wonders of redeeming grace?
Hunger they ne'er shall feel again,
Nor burning thirst shall they sustain;
To wells of living waters led,
By God, the Lamb, for ever fed.
. Unknown to mortal ears, they sing
The secret glories of their King;
Tell me the subject of their lays,
And whence their loud exalted praise.
8 A. Jesus the Saviour is their theme, They sing the wonders of his name; To him ascribing power and grace, Dominion and eternal praise.
Amen, they cry to him alone,
Who dares to fill his Father's throne;
They give him glory, and again
Repeat his praise, and say, Amen.
552. A View of Canaan. (P.M.)
1 HAPPY beyond description he,
Who, in the paths of piety,
Loves from his youth to run :—
Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are joy and peace,
And heav'n on earth begun.
2 If this felicity be mine,
I every other may resign,
With just and holy scorn:
Cheerful will I my way pursue,
And, with the promis'd land in view,
Singing to God return!
A Glimpse of Glory. (P.M.)
WAY with our sorrow and fear!
Believers will soon be at home;
The city of saints shall appear,
The day of eternity come:
From earth we shall quickly remove,
Fly up to our native abode;
The house of our Father above,
The palace of angels and God.
|