Imatges de pàgina
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While God's own Spirit gently blows,
And fans these holy fires.

In strains celestial ev'ry tongue
Shall God's high praise proclaim:
And all in concert join the song
Of Moses and the Lamb.

460. Heaven in View.

WHILE on the verge of life I stand,
And view the scene on either hand,
My spirit struggles with my clay,
And longs to wing its flight away.
Where Jesus dwells my soul would be;
And faints my much-lov'd Lord to see;
Earth, twine no more about my heart.
For 'tis far better to depart.

Come, ye angelic envoys, come,
And lead the willing pilgrim home;
Ye know the way to Jesu's throne,
Source of my joys, and of your own.
That blissful interview, how sweet!
To fall transported at his feet!
Rais'd in his arms, to view his face,
Thro' the full beamings of his grace!
As with a seraph's voice to sing,
To fly as on a cherub's wing!
Performing with unweary'd hands
The present Saviour's high commands.
Yet with these prospects full in sight,
We'll wait thy signal for the flight;
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For while thy service we pursue,
We find a heaven begun below.

461. Heaven.

IN yonder world, exalted high,
Where Jesus reigns, the source of joy!
There lives dear Martha! cloth'd in white,
Blest in his love, her whole delight.
Releas'd from sin, and toil, and strife,
Death was the gate to endless life;
Now landed on the peaceful shore,
Where pilgrims meet to part no more!
O blest retreat! divine abode ;
Where Jesus is her Lord, her God!
Her blissful sun for ever shines,
Glows thro' her soul, and still refines,

And now she treads the heav'nly plains,
And sings her hymns in melting strains;
And now her soul begins to prove
The heights and depths of Jesu's love.
He cheers her with eternal smile,
She sings, Hosanna! all the while;
Or, overwhelm'd with rapture sweet,
Sinks down, adoring at his feet.

Now, freed from all th' effects of sin,
Drinking immortal pleasures in;
And panting, while her God invites,
To satiate with divine delights!
She gazes on his glorious face,
His holy mind, and boundless grace;

And gazing still! with ravish'd eyes,
Basks in his beams, and in his joys!
Might we but see th' impress divine,
His heav'nly image on her shine,
How could we wish for her return!
While, weeping, we her absence mourn.
Ah! Lord with tardy steps I creep,
And sometimes sing, and sometimes weep;
O give me wings to fly above!
To taste her joys, and sing thy love.
Thy love! thine image! balmy theme!
O may thy love, thine image beam!
That now, in one divine accord,
My soul may triumph in her Lord.

436

SHORT HYMNS

FOR

ALL OCCASIONS.

462.

Ar anchor laid, remote from home, Toading, I cry, Sweet Spirit, come! • Celestial breeze, no longer stay, • But swell my sails, and speed my way!

• Fsia would I mount, fain would I glow, And loose my cable from below :

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• But I can only spread my sail;

• Thou, thou must breathe th' auspicious gale!'

463.

As pants the hart for cooling streams,
When heated in the chase;

So longs my soul, O God, for thee,
And thy refreshing grace.

For thee, my God, the living God,
My thirsty soul doth pine;

O when shall I behold thy face,
Thou Majesty divine!

Why restless, why cast down, my soul?
Hope still; and thou shalt sing

The praise of him who is thy God,
Thy health's eternal spring.

464.

ARISE, my soul, with wonder see,
What love divine for thee hath done,
Behold thy sorrow, sin, and grief,
Are laid on God's eternal Son.

See! from his head, his hands, his feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingling down;
Did e'er such love with sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so bright a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

465.

BE present at our table, Lord;
Be here and every where ador'd:
These creatures bless, and grant that we
May feast in Paradise with thee.

46,3.

BLEST are the souls that hear and know
The gospel's joyful sound;
Peace shall attend the path they go,
And light their steps surround.

Their joy shall bear their spirits up,
Thro' their Redeemer's name;

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