The Prince is ever in them,
The light is aye serene;
The pastures of the blessed
Are decked in glorious sheen.
6 There is the throne of David;
And there, from toil released,
The shout of them that triumph,
The song of them that feast:
And they, beneath their Leader,
Who conquered in the fight,
For ever and for ever
Are clad in robes of white.
7 Jerusalem, the glorious,
The joy of the elect,
O! dear and future vision
That eager hearts expect;
E'en now by faith I see thee,
E'en now thy walls discern,
To thee my thoughts are kindled
And strive and
pant and yearn.
8 And, now, we fight the battle,
And, then, we wear the crown
Of full, and everlasting,
And passionless renown.
O land that seest no sorrow!
O state that know'st no strife!
O princely bowers! O land of flowers!
O realm and home of life!
WHEN shall we sweetly remove !
O when shall we enter our rest,
Return to the Sion above,
The mother of spirits distrest!
That city of God, the great King,
Where sorrow and death are no more;
But saints our Immanuel sing,
And cherub and seraph adore...
2 Not all the archangels can 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,
And bask in the beams of His love.
3 Thou know'st, in the spirit of prayer,
We long Thy appearing to see,
Resigned 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.
4 To mourn for Thy coming is sweet,
To weep at Thy longer delay;
But Thou, whom we hasten to meet,
Shalt chase all our sorrows away.
The tears shall be wiped from our eyes,
When Thee we behold in the cloud,
And echo the joys of the skies,
And shout to the trumpet of God.
HE Church in her militant state
Is weary, and cannot forbear;
The saints in an agony wait
To see Him again in the air.
The Spirit invites, in the Bride,
Her heavenly Lord to descend,
And place her, enthroned at His side,
In glory that never shall end.
2 The news of His coming I hear,
And join in the catholic cry,
O Jesus, in triumph appear,
Appear in the clouds of the sky!
Whom only I languish to love,
In fulness of majesty come,
And give me a mansion above,
And take to my heavenly home.
THE thirsty are called to their Lord,
His glorious appearing to see;
And, drawn by the power of His word,
The promise, I know, is for me:
I thirst for the streams of Thy grace,
I gasp for the Spirit of Love;
I long for a glimpse of Thy face,
And then to behold Thee above.
2 Thy call I exult to obey,
And come, in the spirit of prayer,
Thy joy in that happiest day,
Thy kingdom of glory, to share;
To drink the pure river of bliss,
With life everlasting o'erflowed;
Implunged in the crystal abyss,
And lost in the ocean of God.
TERRIBLE thought! shall I alone,
Who may be saved-shall I-
Of all, alas! whom I have known,
Through sin, for ever die?
2 While all my old companions dear,
With whom I once did live,
Joyful at God's right hand appear,
A blessing to receive :
3 Shall I,—amidst a ghastly band,-
Dragged to the judgment-seat,
Far on the left with horror stand,
My fearful doom to meet?
4 Ah, no :-I still may turn and live,
For still His wrath delays;
He now vouchsafes a kind reprieve,
And offers me His grace.
5 I will accept His offers now,
From every sin depart,
Perform my oft-repeated vow,
And render Him my heart.
6 I will improve what I receive,
The grace through Jesus given;
Sure, if with God on earth I live,
To live with Him in heaven.
Y thoughts on awful subjects roll;
Damnation and the dead:
What horrors seize the guilty soul
Upon a dying bed!
2 Lingering about these mortal shores,
She makes a long delay,
Till, like a flood with rapid force,
Death sweeps the wretch away.
3 Then swift and dreadful she descends,
Down to the fiery coast,
Amongst abominable fiends,
Herself for ever lost.
4 There endless crowds of sinners lie,
And darkness makes their chains;
Tortured with keen despair they cry,
Yet wait for fiercer pains.
5 Not all their anguish and their blood
For their old guilt atones;
Nor the compassion of a God
Shall hearken to their groans.
6 Amazing grace, that kept my breath,
Nor bid my soul remove,
Till I had learned my Saviour's death,
And well insured His love.
EPENT, the Voice celestial cries,
No longer dare delay:
For he who scorns the mandate, dies,
And meets a fiery day.
2 No more the sovereign eye of God
O'erlooks the crimes of men ;
His heralds are despatched abroad,
To warn the world of sin.
3 Together in His presence bow,
And all your guilt confess :
Accept the offer'd Saviour now,
Nor trifle with His grace.
4 Bow, ere the awful trumpet sound,
And call you to His bar;
knows the appointed bound,
And turns to judgment there.
5 Amazing Love, that yet will call,
And yet prolong our days:
Our hearts, subdued by goodness, fall,
And weep, and love, and praise.
In the large Hymn-Book 1780, Mr. Wesley closed his INTRODUCTORY HYMNS with a few entitled, Praying for a Blessing. These may be found, with similar Hymns, (Nos. 51-66,) in the Section on DIVINE WORSHIP.
Describing Formal Religion; See HYMNS 336-338.
Describing Inward Religion; See HYMNS 383-385.
ATHER of Lights, from whom proceeds Whate'er Thy every creature needs; Whose goodness, providently nigh, Feeds the young ravens when they cry; To Thee I look, my heart prepare, Suggest, and hearken to my prayer.
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