TARK! a voice divides the sky,
Happy are the faithful dead!
In the Lord who sweetly die,
They from all their toils are freed;
Them the Spirit hath declared
Blest, unutterably blest;
Jesus is their great reward,
Jesus is their endless rest.
2 Followed by their works, they go
Where their Head hath gone before;
Reconciled by grace below,
Grace hath opened mercy's door;
Justified through faith alone,
Here they knew their sins forgiven,
Here they laid their burden down,
Hallowed, and made meet for heaven.
3 Who can now lament the lot
Of a saint in Christ deceased?
Let the world, who know us not,
Call us hopeless and unblessed :
When from flesh the spirit freed
Hastens homeward to return,
Mortals cry,
"A man is dead!"
Angels sing, "A child is born!"
4 Born into the world above,
They our happy brother greet,
Bear him to the throne of love,
Place him at the Saviour's feet;
Jesus smiles, and says, "Well done,
Good and faithful servant thou;
Enter, and receive thy crown,
Reign with me triumphant now."
5 Angels catch the approving sound,
Bow, and bless the just award;
Hail the heir with glory crowned,
Now rejoicing with his Lord:
Fuller joys ordained to know,
Waiting for the general doom,
When the archangel's trump shall blow,
"Rise, ye dead, to judgment come!"
AGAIN we lift our voice,
And shout our solemn joys;
Cause of highest raptures this,
Raptures that shall never fail,
See a soul escaped to bliss,
Keep the Christian festival!
2 Our friend is gone before
To that celestial shore;
He hath left his mates behind,
He hath all the storms outrode ;
Found the rest we toil to find,
Landed in the arms of God.
3 And shall we mourn to see
Our fellow-prisoner free?
Free from doubts, and griefs, and fears,
In the haven of the skies!
Can we weep to see the tears
Wiped for ever from his eyes?
4 No, dear companion, no!
We gladly let thee go,
From a suffering church beneath,
To a reigning church above:
Thou hast more than conquered death;
Thou art crowned with life and love.
5 Thou, in thy youthful prime,
Hast leaped the bounds of time,
Suddenly from earth released;
Lo! we now rejoice for thee,
Taken to an early rest,
Caught into eternity.
6 Thither may we repair,
That glorious bliss to share!
We shall see the welcome day,
We shall to the summons bow;
Come, Redeemer, come away,
Now prepare, and take us now.
1 LORY be to God on high,
U God in whom we live and die,
God, who guides us by his love,
Takes us to his throne above!
Angels that surround his throne,
Sing the wonders he hath done,
Shout, while we on earth reply
Glory be to God on high!
2 God of everlasting grace,
Worthy thou of endless praise,
Thou hast all thy blessings shed
On the living and the dead;
Thou wast here their sure defence,
Thou hast borne their spirits hence,
Worthy thou of endless praise,
God of everlasting grace.
3 Thanks be all ascribed to thee,
Blessing, power, and majesty,
Thee, by whose almighty name
They their latest foe o'ercame ;
Thou the victory hast won,
Saved them by thy grace alone,
Caught them up thy face to see,
Thanks be all ascribed to thee!
4 Happy in thy glorious love,
We shall from the vale remove,
Glad partakers of our hope,
We shall soon be taken up;
Meet again our heavenly friends,
Blest with bliss that never ends,
Joined to all thy hosts above,
Happy in thy glorious love!
(4.) DESCRIBING JUDGMENT.
EARKEN to the solemn voice,
The awful midnight cry;
Waiting souls, rejoice, rejoice,
And see the bridegroom nigh;
Lo! he comes to keep his word,
Light and joy his looks impart ;
Go ye forth to meet your Lord,
And meet him in your heart.
2 Ye who faint beneath the load
Of sin, your heads lift up;
See your great redeeming God,
He comes, and bids you hope:
In the midnight of your grief,
Jesus doth his mourners cheer;
Lo! he brings you sure relief;
Believe, and feel him here.
3 Ye whose loins are girt, stand forth!
Whose lamps are burning bright,
Worthy, in your Saviour's worth,
To walk with him in white:
Jesus bids your hearts be clean,
Bids you all his promise prove;
Jesus comes to cast out sin,
And perfect you in love.
4 Wait we all in patient hope,
Till Christ, the Judge, shall come;
We shall soon be all caught up
To meet the general doom:
In an hour to us unknown,
As a thief in deepest night,
Christ shall suddenly come down,
With all his saints in light.
5 Happy he whom Christ shall find
Watching to see him come;
Him the Judge of all mankind
Shall bear triumphant home:
Who can answer to his word?
Which of you dares meet his day?
"Rise, and come to judgment !"-Lord,
We rise, and come away.
THOU Judge of quick and dead,
Before whose bar severe,
With holy joy, or guilty dread,
We all shall soon appear;
Our cautioned souls prepare
For that tremendous day,
And fill us now with watchful care,
And stir us up to pray:
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