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E'en now by faith we join our hands
With those who went before,

And greet the blood-besprinkled bands
On the eternal shore.

173.

[S. B. 239.]

C. M.

FATHER, I long, I faint to see
The place of thy abode:

I'd leave thy earthly courts, and flee
Up to thy seat, my God!

2 Here I behold thy distant face,
And 'tis a pleasing sight;

But to abide in thy embrace
Is infinite delight.

3 I'd part with all the joys of sense,
To gaze upon thy throne;

Pleasure springs fresh for ever thence,
Unspeakable, unknown.

4 There all the heav'nly hosts are seen;
In shining ranks they move;
And drink immortal vigour in,
With wonder and with love.

5 Then at thy feet, with awful fear,
The adoring armies fall;

With joy they shrink to nothing there,
Before the eternal All.

6 There I would vie with all the host,
In duty and in bliss;

While less than nothing I could boast, And vanity confess.

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O FOR a sweet inspiring ray,
To animate our feeble strains,

L. M.

From the bright realms of endless day,

The blissful realms where Jesus reigns!

2 There, low before his glorious. throne, Adoring saints and angels fall;

And with delightful worship own

His smile their bliss, their heav'n, their all. 3 Immortal glories crown his head, While tuneful hallelujahs rise;

And love, and joy, and triumph spread
Through all the assemblies of the skies.

4 There all the favourites of the Lamb
Shall join at last the heavenly choir:
O may the joy-inspiring theme
Awake our faith and warm desire!

5 Dear Saviour, let thy Spirit seal
Our interest in that blissful place;
Till death remove this mortal veil,
And we behold thy lovely face.

175.

[S. B. 241.]

L. M.

DESCEND from heaven, immortal Dove,
Stoop down and take us on thy wings,
And mount, and bear us far above
The reach of these inferior things.

2 Beyond, beyond this lower sky,
Up where eternal ages roll;
Where solid pleasures never die,
And fruits immortal feast the soul.

3 O for a sight, a pleasing sight
Of our almighty Father's throne!
There sits our Saviour, crown'd with light,
Clothed in a body like our own.

4 Adoring saints around him stand,
And thrones and powers before him fall;
The God shines gracious through the man,
And sheds sweet glories on them all.

5 O what amazing joys they feel,

While to their golden harps they sing,

And sit on every heavenly hill,
And spread the triumphs of our King!

6 When shall the day, dear Lord, appear,
That I shall mount to dwell above;
And stand and bow amongst them there,
And view thy face, and sing thy love?

176.

[S. B. 243.] 4 lines 8 & 2-6.

O MIGHT I with thy saints aspire;
The meanest of that dazzling choir,
Who chant thy praise above!
Mixt with the bright musician band,
May I a heavenly harper stand,
And sing the song of love.

2 What ecstacy of bliss is there,
While all the angelic concert share,
And drink the floating joys!
What more than ecstacy, when all,
Struck to the golden pavement, fall
At Jesus' glorious voice!

3 Jesus! the heaven of heavens he is;
The soul of harmony and bliss!
And while on him we gaze,
And while his glorious voice we hear,
Our spirits are all eye, all ear,

And silence speaks his praise.

4 O might I die that awe to prove, That prostrate awe which dares not move Before the great Three-One!

To shout by turns the bursting joy;

And all eternity employ

In songs around the throne!

177.

[S. B. 245.]

C. M.

O WHAT has Jesus bought for me!
Before my ravish'd eyes,

Rivers of life divine I see,
And trees of Paradise:

2 I see a world of spirits bright,
Who reap the pleasures there;
They all are robed in purest white,
And conquering palms they bear.
3 Adorn'd by their Redeemer's grace,
They close pursue the Lamb;
And every shining front displays
The unutterable Name.

4 O what are all my sufferings here,
If, Lord, thou count me meet
With that enraptured host to appear,
And worship at thy feet!

5 Give joy or grief, give ease or pain;
Take life or friends away;

I come to find them all again
In that eternal day.

178.

[S. B. 246.]

C. M.

ON Jordan's stormy bank I stand,
And cast a wishful eye,

To Canaan's fair and happy land,
Where my possessions lie.

2 O the transporting, rapturous scene,
That rises to my sight!

Sweet fields array'd in living green,
And rivers of delight.

3 There generous fruit that never fails,
On trees immortal grow:

There rocks and hills, and brooks and vales,
With milk and honey flow.

4 All o'er those wide extended plains,

Shines one eternal day;

There God the Sun for ever reigns,
And scatters night away.

5 No chilling winds, or poisonous breath,
Can reach that healthful shore;
Sickness and sorrow, pain and death,
Are felt and fear'd no more.

6 When shall I reach that happy place,
And be for ever bless'd?
When shall I see my Father's face,
And in his bosom rest?

7 Fill'd with delight, my raptured soul
Can here no longer stay:

Though Jordan's waves around me roll, Fearless I'd launch away.

179.

[S. B. 250.]

7 & 6.

RISE, my soul, and stretch thy wings,
Thy better portion trace;
Rise from transitory things,

Towards heaven, thy native place:
Sun, and moon, and stars decay;
Time shall soon this earth remove:
Rise, my soul, and haste away,
To seats prepared above.

2 Rivers to the ocean run,

Nor stay in all their course:
Fire ascending seeks the sun:
Both speed them to their source:
So a soul that's born of God,
Pants to view his glorious face;
Upwards tends to his abode,
To rest in his embrace.

3 Peace, ye pilgrims, cease to mourn;
Press onward to the prize;
Soon our Saviour will return,
Triumphant in the skies:
Yet a season, then, you know,
Happy entrance will be given;
All our sorrows left below,

And earth exchanged for heaven.

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