2 Long have we roamed in want and pain;
Long have we sought our rest in vain;
'Wildered in doubt, in darkness lost,
Long have our souls been tempest-tossed
Low at Thy feet our sins we lay,
Turn not, O Lord, Thy guests away.
"The marriage of the Lamb is come."-Rev. xix. 7. [c. WESLEY.
183 COME, and let us sweetly join,
Christ to praise in hymns divine!
Give we all, with one accord,
Glory to our common Lord;
Hands, and hearts, and voices raise;
Sing as in the ancient days;
Antedate the joys above;
Celebrate the feast of love.
2 Jesus, we Thy promise claim;
We are met in Thy great name;
In the midst do Thou appear,
Manifest Thy presence here!
Sanctify us, Lord, and bless;
Breathe Thy Spirit, give Thy peace;
Thou Thyself within us move;
Make our feast a feast of love.
3 Make us all in Thee complete;
Make us all for glory meet-
Meet to stand before Thy sight,
Partners with the saints in light.
Call, O call us each by name
To the marriage of the Lamb;
Let us lean upon Thy breast:
Love be there our endless feast.
"Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec."-Heb. vii. 17.
184 BEHOLD! the Eternal King and Priest Brings forth for me the bread and
Himself the Master of the Feast,
His flesh and blood the food divine!
2 Jesus! I come, for Thou dost call;
I eat and drink at Thy command;
Low at Thy feet I humbly fall:
O touch me with Thy pierced hand.
3 Wash throughly clean this heart of mine,
That it may beat for Thee alone;
O let it lose its life in Thine,
And have no will except Thine own.
4 In weariness be Thou my rest,
In loneliness be Thou my friend,
In sorrow hold me to Thy breast,
And keep me, Jesu, to the end.
185 BREAD of the world, in mercy broken,
Wine of the soul, in mercy shed; By whom the words of life were spoken, And in whose death our sins are dead; Look on the heart by sorrow broken, Look on the tears by sinners shed, And be Thy feast to us the token
That by Thy grace our souls are fed.
"Blessed are they who are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb."-Rev. xix. 9.
186 WE E in the lower parts
Of Thy great kingdom feast,
And feel the earnest in our hearts
Of Thine eternal rest.
Thy presence makes the feast;
Now let our spirits feel
The glory not to be expressed-
The joy unspeakable.
3 For still a higher seat
We in Thy kingdom claim;
And here begin by faith to eat
The supper of the Lamb.
4 Lift up from earth our eyes
To that great banquet there;
And ever for the crowning prize
Our waiting hearts prepare.
The life that's hid with Thee,
With hidden manna feed,
Until the great Epiphany,
When we shall feast indeed.
"He that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal."-John iv. 36.
EAPER! behold the fields are white
With the great harvest of the world! Soldier! seek thou the thickest fight, Thy Captain's standard is unfurled.
2 Wise to win souls, exhort, reprove,
And watch the flock redeemed by blood;
Warn with thy tears,-preach in deep love
The gospel of the grace of God.
3 Toil on in the appointed way,
The precious fruit shall soon appear;
Work thou thy work whilst it is day!
The shadows lengthen,-night is near:
4 And say not that thy hands are weak,
Thy heart is faint, thy soul cast down,"
But press thou on the prize to seek ;-
Faithful to death,--secure the crown.
5 Soon shalt thou hear the Master's voice,
The welcome cry, Behold, I come!
Within the pearly gates rejoice,
And rest thee in thy heavenly home.
"His Kingdom ruleth over all."-Ps. ciii. 19.
188 LE ET all men know, that all men move
Under a canopy of love,
As broad as the blue sky above;
That doubt and trouble, fear and pain,
And anguish, all are shadows vain;
That death itself shall not remain.
2 That weary deserts we may tread,
A dreary labyrinth we may thread,
Through dark ways underground be led;
Yet, if we will our Guide obey,
The dreariest path, the darkest way,
Shall issue out in heavenly day!
3 And we on divers shores now cast,
Shall meet, our perilous voyage past,
All in our Father's house at last!
Let all men count it true that love,
Blessing, not cursing, rules above,
And that in it we live and move.
"Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest."-Matt. ix. 38.
189 LORD of the living harvest,
That whitens o'er the plain,
Where angels soon shall gather
Their sheaves of golden grain;
Accept these hands to labour,
These hearts to trust and love,
And deign with them to hasten
Thy kingdom from above.
2 As labourers in Thy vineyard,
Send us out, Christ, to be
Content to bear the burden
Of weary days for Thee;
We ask no other wages,
When Thou shalt call us home,
But to have shared the travail
Which makes Thy kingdom come.
3 Come down, Thou Holy Spirit!
And fill our souls with light,
Clothe us in spotless raiment,
In linen clean and white;
Within Thy sacred temple
Be with us, where we stand,
And sanctify Thy people
Throughout this happy land.
4 Be with us, God the Father!
Be with us, God the Son!
And God, the Holy Spirit!
O Blessed Three in One!
Make us a Royal Priesthood,
Thee rightly to adore,
And fill us with Thy fulness,
Now, and for evermore.
"If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where
I am, there shall also my servant be."-John xii. 26.
Wearmouth, 308.]
C.M. [SPITTA, tr. H. L. LUTHER.
blessed from the bonds of sin,
And earthly fetters free,
In singleness of heart and aim,
Thy servant, Lord, to be!
The hardest toil to undertake
With joy at Thy command,
The meanest office to receive
With meekness at Thy hand!
2 With willing heart and longing eyes,
To watch before Thy gate,
Ready to run the weary race,
To bear the heavy weight;
No voice of thunder to expect,
But follow calm and still,
For love can easily divine
The One Beloved's will.
3 Thus may I serve Thee, gracious Lord!
Thus ever Thine alone,
My soul and body given to Thee,
The purchase Thou hast won.
Through evil or through good report,
Still keeping by Thy side,
By life or death, in this poor flesh,
Let Christ be magnified.
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