256. 8s. Anon.
Death of a Sister....Rev. xix. 13.
IS finish'd! the conflict is past,
The heav'n-born spirit is fled;
Her wish is accomplish'd at last,
And now she's entomb'd with the dead.
2 The months of affliction are o'er,
The days and the nights of distress;
We see her in anguish no more—
She's gained her happy release,
3 No sickness, or sorrow, or pain,
Shall ever disquiet her now;
For death to her spirit was gain,
Since Christ was her life when below, 4 Her soul has now taken its flight To mansions of glory above, To mingle with angels of light, And dwell in the kingdom of love, 5 The victory now is obtain'd; She's gone her dear Saviour to see; Her wishes she fully has gain'd
She's now where she longed to be. 5 The coffin, the shroud, and the grave, To her were no objects of dread; On him who is mighty to save, Her soul was with confidence stay'd. Then let us forbear to complain, That she is now gone from our sight; We soon shall behold her again, With new and redoubled delight.
8.7.4. Wingrove.
Soul happy on a Death-Bed,
V'RY moment brings me nearer To my long sought rest above; Higher mounts my soul, and higher. O how happy to remove;
Then, forever,
I shall sing redeeming love.
2 Soon shall I be gone to glory-
Join the bright, angelic race,
There repeat the pleasing story-
I was sav'd by sov'reign grace:
And, forever,
View my loving Saviour's face.
3 Tho' my burden sore oppress me,
And I shrink beneath my pain,
Jesus he will soon release nie,
And your loss will be my gain:
Precious Saviour,
With my Lord I shall remain.
258. 8. 7. 4. Wingrove.
Falling asleep in Jesus....Acts vii. 60.
HAPPY soul! we now resign thee,
by the great I Am;
Left thy troubles all behind thee-
Gone to glorify the Lamb;
And, forever,
Sing the wonders of his name.
2 Gone to join the heav'nly choir,
'Ray'd in spotless garments bright;
Gone thy Saviour to admire,
Who is now thy soul's delight:
And, forever,
Sing his praises day and night.
3 There the once-despised christian,
Free from all his grief and pain,
Feels the sweetness of religion-
Proves his life was not in vain ;
And, forever,
With his Jesus shall remain.
259. ODE. Pope.
Dying Saint to his Soul....1 Cor. xv. 54—57.
VITAL spark of heav'nly flame!
Quit, O quit this mortal frame:
Trembling, hoping, ling'ring, flying,
O the pain, the bliss of dying!
Cease, fond nature, cease thy strife,
And let me languish into life.
2 Hark! they whisper, angels say,
"Sister spirit, come away;
What is this absorbs me quite?
Steals my senses, shuts my sight?
Drowns my spirit, draws my breath?
Tell me, my soul, can this be death?
3 The world recedes, it disappears!
Heav'n opens on my eyes....my ears
With sounds seraphic ring!
Lend, lend your wings, I mount! I fly!
O grave, where is thy victory?
O death, where is thy sting?
Westlake's Sel.
Decrees of God....Eph. i. 11.
1 TWAS fixt in God's eternal mind,
When his dear sons should mercy find:
From everlasting he decreed,
When ev'ry good should be convey❜d.
2 Determin'd was the manner, how
We should be brought the Lord to know;
Yea, he decreed the very place,
Where he would call us by his grace.
[3 Vast were the settlements of grace
On millions of the human race;
And ev'ry favor richly giv❜n,
Flows from the high decrees of heav'n.]
4 In ev'ry mercy, full and free,
Th' appointing God I wish to see;
To see how grace, free grace has reign'd
In ev'ry blessing he ordain'd.
5 Yes, dearest Lord, 'tis my desire
Thy wise appointments to admire,
And trace the footsteps of my God
Thro' ev'ry part of Zion's road.
261. 7s. Ryland.
Decrees of God....Psalm xxxi. 15. 1 SOV'REIGN Ruler of the skies, Ever gracious, ever wise!
All my times are in thy hand-
All events at thy command.
2 His decrees who form'd the earth,
Fixt my first and second birth;
Parents, native-place, and time,
All appointed were by him.
3 He that form'd me in the womb,
He shall guide me to the tomb;
All my times shall ever be
Order'd by his wise decree.
4 Times of sickness, times of health;
Times of penury and wealth;
Times of trial and of grief;
Times of triumph and relief.
5 Times the tempter's pow'r to prove ;
Times to taste a Saviour's love;
All is fixt, the means and end,
As shall please my heav'nly friend.
6 Plagues and deaths around me fly;
Till he bids, I cannot die;
Not a single shaft can hit,
'Till the God of love sees fit.
262. 148th. Harrison.
Dejected, yet hoping....Psalm xlii. 11.
HY do I thus complain,
And bow my drooping head?
Cheer up, my soul, again
Thy Saviour is not dead:
Jesus, thy Lord, is still the same,
Believe his word, and trust his name.
What tho' he hides his face,
Nor will one smile afford,
Thou yet may'st plead his grace,
And venture on his word:
Still all thy trust on him repose,
And own him just in all thy woes.
Why should distressing thoughts,
Why should distracting cares,
Still aggravate thy faults,
And urge thy flowing tears?
No longer fight against his rod;
But still delight and hope in God.
263. L. M. Gibbons.
What hath God wrought? Num. xxiii. 23.
HAT hath God wrought? might Israel say,
When Jordan roll'd its waves away;
And gave a passage to their bands,
To march secure across its sands.
[2 What hath God wrought for Jacob's race?
Shout and adore the wond'rous grace;
To them fair Canaan's land is giv❜n,
The type of rest, and peace in heav'n.']
3 What hath God wrought? might well be said,
When Jesus, rising from the dead,
Scatter'd the shades of pagan night,
And blest the nations with his light.
4 What hath God wrought? let Britain see,
Freed from the plagues of popery ;
Its ten-fold night, its iron chains,
Its galling yoke, its penal pains.
5 What hath God wrought? in sweet surprise,
Shall sound thro' all the earth and skies:
When, like a mill-stone in the main,
Proud Rome shall sink, nor rise again.
6 What hath God wrought? O blissful theme!
Are we redeem'd, and call'd by him?
Shall we be led the desart thro'
And safe arrive in glory too?
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