947

The redeemed in heaven.

L. M.

O round the throne, a glorious band,
The saints in countless myriads stand;
Of every tongue redeem'd to God,
Array'd in garments wash'd in blood.
2 Through tribulation great they came;
They bore the cross, despised the shame;
But now from all their labours rest,
In God's eternal glory blest.

3 They see the Saviour face to face;
They sing the triumph of his grace;
And day and night, with ceaseless praise,
To him their loud hosannas raise.

4 0, may we tread the sacred road
That holy saints and martyrs trod;
Wage to the end the glorious strife,
And win, like them, a crown of life.
948
7th P. M. 8 lines 7s.

The spirits of the just made perfect.

WHO are these array'd in white,

WHO
Brighter than the noon-day sun?

Foremost of the sons of light;

Nearest the eternal throne?
These are they that bore the cross;
Nobly for their Master stood;
Suff'rers in his righteous cause;
Foll'wers of the dying God.
2 Out of great distress they came :
Wash'd their robes, by faith, below,
In the blood of yonder Lamb,-

Blood that washes white as snow;
Therefore are they next the throne;
Serve their Maker day and night:
God resides among his own,
God doth in his saints delight.

949

I

27th P. M. 4 lines 11s.

I would not live alway.

WOULD not live alway; I ask not to stay Where storm after storm rises dark o'er the way; The few lurid mornings that dawn on us here Are enough for its joys, full enough for its cheer. 2 I would not live alway; no-welcome the tomb! Since Jesus hath lain there, I dread not its gloom; There sweet be my rest till he bid me arise, To hail him in triumph descending the skies. 3 Who, who would live alway, away from his GodAway from yon heaven, that blissful abode, Where rivers of pleasure flow bright o'er the plains, And the noontide of glory eternally reigns?

4 There saints of all ages in harmony meet, Their Saviour and brethren transported to greet; While anthems of rapture unceasingly roll,

And the smile of the Lord is the feast of the soul. 10th P. M. 8 lines 8s.

950

I

Having a desire to depart.
LONG to behold Him array'd
With glory and light from above;
The King in his beauty display'd,-
His beauty of holiest love:

I languish and sigh to be there,

Where Jesus hath fix'd his abode;
O when shall we meet in the air,

And fly to the mountain of God!
2 With him I on Zion shall stand,
For Jesus hath spoken the word;
The breadth of Immanuel's land

Survey by the light of my Lord:
But when, on thy bosom reclined,
Thy face I am strengthen'd to see,
My fulness of rapture I find,-
My heaven of heavens in thee.

3 How happy the people that dwell
Secure in the city above!
No pain the inhabitants feel,

No sickness or sorrow shall prove.
Physician of souls, unto me

Forgiveness and holiness give; And then from the body set free, And then to the city receive.

951

10th P. M. 8 lines 8s. -And to be with Christ, which is far better. WHEN shall we sweetly remove, O when shall we enter our rest,Return to the Zion above,

The mother of spirits distress'd;— That city of God the great King, Where sorrow and death are no more, Where saints our Immanuel sing, And cherub and seraph adore?

2 But angels themselves cannot tell
The joys of that holiest place,
Where Jesus is pleased to reveal

The light of his heavenly face:
When, caught in the rapturous flame,
The sight beatific they prove;
And walk in the light of the Lamb,
Enjoying the beams of his love.

3 Thou know'st in the spirit of prayer We long thy appearing to see, Resign'd to the burden we bear,

But longing to triumph with thee: 'Tis good at thy word to be here; "Tis better in thee to be gone, And see thee in glory appear,

And rise to a share in thy throne.

952

S. M.

A house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

W If this vile house of clay,

E know, by faith we know,

This tabernacle, sink below,
In ruinous decay-

2 We have a house above,

Not made with mortal hands;
And firm as our Redeemer's love
That heavenly fabric stands.

3 It stands securely high,
Indissolubly sure:

Our glorious mansion in the sky
Shall evermore endure.

4 Full of immortal hope,
We urge the restless strife,
And hasten to be swallow'd up
Of everlasting life.

5 Lord, let us put on thee
In perfect holiness,

And rise prepared thy face to see,
Thy bright, unclouded face.

6 Thy grace with glory crown,
Who hast the earnest given;
And then triumphantly come down,
And take us up to heaven.

953

18th P. M. 10, 5, 11.

Eternity near.

1OME, let us anew our journey pursue,

COME, With vigour arise,

And press to our permanent place in the skies. Of heavenly birth, though wand'ring on earth, This is not our place,

But strangers and pilgrims ourselves we confess.

2 At Jesus's call, we give up our all;
And still we forego,

For Jesus's sake, our enjoyments below.
No longing we find for the country behind;
But onward we move,

And still we are seeking a country above:3 A country of joy without any alloy; We thither repair;

Our hearts and our treasure already are there. We march hand in hand to Immanuel's land; No matter what cheer

We meet with on earth, for eternity's here! 4 The rougher the way, the shorter our stay; The tempests that rise

Shall gloriously hurry our souls to the skies: The fiercer the blast, the sooner 'tis past; The troubles that come

Shall come to our rescue, and hasten us home.

954

The joyful meeting.

S. M.

AVIOUR of sinful men,

Thy goodness we proclaim,

Which brings us here to meet again,
And triumph in thy Name:

Thy mighty Name hath been

Our safeguard and our tower,

Hath saved us from the world and sin,
And all the' accuser's power.

2 Awhile in flesh disjoin'd,
Our friends that went before
We soon in Paradise shall find,
And meet to part no more;
In yon thrice happy seat,
Waiting for us they are;

And thou shalt there a husband meet,
And I a parent there!