5 Soul, then know thy full salvation,
Rise o'er sin, and fear, and care;
Joy to find in every station
Something still to do or bear.
Think what spirit dwells within thee,
Think what Father's smiles are thine;
Think that Jesus died to save thee:
Child of heaven, canst thou repine?
6 Haste thee on from grace to glory,
Armed by faith, and winged by prayer;
Heaven's eternal day's before thee,
God's own hand shall guide thee there!
Soon shall close thy earthly mission,
Soon shall pass thy pilgrim days;
Hope shall change to glad fruition,
Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.
Henry Francis Lyte.
THE SONG OF THE ANGELS AT BETHLEHEM.
ARK! what mean those holy voices,
Sweetly sounding through the skies?
Lo! the angelic host rejoices,
Heavenly hallelujahs rise.
2 Listen to the wondrous story,
Which they chant in hymns of joy : Glory in the highest, glory!
Glory be to God most high!
3 Peace on earth, good-will from heaven,
Reaching far as man is found!
Souls redeem'd and sins forgiven,
Loud our golden harps shall sound.
4 Christ is born, the Great Anointed, Heaven and earth His praises sing! O receive whom God appointed
For your Prophet, Priest and King! 5 Hasten, mortals, to adore Him,
Learn His name, and taste His joy,
Till in heaven ye sing before Him,
Glory be to God most high!
6 Let us learn the wondrous story
Of our Great Redeemer's birth;
Spread the brightness of His glory,
Till it cover all the earth.
"FOR TO ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST, AND TO DIE IS GAIN."-PHIL. I. 21.
"HRIST, of all my hopes the ground!
Christ, the spring of all my joy!
Still in Thee let me be found,
Still for Thee my powers employ.
2 Let Thy love my heart inflame;
Keep Thy fear before my sight;
Be Thy praise my highest aim,
Be Thy smile my chief delight.
3 Fountain of o'er-flowing grace,
Freely from Thy fulness give ;
Till I close my earthly race,
Be it "Christ to me to live."
4 Firmly trusting in Thy blood,
Nothing shall my heart confound ;
Safely I shall pass the flood,
Safely reach Immanuel's ground.
5 When I touch the blessed shore,
Back the closing waves shall roll;
Death's dark stream shall never more
Part from Thee my happy soul.
6 Thus, Oh! thus, an entrance give
To the land of cloudless sky;
Having known it, "Christ to live,"
Let me know it "gain to die."
From "Hymns for the Church on Earth."
ON THE DEATH OF A FRIEND.
`HY work is done, thy journey o'er
THY work is
To regions of eternal joy,
Where all is bliss without alloy;
None can disturb and none destroy
The rest that thou hast won.
2 Beloved of God, He hastened
To call thee hence-away,
To reign with Him in glory bright,
To dwell for ever in His sight
In realms of everlasting light,
And pure and perfect day.
3 I loved thee much! I mourn my loss,
For thou hast proved to be
A counsellor in time of need,
A friend in word, a friend indeed,
A sower of the heavenly seed,
A comforter to me.
4 But when I think what thou hast gained, I do not wish thee here;
I only long that we may meet
Once more at our dear Saviour's feet,
Where all is happiness complete,
Unclouded by a care.
5 Watching and waiting for thy Lord,
Whenever He should come,
Joyful thy spirit winged its way,
From its frail tenement of clay;
Making thy Lord thy only stay,
He led thee safely home!
COLOSSIANS III. 1.
O up, go up, my heart,
Dwell with thy God above;
For here thou canst not rest,
Nor here give out thy love.
2 Go up, go up, my heart,
Be not a trifler here;
Ascend above these clouds,
Dwell in a higher sphere.
3 Let not thy love flow out
To things so soiled and dim;
Go up to heaven and God,
Take up thy love to Him.
4 Waste not thy precious stores
On creature-love below;
To God that wealth belongs,
On Him that wealth bestow.
5 Go up, reluctant heart,
Take up thy rest above;
Arise, earth-clinging thoughts;
Ascend, my lingering love.
"LOVEST THOU ME?"-JOHN XXI. 16.
HARK, my soul! it is the Lord,
'Tis thy Saviour, hear His word; Jesus speaks, and speaks to thee: 66 Say, poor sinner, lov'st thou me? 2 "I delivered thee when bound, And, when bleeding, heal'd thy wound: Sought thee wandering, set thee right, Turn'd thy darkness into light.
"Can a woman's tender care
Cease toward the child she bare?
Yes, she may forgetful be,
Yet will I remember thee.
4 "Mine is an unchanging love,
Higher than the heights above,
Deeper than the depths beneath,
Free and faithful, strong as death.
5 "Thou shalt see my glory soon,
When the work of grace is done;
Partner of my throne shalt be,—
Say, poor sinner, lov'st thou me?"
6 Lord, it is my chief complaint,
That my love is weak and faint;
Yet I love Thee, and adore,
Oh! for grace to love Thee more!
Cowper.
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