C.M.

581 Absent from the body.

1

with the Lord.-2 Cor. 5, 8.

present

THERE is a house not made with

hands,

Eternal and on high:

And here my spirit waiting stands, "
Till God shall bid it fly.

2 Shortly this prison of my clay
Must be dissolved and fall:
Then, O my soul! with joy obey
The heavenly Father's call.
3 Tis He, by His almighty grace,

That forms thee fit for heaven:
And as an earnest of the place,
Has His own Spirit given.

4 We walk by faith of joys to come;
Faith lives upon His word:
But, while the body is our home,
We're absent from the Lord.

Tis pleasant to believe Thy grace,
But we would rather see:
We would be absent from the flesh,
And present, Lord, with Thee.

S.M.

582 There shall be no more death, nei

1

2

ther sorrow, nor crying.—Rev. 21, 4. LET our heart and mind Continually ascend, That heaven of repose to find Where all our labours end;

Where all our toils are o'er, Our suffering and our pain:Who meet on that eternal shore Shall never part again.

O happy, happy place,

Where saints and angels meet! There shall we see each others' face, And all our brethren greet:

4 The church of the first-born, We shall with them be blest!

And, crowned with endless joy, return To our eternal rest.

3

Awhile in flesh disjoined, Our friends that went before We soon in paradise shall find, And meet to part no more.

6 The saints of ancient days,

We shall with them sit down, Who fought the fight, and ran the race, And then received the crown.

LM.

583 The ransomed of the Lord shall

1

return to Zion.-Isa. 35, 10. ZION, when I think on thee,

I wish for pinions like a dove, And mourn to think that I should be So distant from the place I love. 2 A captive here, and far from home, For Zion's sacred courts I sigh: Thither the ransomed nations come, And see their Saviour, eye to eye. 3 While here I walk on hostile ground, The few that I can call my friends, Are, like myself, with fetters bound, And weariness my path attends. 4 But yet we shall behold the day When Zion's children shall return; Our sorrows then shall flee away, And we shall never, never mourn. 5 The hope that such a day will come Makes e'en the captive's portion sweet Though now we're distant far from home.

In Zion soon we all shall meet.

8.7.8.7.7.7.

584 What is your life? it is even a

1

vapour.-James 4, 14.

HAT is life? tis but a vapour,

WHAT

Soon it vanishes away;

Life is like a dying taper:

O my soul, why wish to stay?

Why not spread thy wings, and fly
Straight to yonder world of joy?

2 See that glory; how resplendent!
Brighter far than fancy paints:
There, in majesty transcendent,
Jesus reigns the King of saints:
Spread thy wings, my soul, and fly
Straight to yonder world of joy.

s Joyful crowds, His throne surrounding, Sing with rapture of His love; Through the heavens His praise resounding

Fills the blissful courts above:
Spread thy wings, my soul, and fly
Straight to yonder world of joy.
4 Go and share His people's glory,
Midst the ransomed crowd appear,
Thine a joyful, wondrous story,
One that angels love to hear:
Spread thy wings, my soul, and fly
Straight to yonder world of joy.

585 6.6.8.6.8.8.

FRIE

Departed for a season.-Philem. 15.
RIEND after friend departs;
Who hath not lost a friend?
There is no union here of hearts,
That finds not here an end;

Were this frail world our only rest,
Living or dying, none were blest.

Beyond the flight of time,
Beyond this vale of death,
There surely is some blessed clime
Where life is not a breath,

Nor life's affections transient fire,
Whose sparks fly upwards to expire

There is a world above,

Where parting is unknown;

A whole eternity of love.

Formed for the good alone;

And faith beholds the dying here,
Translated to that happier sphere.

Thus star by star declines.
Till all are passed away,

As morning high and higher shines

To pure and perfect day;

Nor sink those stars in empty night,-
They hide themselves in heaven's own

light.

1

L.M.

586 Here have we no continuing city.

Heb. 13, 14.

W This may distress the worldly
WE'VE no abiding city here:

mind,

But should not cost the saint a tear,
Who hopes a better rest to find..

2 We've no abiding city here:

Sad truth, were this to be our home!
But let this thought our spirits cheer
We seek a city yet to come.

3 We've no abiding city here:
Then let us live as pilgrims do;
Let not the world our rest appear,
But let us haste from all below.
4 We've no abiding city here:
We seek a city out of sight,
Zion its name-the Lord is there,
It shines with everlasting light.

5 O sweet abode of peace and love, Where pilgrims freed from toil are blest!

Had I the pinions of the dove,
I'd fly to thee and be at rest.

6 But hush, my soul, nor dare repine!
The time my God appoints is best:
While here, to do His will be mine;
And His to fix my time of rest.

2

148th.

587 Even we ourselves groan within

ourselves.-Rom. 8, 23.

HEAVEN, abode of saints,

Where sin can never come,

For thee my spirit faints;
I long to be at home:

O world of peace, O land of rest,

When shall I reach thee and be blest?

O Death, once dreaded foe!
Thy name no fear inspires;
Thine icy hand, I know,

Will quench corruption's fires;
And not a spark be left within
Which aught can kindle into sin.

3

4

The worm, I know, will feed
On my unconscious form;
But I shall then be freed,

And safe from every storm;

And when that form is raised anew,..
It will be fair and spotless too.

Jesus, my Life above,
Repairer of my fall,
Oh, by Thy risen love,
Receive my humble call:
Bid me in perfect faith rely
On Thee, in whom I never die,

6.4.6.4.6.6.6.4.

588 They desire a better country, that

1

is, an heavenly.-Heb. 11, 16.

I'M but a stranger here,

Heaven is my home;

Earth is a desert drear,
Heaven is my home:
Danger and sorrow stand
Round me on every hand;
Heaven is my father-land,
Heaven is my home.

2 What though the tempest rage?
Heaven is my home;
Short is my pilgrimage,
Heaven is my home:
And time's wild wintry blast
Soon will be overpast;
I shall reach home at last,
Heaven is my home.

3 There at my Saviour's side,-
Heaven is my home-
I shall be glorified;

Heaven is my home:
-There are the good and blest,
Those I loved most and best,
And there I too shall rest,
Heaven is my home.

4 Therefore I murmur not,
Heaven is my home;
Whate'er my earthly lot,
Heaven is my home:
And I shall surely stand,

There at my Lord's right hand;
Heaven is my father-land,

Heaven is my home.