2 Why should my passions mix with earth,
And thus debase my heavenly birth?
Why should I cleave to things below,
And let my God, my Saviour, go?

3 Call me away from flesh and sense:
One sovereign word can draw me thence:
I would obey the voice divine,

And all inferior joys resign.

4 Be earth, with all her scenes, withdrawn ;
Let noise and vanity be gone:

In secret silence of the mind,

My heaven, and there my God, I find.

C. M.

Religious Retirement.

1 FAR from the world, O Lord! I flee,
From strife and tumult far;

From scenes, where sin is waging still
Its most successful war.

2 The calm retreat, the silent shade,
With prayer and praise agree;

And seem, by thy sweet bounty, made
For those who follow thee.

3 There, if thy spirit touch the soul,
And grace her mean abode;

O with what peace, and joy, and love,
She communes with her God.

COWPER.

306

4 There, like the nightingale, she pours

Her solitary lays;

Nor asks a witness of her song,

Nor thirsts for human praise.

5 Author and Guardian of my life,
Sweet source of light divine,
And all harmonious names in one,
My Father-thou art mine!

307

C. M.

Heaven Desired.

1 THE dove, let loose in Eastern skies,

Returning fondly home,

MOORE.

Ne'er stoops to earth her wing, nor flies,
Where idler warblers roam; —

2 But high she shoots through air and light-
Above all low delay,

Where nothing earthly bounds her flight,
Nor shadow dims her way.

3 So grant me, Lord, from every snare
Of sinful passion free,

Aloft, through faith's serener air
To urge my course to thee;

4 No sin to cloud, no lure to stay
My soul, as home she springs;
Thy sunshine on her joyful way,
Thy freedom on her wings.

308

L. M.

Preparation for Weaven.

MONTGOMERY.

1 HEAVEN is a place of rest from sin,
But all who hope to enter there,
Must here that holy course begin,
Which shall their souls for rest prepare.

2 Clean hearts, O God, in us create,
Right spirits, Lord, in us renew;
Commence we now that higher state,
Now do thy will as angels do.

3 In Jesus' footsteps may we tread,
Learn every lesson of his love;
And be from grace to glory led,

From heaven below to heaven above.

309

C. M.

The Hope of Heaven our Support.

1 WHEN I can read my title clear
To mansions in the skies,

I bid farewell to every fear,
And wipe my weeping eyes.

2 Let cares, like a wild deluge, come,
And storms of sorrow fall;

May I but safely reach my home,

My God, my heaven, my all

WATTS.

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3 There shall I bathe my weary soul
In seas of heavenly rest;

And not a wave of trouble roll
Across my peaceful breast.

1 HEAVENLY Father, sovereign Lord,

Ever faithful to thy word,

We have felt thy mercy too;

We, O Lord! have found thee true!
See, these barren souls of ours

Bloom, and put forth fruits and flowers,
Flowers of Eden, fruits of grace,
Peace and joy and righteousness.

2 Hark! the wastes have found a voice,
Lonely deserts now rejoice!
Gladsome hallelujahs sing;
All around with praises ring!

Blind we were, but now we see:
Deaf; we hearken now to thee:
Dumb; for thee our tongues employ:

Lame; and lo! we leap for joy.

3 Faint we were, and parched with drought,

Water, at thy word, gushed out:

Streams of grace our thirst repress-
Starting from the wilderness.

Still we long thy grace to know -
Here, forever, let it flow;
Lead us in the way of peace,
In the path of righteousness.

4 There the simple cannot stray;
Babes, though blind, may find the way,
Find, nor ever thence depart,

Safe in lowliness of heart;

Far from fear, from danger far;
No devouring beast is there;
There the humble walks secure,
God hath made his footsteps sure.

5 Come, and all our sorrows chase,
Wipe the tears from every face;
Gladness let us now obtain,
Partners of thine endless reign.
Death, the latest foe, destroy;
Sorrow then shall yield to joy;
Gloomy grief shall flee away,
Swallowed up in endless day.