Anticipate heaven: it will sweeten those hours When sorrows all round you appear; Will strew all the road to Mount Zion with flowers, And smooth the rough pathway of care. SWAINE. FOR EVER WITH THE LORD. OH! how the thought that I shall know For me, and those whom most I love, At that sweet word- ." for ever!" For ever to behold Him shine,' Not all things else are half so dear Thy sins are all forgiven! But how will His delightful voice "Come in, thou blessed, sit by me, When Jesus thus invites me in, To own their new relation? "Come in! come in!" the blissful sound From every voice will echo round, Till all the crystal wall resound With joy for my salvation. SWAINE. CHRISTIAN LOVE. How sweet, how heavenly is the sight, In one another's peace unite, And thus fulfil His Word! M 160 Ant W SELECTIONS OF POETRY And with him bear a part; When each can feel his brother's sigh, When, free from envy, scorn, and pride, Each can his brother's failing hide, When love, in one delightful stream, Love is the golden chain that binds The happy souls above; And he's an heir of heaven, that finds His bosom glow with love. THE GARDEN OF GRACE. A GARDEN fenced from common earth, Enriched with plants of heavenly birtn, His gospel is the open sky, SWAINE. Rivers of peace, which never dry, Through all this garden run. His Spirit is the heavenly wind Faith like an ivy, to the Rock, Assurance, like a cedar, rears Its stately branches high, Beyond the reach of doubts and fears, Here love appears a fruitful vine, (From Christ, the bleeding root,) Receiving life and sap divine, And bears immortal fruit. Humility, a lily fair, Transplanted from on high, Grows here, perfuming all the air With sweets that never die. Firm patience, like an aloe strong, And (changing scenes enduring long) When each can feel his brother's sigh, When sorrow flows from eye to eye, When, free from envy, scorn, and pride, Each can his brother's failing hide, And show a brother's love. When love, in one delightful stream, Love is the golden chain that binds And he's an heir of heaven, that finds His bosom glow with love. THE GARDEN OF GRACE. A GARDEN fenced from common earth, Enriched with plants of heavenly birta, His gospel is the open sky, SWAINE. |