FROM THE. LIBRARY OF 
 
 REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON. D. D. 
 
 BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO 
 
 THE LIBRARY OF 
 
 PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 
 
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 HYMNS 
 
 BY *v 
 
 THOMAS H. GILL, 
 
 Author of the " Papal Drama," and " 73k Anniversaries." 
 
 I WILL SING PRAISES UNTO MY GOD WHILE I HAYE 
 ANY BEING." — PSALM CXLVI. 
 
 I'll praise Him while He lends me breath : 
 And when my voice is lost in death 
 
 Praise shall employ my noblest powers : 
 My days of praise shall ne'er be past 
 While life and thought and being last 
 
 Or immortality endures. 
 
 WATTS. 
 
 . . . "With mv utmost art 
 I will sing Thee, 
 And the cream of all my heart 
 I will bring Thee. 
 
 HERBERT. 
 
 LONDON: 
 WILLIAM HUNT AND COMPANY, 
 
 HOLLF.S STREET, CAYENDISH SQUARE. 
 
 <M 
 
 v«V 
 
TO MY DEAREST BROTHER 
 
 THE REVEREND J. C. GILL, M.A. 
 
 TO WHOSE VIGOROUS AND COMPREHENSIVE INTELLECT 
 
 MY OWN MIND HAS BEEN SO GREATLY INDEBTED ; 
 
 TO WHOSE CRITICAL DISCERNMENT AND CONSUMMATE TASTE 
 
 I HAVE EVER RECURRED TO MY OWN GREAT ADVANTAGE; 
 
 AND WHOSE UNCHANGING LOVE AND CONSTANT COMPANIONSHIP 
 
 HAVE SO LARGELY MINISTERED TO THE FELICITY OF 
 
 A VERY HAPPY LIFE : 
 
 THESE SACRED SONGS, DEVOTED TO THE UTTERANCE 
 
 OF THAT INWARD AND SPIRITUAL CHRISTIANITY 
 
 WHEREOF HE IS A POWERFUL AND PERSUASIVE PREACHER, 
 
 ARE MOST AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Every true hymn is a religious poem, though every 
 religious poem is not a hymn. Sacred Song forms a 
 province of the wider realm of Sacred Poetry, subject 
 of course to the general laws of the whole country, but 
 having those laws modified and limited by rules and 
 customs peculiar to itself. Yet while debarred from the 
 liberty and luxury proper to other kinds of verse, while 
 bound to keep at a distance from very ornate poetry, 
 the hymn cannot be too far removed from prose. It 
 may easily be too figurative ; it cannot be too glowing 
 and imaginative. Hymns are not meant to be theologi- 
 cal statements, expositions of doctrine or enunciations 
 of precepts ; they are utterances of the soul in its mani- 
 fold moods of hope and fear, joy and sorrow, love, wonder 
 and aspiration. A hymn should not consist of comments 
 on a text or of remarks on an experience ; but of a 
 central and creative thought, shaping for itself melodious 
 utterance, and with every detail subordinated to its clear 
 and harmonious presentation. Herein a true hymn takes 
 rank as a poem j but it is a poem that has to be sung, 
 
vi /Y 
 
 and should exhibit all the qualities and limitations of a 
 good song — liveliness and intensity of feeling, directness, 
 clearness and vividness of utterance, strength, sweetness 
 and simplicity of diction and melody of rhythm : excessive 
 subtlety and excessive ornament should be alike avoided. 
 Hymns are meant and made to be sung : the best and 
 most glorious hymns cannot be more exactly defined 
 them as Divine Love-Songs. 
 
 Divine Song then has its laws and limitations : it does 
 not spurn the bonds of Art, but it draws its life and 
 power from Divine Inspiration. Sacred strains are bound 
 to exhibit the same literary excellence essential to noble 
 secular strains. The tenderness, pathos and melody which 
 go to make an excellent earthly love-song, are still more 
 admirable in a heavenly love-song. The fire and force 
 which kindle us in a grand war-song still more uplift our 
 hearts in the song of the Christian warrior. But the 
 most exact knowledge of the properties of Sacred Song, 
 combined with the fullest command of happy diction and 
 melodious numbers, cannot avail to the production of a 
 potent hymn without " devout prayer to that Eternal 
 Spirit who can enrich with all iitterance and knowledge, 
 and sends out His Seraphim with the hallowed fire of 
 His altar to touch and purify the lips of whom He 
 pleases." 
 
 With these conceptions of what a hymn ought to be, the 
 
Preface. vii 
 
 following hymns have been written. It is not for me to 
 say how far these conceptions have been realized ; but I 
 dare affirm of almost all these compositions that they are 
 songs and not merely religious poems. They were made 
 and meant to be sung, and will readily lend themselves 
 to music. In fact music has had something to do with 
 the making of some of them. Certain tunes have so 
 filled and possessed me during the composition of a few 
 among these hymns, as in some measure to dictate the 
 sentiment, rhythm and pauses. The name of the tune 
 has been prefixed to each hymn in which it may claim 
 any parental interest. 
 
 Hymns are utterances of the religious affections, not 
 theological statements or doctrinal expositions. But reli- 
 gious affections are the offspring of religious convictions : 
 emotion is born of truth received into the heart. The 
 soul utters praise because it is full of love and wonder ; 
 the soul loves and wonders because it believes. All true 
 hymns have grown out of a deep and true theology. The 
 "Te Deum"was praised by Luther as a good symbol 
 not less than as a perfect hymn. Though utterly undi- 
 dactic, it recognises every fundamental objective truth of 
 Christianity — the Trinity, the Incarnation, the Vicarious 
 Redemption, the Resurrection, the Ascension and the 
 Second Coming : but it presents these truths poetically, 
 not dogmatically ; to the adoring gaze of faith and love, 
 
viii ' icr. 
 
 not to the discriminating survey of the intellect. It is after 
 the fashion of the " Te Deum " that all great Christian 
 truths are presented in great Christian hymns. They 
 appear there not as doctrines, far less as dogmas: but as 
 great objective facts uplifting the heart and the imagina- 
 tion ; or as truths received into the soul and transformed 
 into experience. Every potent manifestation of Chris- 
 tianity has a witness of its greatness in the multitude of 
 noble hymns to which it has given birth. The Reforma- 
 tion has won from Germany thousands of sacred songs ; 
 Puritanism has found melodious utterance in the hymns 
 of Watts ; Methodism rejoices in the strains of Charles 
 Wesley. To Evangelicalism belong the hymns of Cowper, 
 Newton, and Toplady; to Anglicanism appertain the 
 religious poems of Herbert and Keble. The theology of 
 the following hymns is the theology of the " Te Deum," 
 the theology common to most Protestant Churches, the 
 theology common to Luther, Gerhardt, and Tersteegen, 
 to Watts, Wesley, and Heber. 
 
 The spiritual experience of more than twenty years is 
 recorded in these sacred songs. Though spread over so 
 long a period, they are now given to the world for the 
 first time, with the exception of about thirty which have 
 appeared partly in collections and partly among " The 
 Anniversaries" (poems published ten years ago.) Often 
 and earnestly solicited by friends both in England and 
 
Preface. ix 
 
 America to collect and publish my hymns, I am not 
 sorry that I have withholden them until now, when the 
 outbreak of carnal and corrupt religion particularly in the 
 direction of hymn-writing, may impart especial timeliness 
 and value to this endeavour after the melodious utterance 
 of inward and spiritual religion in its depth and breadth, 
 as possessing and gladdening the heart, as appropriating 
 and ennobling the outer life, both individual and national. 
 I trust that these hymns will not unworthily maintain that 
 Protestant Succession of English Sacred Song, so magnifi- 
 cently commenced by Watts, so well sustained by Addison, 
 so gloriously continued by Charles and John Wesley, so 
 worthily supported by Doddridge, Toplady, Cowper and 
 Heber, and so nobly upholden by Montgomery. 
 
 In the title which I have chosen for this book, I have 
 sought to express the power of Sacred Song in bestowing 
 unity and harmony upon life, — a power which I have 
 myself experienced, which I have set forth in more than 
 one of these hymns, and which I have endeavoured to 
 exemplify in their arrangement. With, I trust, an ample 
 diversity of subjects, there are no divisions ; the transition 
 from one theme of praise to another is almost imper- 
 ceptibly effected ; one strain leads on to another ; each 
 song is connected in thought both with the foregoer and 
 the aftercomer ; each hymn forms a link in one unbroken 
 Chain of Praise. 
 
\ face. 
 
 An early lover and an early writer of hymns, I have in 
 putting forth these divine songs fulfilled the aspiration 
 and accomplished the endeavour of a life. The exceeding 
 delight of their production is of course an incommuni- 
 cable joy. May they be made of some avail for the 
 strengthening and gladdening of other souls, through the 
 grace of the Divine Quickener and (iladdener. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 The Song of the Soul . . . I 
 
 " O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." . 3 
 
 " O sing unto the Lord a new song" . . -4 
 
 "Holy, Holy, Holy Lord" ... 6 
 
 11 Come magnify the Lord with me " . .8 
 
 Ever at Work, and Ever at Rest . . . 10 
 
 Joy in the Works of God . . . .11 
 
 " Thy statutes have been my song" . . 13 
 
 The Divine Impart er . . . 14 
 
 Joy in the Glory of God . . . . 15 
 
 " All Thy works shall praise Thee, O Lord " . .16 
 
 Joy in the Presence of God . . . 18 
 
 Most Hidden and most Manifest . . .20 
 
 The Open Secret .... 22 
 
 God Glorious in His Works . . . 23 
 
 God Most Glorious in His Word ... 24 
 
 Worship in Solitude . . . . .26 
 
 Worship in the Assembly .... 27 
 
 The Lord's Day Evening . . . 29 
 
 The Presence of God in His people ... 30 
 
 " O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel " . 32 
 
xii Contents. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 •' ( (pen Thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise" 33 
 
 Spiritual Worship .... 34 
 
 The Sabbath <>n earth and in Heaven . 36 
 
 Praise perfected by holiness ... 37 
 
 The Ministry of Angels . 38 
 
 "O Seeker, who lackest nothing " ... 41 
 
 The Heavenly Lover . . . 42 
 
 I tivine Love ..... 44 
 
 The Debt of Love . . . . -45 
 
 ''To know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge " . 46 
 
 " Kis-, the Son " . . . -47 
 
 The Soul's own Saviour .... 48 
 
 The Son of God . -49 
 
 "Lord, to whom shall we go?" . 50 
 
 Our double kindred to Emmanuel . . 52 
 
 The Exchange of Places . . . . 54 
 
 The Unity of Christ and His people . . -55 
 
 " With I lis stripes we are healed " . . 57 
 "He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied " 58 
 
 Easter Sunday ..... 60 
 
 " I am the Resurrection and the Life " . . .61 
 
 Sweet Surprises ..... 62 
 
 Joy in the Ascended Saviour . . . .64 
 
 The Threefold Feast .... 65 
 
 The Great High Priest . . .66 
 
 The Elder Brother . . . . 6S 
 
 The only Mediator . . 7° 
 
 The only Priest . . . . . 71 
 
 " Sit Thou at my right hand" . . . -72 
 "Surely, I come quickly. Amen, even so; come, Lord Jesus " 74 
 
Contents. 
 
 Xlll 
 
 The Fifth Monarchy 
 
 The Reign of Christ . 
 
 Christ our Csesar 
 
 The Glory of the Latter Days . 
 
 From Strength to Strength 
 
 England's Hymn 
 
 The Good Old Cause in Affliction 
 
 The Hymn of the Waldenses 
 
 The Pilgrim Fathers 
 
 The Thanksgiving Song of Protestant Britain 
 
 The Fall of Babylon 
 
 Again they said Hallelujah 
 
 National and Spiritual Renewal 
 
 The Holy Spirit 
 
 The Spirit's Best Gifts 
 
 The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit 
 
 The Witness of the Spirit . 
 
 The Earnest of the Spirit 
 
 " Grieve not the Holy Spirit " 
 
 The Spirit's Dealings with the heart 
 
 The same 
 
 "The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities." 
 
 A breathing after the Holy Spirit 
 
 The Heavenly Dove 
 
 The Divine Renewer 
 
 "Take not Thy Holy Spirit from me 
 
 The Sinner's Cry 
 
 The Warfare with Sin 
 
 The Memory of Sin 
 
 The Prodigal's Return 
 
 PACK 
 
 7 6 
 77 
 79 
 80 
 81 
 83 
 85 
 86 
 88 
 90 
 92 
 94 
 95 
 97 
 98 
 
 99 
 100 
 102 
 103 
 105 
 106 
 107 
 109 
 no 
 112 
 "3 
 ii5 
 116 
 117 
 
xiv Contents. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 The Pilgrim's Prayer . .120 
 
 " Increase our faith " .... 121 
 
 44 Lead us not into temptation " . . 122 
 
 Spiritual Ups and Downs . . . .124 
 
 Complaint and Aspiration . . .125 
 
 44 1 am Thine, save me " .... 126 
 
 The Halting Aspirant .... i:> 
 
 Divine Discontent . . . . .129 
 
 " We pray Thee therefore help Thy servants " . . 130 
 
 44 Forsake not the works of Thy own hands" . l 3 l 
 
 44 Return unto thy rest, O my soul " . 133 
 
 44 For I shall yet praise Him " 135 
 
 44 Put not your trust in princes " . . 137 
 
 44 Lord ! in Thee have I trusted ; let me never be confounded 
 " Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith " . 140 
 
 The Broken and Renewed Covenant . . 141 
 
 The Worth of Time . . . 143 
 
 New Year Hymn . .144 
 
 Morning Hymn . . M5 
 
 Evening Hymn ..... 146 
 
 The Hymn of Youth . . . . 147 
 
 Eternal youth . . . .149 
 
 The Hymn of the heart . . 151 
 
 Lord, I love Thee . 152 
 
 Early Love . . 1 54 
 
 True Love . . • '55 
 
 Full Love . . . 156 
 
 Love and Praise . . . . 15S 
 
 Grace and Gratitude . . . 1 59 
 
 Lowly Ambition . . . .160 
 
Contents. xv 
 
 PAGK 
 
 Sweet Subjection . . . .162 
 
 The Glory of Infirmity . . . .163 
 
 " Not my will but Thine be done " . . 164 
 
 Alone with the Father . . . .166 
 
 The World Overcome . . . .167 
 
 " I know that my Redeemer liveth " . .168 
 
 Godly Sorrow . . . . .170 
 
 " Pray without ceasing" . . . 171 
 
 The Walk with God . . . .172 
 
 The True Servant . . . . 173 
 
 The Great Taskmaster . . . . 1 74 
 
 Abiding Work . . . . .176 
 
 " I love God, or rather am loved of God" . . 177 
 
 " Let your light so shine before men " . . .178 
 
 We are seeking the Lord . . . 1 80 
 
 " Ye are a royal priesthood " . . . .181 
 
 " More than conquerors through Him that loved us" . 182 
 
 The People of God . . . . .184 
 
 " Of the household of God " . . . 186 
 
 " Partakers of His holiness " .... 187 
 " The glorious liberty of the children of God " . 188 
 
 The Exchange of Gifts . . . .190 
 
 "Son thou art ever with Me and all that I have is thine " 191 
 
 " O God, Thou art my God " . . . . 193 
 
 " By the grace of God I am what I am " . . 194 
 
 "The peace that passeth all understanding " . 195 
 
 The Everlasting Arms .... 197 
 
 Eternal Love . . . .198 
 
 Free Grace ..... 200 
 
 Electing Love ..... 202 
 
Contents. 
 
 Holy Diligence ..... 
 
 " Make Thy chosen people joyful '" 
 
 " Rejoice evermore " .... 
 
 The Divine (iladdener . . . . 
 
 Joy under the eye of God .... 
 
 "I will play before the Lord " . 
 
 The Endless Stream of Praise 
 
 The Golden Chain of Praise . 
 
 The Family in Heaven and Earth 
 
 Thanks for the Departed . 
 
 " Make us to be numbered with Thy saints in glory everlasting " 
 
 "Our citizenship is in heaven " . 
 
 " To him that overcometh " . . . . 
 
 The Everlasting Rest .... 
 
 The Mourner's Heaven . 
 
 Heaven our Holy Land .... 
 
 The Debt of Heaven to Earth . . . . 
 
 The Witness of Earth to Htaven 
 
 Christ our Heaven .... 
 
 Our Everlasting Portion .... 
 
 " In my Father's house are many mansions " 
 
 " The city hath no need of the sun neither of the moon '" 
 
 The Better Land . 
 
 The Vision Beatific .... 
 
 205 
 207 
 208 
 209 
 210 
 212 
 
 216 
 218 
 219 
 221 
 
 223 
 224 
 226 
 227 
 229 
 
 231 
 232 
 
 2 33 
 235 
 237 
 238 
 
€(ie inlkn Cfjain nf praise. 
 
 i. 
 THE SONG OF THE SOUL. 
 
 FAINT not along the heavenly road, 
 
 Thou Pilgrim Soul of mine ; 
 Still, still be gladsome in thy God, 
 
 Still sing thy song divine ! 
 A weary race thou hast to run ; 
 
 Dim shineth the far goal : 
 But shall not Heaven at last be won ? 
 
 Pursue thy song, my Soul ! 
 
 A dreary desert dost thou trace, 
 
 And quaff a bitter bowl ? 
 The desert make thy Holy Place : 
 
 Sing as thou drinkest, Soul ! 
 Or walkest thou 'neath smiling skies, 
 
 A garden all the road ? 
 Sing, Soul, and make thy paradise 
 
 The Paradise of God ! 
 
The Golden Cham 
 
 Hath the strong world uprisen in wrath 
 
 Against thee, Soul of mine ? 
 Do deadly foes beset thy path 
 
 And battle with thee join? 
 Right on thee do the tempests beat, 
 
 Ri^'ht on the billows roll ? 
 Make answer with thy music sweet: 
 
 Sing, and o'ercome, my Soul. 
 
 Is't sweetness that thou dwellest in, 
 
 Thine own each precious thing? 
 From gracious creatures dost thou win 
 
 Most tender cherishing? 
 Doth life for thee, bright Soul, for thee 
 
 Its glory all unroll ? 
 Oh, take thy pleasure holily ! 
 
 Sing to thy Lord, my Soul ! 
 
 And hast thou sinned, and dost thou low 
 
 In shame and sadness lie? 
 For that glad singing, doth thy woe 
 
 Send forth the bitter i 
 Look up : behold that open Heaven, 
 
 That Lamb for sinners slain ! 
 No more! no more! O Soul forgiven. 
 
 Thine own glad song again ! 
 
 And in the joy of victory, 
 
 When some strong sin lies dead, 
 When He the Ix>rd hath risen in thee. 
 
 And with thee triumphed ; 
 When the glad Spirit's voice divine 
 
 Through thy stirred deeps doth roll, 
 O ! glows there such a joy as thine ? 
 
 Swells such a song, my Soul ? 
 
of Praise. 
 
 When over thy best lovers gone 
 
 Thou weepest mournfully; 
 When He, the God of grace, hath drawn 
 
 Thy gracious ones on high ; 
 No mirth He asks of thee, no smile ; 
 
 Meetly the tears down roll ; 
 But flows not His grace the while ? 
 
 Renew thy song, my Soul ! 
 
 And when thy voice is falling fast 
 
 Down to the hush of death, 
 On, on, sweet Singer, to the last ! 
 
 Divine thy latest breath. 
 Thou wouldst not part, thou wouldst not win 
 
 Without a song the goal : 
 Can thy voice nothing ? sing within ! 
 
 Still, still thy song, my Soul ! 
 
 A moment — and thou praisest Him 
 
 Nor voiceless nor alone : 
 Thou singest with the Seraphim : 
 
 Thou singest near the throne. 
 Hark ! without stint or stay from thee 
 
 The music forth doth roll ; 
 O sweet to all eternity 
 
 Thy glad, glad song, my Soul ! 
 
 ii. 
 
 O worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness." 
 
 HOW, Lord, shall vows of ours be sweet ? 
 O, how should souls immortal meet ? 
 How lose themselves in heaven awhile ? 
 How win Thine own eternal smile ? 
 
The Golden Chain 
 
 Come beautiful, as souls should be ! 
 Come beautiful for Cod to see ! 
 Come holy-fair, come heaven 1) -bright, 
 And give the All-seeing Eye delight ! 
 
 Come souls ! thus glorious soar and sing ; 
 The Lord's own beauty with you bring ! 
 Ye merciful ! from you how sweet 
 The service of the Mercy-Seat ! 
 
 Ye upright ! be not faint of tongue ; 
 The faithful Lord will love your song. 
 O pure of heart ! how meetly ye 
 Aspire to praise His purity ! 
 
 Ye loving, of large souls and free, 
 Whose hours run on forgivingly ! 
 You chief the God of Love will hear, — 
 Your own the Incessant Pardoner ! 
 
 Yet better songs, ye godly, raise ! 
 More nobly live ; more sweetly praise ! 
 Till beauteous round the heavenly throne 
 Ye worship best the Holy One. 
 
 in. 
 " O sing unto the Lord a new song." 
 
 L( )RI) ! from these trembling souls of ours 
 New songs dost Thou require ? 
 
 May our dull lips, our faltering powers 
 In such a strain conspire? 
 
of Praise. 
 
 May pilgrims on this weary road 
 
 Keep their first joy unspent, 
 And bearers of this daily load 
 
 Still a new song present ? 
 
 Yes, from Thy grace so marvellous 
 
 This wonder, Lord, may flow : 
 Breathe Thy renewing fire on us ! 
 
 Our lips must catch the glow. 
 
 As down Thy quickening grace is poured 
 
 So will Thy people sing ; 
 New songs to their renewing Lord 
 
 Renewed hearts will bring. 
 
 Sweet comes Thy morning love to them 
 
 As ne'er bestowed before \ 
 And glad ascends their evening hymn 
 
 As when it first did soar. 
 
 New songs that tenderest Father bless 
 
 Who spared not His Son ; 
 New songs His endless love address 
 
 Who chose them for His own. 
 
 They sing as though the Ransomer 
 
 Their ransom just had paid ; 
 They sing as when the Comforter 
 
 His first sweet visit made. 
 
 From strength to strength their way they take ; 
 
 From song to song they soar ; 
 New Births of Grace their wonder wake ; 
 
 New praises forth they pour. 
 
7'/ir Golden Chain 
 
 In Heaven to endless joy they rise : 
 
 Still a new song they sing ; 
 Still grows on their enamoured eyes 
 
 The glory of their King. 
 
 More near they draw, more bright they shine ; 
 
 They sing more glad, more strong ; 
 New, new that endless joy divine, — 
 
 New, new that endless song ! 
 
 -HOLY, HOLY, HOLY LORD." 
 
 FATHER, glorious with all splendour, 
 
 But with holiness most bright ! 
 Son, in whom all sweet and tender 
 
 Dwelt on earth that blessed light ! 
 Spirit, through whose grace the sweetness 
 
 Into sinful souls is poured ! 
 In this strain what mighty meetness, 
 
 " Holy, Holy, Holy Lord ! " 
 
 Holy One, who sin abhorrest, 
 
 Awful sin-consuming flame ! 
 Holy One, our sin who borest, 
 
 Through our sin whose passion came ! 
 Holy One, who takest sorrow 
 
 When we touch the thing abhorred ! 
 Dare our lips this dread strain borrow, 
 
 "Holy, Holy, Holy Lord"? 
 
of Praise. 
 
 Father, Thine own Son who gavest 
 
 For the overthrow of sin ! 
 Lamb of God, who sinners savest, 
 
 Through whose blood our peace we win ! 
 Dove Divine, who yearnest ever 
 
 Till our sin-bound souls have soared ! 
 Give us grace this strain to endeavour, 
 
 " Holy, Holy, Holy Lord ! " 
 
 Father, Thine Elect who lovest 
 
 With an everlasting love ! 
 Saviour who the bar removest 
 
 From the holy home above ! 
 Spirit, daily meetness bringing 
 
 For the glory there upstored ! 
 List to Thy glad people singing, 
 
 " Holy, Holy, Holy Lord ! " 
 
 In this strain what fulness dwelleth ! 
 
 How it makes the Godhead known ! 
 Of Thy deepest deep it telleth, 
 
 Everlasting Three in One ! 
 Fullest praise Thy saints thus bring Thee, 
 
 Meetliest thus art Thou adored ; 
 This the song they ever sing Thee, 
 
 " Holy, Holy, Holy Lord ! " 
 
 Lord ! with sin-bound souls Thou bearest, 
 
 Struggling towards this strain divine ; 
 Glad on mortal lips Thou hearest 
 
 That thrice-awful name of Thine. 
 But Thou listenest, O how sweetly ! 
 
 When from holy lips outpoured, 
 Rings through Heaven this strain full meetly, 
 
 " Holy, Holy, Holy Lord ! " 
 
The Golden Chain 
 
 Shall we, Lord, meet voices never 
 
 Bring to that eternal hymn ? 
 Hallow us to help the endeavour 
 
 Of Thy pure-lipped Seraphim ! 
 Hark ! their own high strain we bring Thee ; 
 
 Listen to the full accord ! 
 Sweet the song we ever sing Thee, 
 
 " Holy, Holy, Holy Lord ! " 
 
 Come magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His 
 na?ne together." 
 
 YE of the Father loved, 
 
 Ye of the Saviour sought, 
 Whose sins He hath removed, 
 
 Whose raiment He hath wrought ; 
 Ye who have known 
 
 The Spirit's might ; 
 On whom hath shone 
 The Spirit's light ; 
 
 Ye people of the Lord 
 
 Who in His love abide ; 
 Your treasure do not hoard, 
 Your gladness do not hide ! 
 Together bring 
 
 Your costly store ! 
 Together sing ! 
 Together soar ! 
 
of Praise. 
 
 Glad heart, repeat to heart 
 The story of thy peace : 
 Each dear delight impart ! 
 Each dear delight increase ! 
 Thy foes o'erthrown, 
 Thy sins forgiven, 
 Thy darkness gone, 
 Thy fetters riven ! 
 
 Tell of that saving hour ; 
 
 Tell of His smiling face ! 
 Tell of His quickening power ; 
 Tell of His strengthening grace ! 
 Souls loved so well, 
 
 Come near ! come near ! 
 O hear and tell ! 
 O tell and hear ! 
 
 In love together meet ; 
 
 For joy together sing ; 
 With mingled voices greet 
 Each triumph of your King ; 
 The Lord's dear praise 
 
 Together speak ; 
 The Lord's right ways 
 Together seek ! 
 
 In linked praise and prayer 
 
 Your Heaven on earth begin : 
 Together glimpses fair 
 Of hastening glory win : 
 
 From strength to strength 
 
 Together go ! 
 In Heaven at length 
 Together glow ! 
 
The Golden Chain 
 
 With all the heirs of grace 
 
 There speak the Saving Name ; 
 With all the ransomed race 
 Give glory to the Lamb ! 
 Your King of light 
 
 Together see 
 
 In all His might 
 
 And majesty! 
 
 Fix your enamoured eyes : 
 , Lift your exulting tongues ! 
 Mingle your endless joys : 
 Mingle your endless songs ! 
 Together sing, 
 
 Together soar, 
 While smiles your King 
 For evermore ! 
 
 "Semper Agens et semper Quietus." 
 " Ever at work and ever at rest" 
 
 AUGUSTINE. 
 
 THOU workest on, Eternal God ; 
 
 No weariness doth Thee oppress ; 
 Yet hast Thou ever Thine abode 
 
 In awful deeps of quietness. 
 
 O endless rest divine that ne'er 
 Stayeth Thy still creating might ! 
 
 O ceaseless work that may not stir 
 The stillness of the Infinite ! 
 
of Praise. 
 
 Alas ! we toil, then weary grow, 
 We mourn repose a passing guest : 
 
 Alas, our fire that burneth low, 
 
 Our halting work, our broken rest ! 
 
 Ah ! vainly do our spirits yearn 
 In peace to dwell, at work to be ? 
 
 May we not to our Father turn ? 
 May we not, Lord, abide in Thee ? 
 
 May not the weary weaklings grow 
 
 Strong in His strength who fainteth never ? 
 
 May not the restless mourners know 
 Of His repose who resteth ever? 
 
 For us, dear Lord, those eagle-wings ; 
 
 Thy fellow-workers weary not \ 
 And ours the Heavenly Dove that brings 
 
 The peace divine which passeth thought. 
 
 JOY IN THE WORKS OF GOD. 
 
 Thou, Lord, hast made me glad through Thy work ; I 
 will triumph in the works of Thy hands" 
 
 NOT, Lord, its own dear joys alone 
 
 This heart to rapture raise ; 
 The grace which seemeth most my own, 
 
 Employs not all my praise. 
 
The Golden Chain 
 
 Each wonder of Thy hand still makes 
 My gladness sweet and strong; 
 
 The glory of my God still wakes 
 The glory of my song. 
 
 I walk amidst Thy beauty forth : 
 
 My joy Thy praise declares ; 
 I bless Thee with Thy blooming earth, 
 
 I drink Thy vernal airs. 
 
 Those old, eternal hills of Thine, 
 What mighty cheer they breathe ! 
 
 What fulness of delight divine 
 Thy solemn stars bequeath ! 
 
 When cheer and strength my soul doth lack. 
 
 Thy glory makes me whole : 
 Amidst Thy summer I win back 
 
 The summer of my soul. 
 
 How bright Thy footsteps through all Time, 
 
 Thy wonders from of yore ! 
 I follow with a joy sublime : 
 
 My rapture runneth o'er. 
 
 I mingle with Thy men of might ; 
 
 My soul is lifted up : 
 In Thy meek martyrs I delight ; 
 
 How sweet my bitter cup ! 
 
 Not only, in Thy blessed Son, 
 
 My Saviour dear I see, 
 Nor in Thy Gospel greet alone 
 
 Thy wondrous grace to me : 
 
of Praise. 
 
 In the Redemption I delight 
 
 That glorifies Thy name ; 
 Thy First Born Son, Thine Image Bright 
 
 Enamoured I proclaim. 
 
 Lord ! still will I triumphant greet 
 
 Each wonder of Thy grace ; 
 But then my joy will be complete 
 
 When I behold Thy face. 
 
 " Thy statutes have been my song." 
 
 FULL many a smile, full many a song 
 
 Makes glad my portion here ; 
 Lord ! all my strains to Thee belong : 
 
 Thou sendest all my cheer. 
 
 But O my God ! my songs divine 
 
 Are sweetest far to me ; 
 My singing robes most glorious shine, 
 
 Put on, dear Lord, for Thee. 
 
 Joy ! joy ! when Thou the theme dost lend, 
 When Thou the song dost make ! 
 
 How sweet Thy gifts on Thee to spend, 
 Thy glory home to take ! 
 
 I sing because Thy works are fair : 
 
 Thy glory makes me glad ; 
 The garments bright of praise I wear, 
 
 For Thou art brightly clad. 
 
i4 The Golden Chain 
 
 Full triumph doth my soul possess, 
 
 Because Thy ways are right : 
 The glory of Thy righteousness 
 
 Maketh my dear delight. 
 
 How great the judgments Thou hast wrought ! 
 
 How tremblingly I sing ! 
 How good the statutes Thou hast taught ! 
 
 How glad the song I bring ! 
 
 The beauty of Thy holiness 
 
 Uplifts this strain of mine : 
 And when Thy paths my footsteps press 
 
 My song becomes divine. 
 
 But, Lord, when will all moumfulness 
 
 Even from this song remove ? 
 I sing the statutes I transgress ; 
 
 I break the law I love. 
 
 O help me better to obey, 
 
 More gloriously to sing ! 
 The pilgrim that best keeps Thy way 
 
 The sweetest song will bring. 
 
 THE DIVINE IMPARTER. 
 
 LORD ! Thou delightest meetly 
 
 In Thine own glory bright : 
 Thou may'st abide full sweetly 
 
 In Thine exceeding might : 
 No straitness Thee compelleth 
 
 Forth from Thy joy to come ; 
 With Thee all fulness dweUeth : 
 
 The Lord may stay at home. 
 
of Praise. 
 
 But O ! Thy strength is tender : 
 
 Thou art all Love and Light j 
 Thou puttest forth Thy splendour 
 
 That we may grow more bright ; 
 Abroad Thy greatness goeth 
 
 Thy people strong to make ; 
 Around Thy sweetness floweth 
 
 Thy people's song to wake. 
 
 Thou, whom all fulness filleth, 
 
 Wouldst fill our souls with Thee : 
 The Blissful Presence willeth 
 
 That bliss our own to be : 
 The Holy Spirit mourneth 
 
 Until we cease from sin : 
 The Lord of Glory yearneth 
 
 For us to dwell therein. 
 
 x. 
 
 JOY IN THE GLORY OF GOD. 
 
 "The glories that compose Thy name 
 Stand all engaged to make me blest. " 
 
 WATTS. 
 
 MY God ! I do not flee from Thee 
 
 Because Thou awful art ; 
 Thy glories, Lord, oppress not me. 
 
 Nor make afraid my heart. 
 
 Father, Redeemer, Quickener mine, 
 
 What joy Thy glories yield ! 
 That majesty, that might of Thine 
 
 I count my Sun and Shield. 
 
The Golden Chain 
 
 Who hut Thyself, All-glorious Guest, 
 
 Joy to this sad soul brings? 
 And where may this poor changeling rest 
 • But 'neath the Eternal Wings? 
 
 whither dares this sinner press, 
 But, Holy One, to Thee? 
 
 And what but Thine Almightiness 
 This weakling's help may be ? 
 
 1 tremble, and Thou mak'st me bold : 
 I weep ; smiles come from Thee : 
 
 I faint, and Thy strong arms enfold : 
 I die ; Thou quickenest me. 
 
 My weakness Thy dear succour gains ; 
 
 That weakness, Lord, I love : 
 Yes, sweet the frailty that constrains 
 
 My soul to look above ! 
 
 O if I find mine earthly rest 
 
 In Thee, my glorious God, 
 How will Thy glory make me blest 
 
 In Thine own bright abode ! 
 
 • All Thy works shall / raise Thee, O Lord, and Thy saints 
 shall bless 7'Iiee" 
 
 LORD, what harmonious praise doth break 
 
 From all Thy works abroad ! 
 What good Thy happy creatures speak 
 
 Of their all-gracious God ! 
 
of Praise. 1 7 
 
 How gloriously Thy sun beams forth 
 
 The glory of Thy name ! 
 How sweetly Thy fair, blooming earth 
 
 Doth the First Pair proclaim ! 
 
 How mightily the eternal hills 
 
 Thy faithfulness upraise ! 
 How well each tuneful bird fulfils 
 
 Its pleasure and Thy praise ! 
 
 Well pleased, Lord, Thou listenest 
 
 As Thy creation sings \ 
 But O ! those songs delight Thee best 
 
 Thy new-creation brings. 
 
 Ye souls, whom your own Lord hath led 
 
 From grace to grace along, 
 Ye chosen, ransomed, hallowed, 
 
 What song can match your song ? 
 
 Melodious tell your wondrous tale, 
 
 Each happy bird outsing : 
 More blissful than the nightingale, 
 
 His ecstasy outring ! 
 
 Sing of the Father, who of old 
 
 His love upon you set, 
 And for His glory manifold 
 
 Your spirits did beget ! 
 
 Sing of the Son, your flesh. who wore, 
 
 Your vale of tears who sought ; 
 Sing of His grace, your sins who bore, 
 
 Your righteousness who wrought ! 
 c 
 
i v The Golden Chain 
 
 Sing of the mighty Quickener 
 Your souls who maketh new ; 
 
 Be glad in the dear Comforter 
 Who dwelleth here with you ! 
 
 Adore the patience infinite 
 
 That beareth with you still, 
 And in the faithful Lord delight 
 
 Who shall His work fulfil! 
 
 Yes, sing Him a celestial song, 
 
 A song that shall not die, 
 That still shall wax more sweet, more strong, 
 
 Through all Eternity ! 
 
 My God ! may such a strain be poured 
 From this poor heart to Thee ? 
 
 May all Thy happy creatures, Lord, 
 Be thus outsung by me ? 
 
 O ! help me here to give Thee praise 
 Thy glad birds may not bring, 
 
 And there the very song to raise 
 Thy blessed angels sing. 
 
 XII. 
 
 JOY IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD. 
 
 LORD ! Thy presence dear delighteth, 
 
 While Thine earth is our abode; 
 Heaven our pilgrim steps inviteth : 
 Hiy glory fills the road; 
 Yet we sweetly 
 Journey on with Thee, our God. 
 
of Praise. 1 9 
 
 If we love this beaming Nature, 
 Tis that there our God doth shine ; 
 
 In each gracious, glorious creature, 
 Lord, we love those beams of Thine : 
 
 Earth hath won Thee, 
 Her best glory is divine. 
 
 Sweetly rests the Smile Eternal 
 
 Full upon the Vale of Tears ; 
 Glory from the Throne Supernal 
 
 In the wilderness appears j 
 
 Once Thou knewest 
 
 Earthly house and mortal years. 
 
 Round about us waits Thy splendour ; 
 
 Ah dull-eyed and groping we ! 
 Thou dost woo us, bright and tender j 
 
 Why are we not won to Thee ? 
 Lord ! we will not ; 
 
 Full of Thee we will not be ! 
 
 Ah ! Thy brightest dimly hail Thee ; 
 
 Oft Thy presence doth remove : 
 Earthborn mists too often veil Thee, 
 
 Sin is strong to hide Thy love. 
 Yet it shineth, 
 
 Yet we bless the light above ! 
 
 Happy Heaven, wherethrough it streameth 
 
 Bathing saints and seraphim ! 
 Blissful souls whereon it beameth, 
 
 Never distant, never dim ! 
 
 Glows the vision 
 
 In each glowing heart and hymn. 
 
The Golden Chain 
 
 Fully there the Lord appeareth. 
 Fully there those glad eyes gaze ; 
 
 Not one cloud the glory weareth 
 Yet they woo the awful blaze, 
 
 Sunward soaring 
 Through the happy, heavenly days. 
 
 Vision of strange joy prolific, 
 
 : full of the First Fair, 
 Holy Vision Beatific ! 
 
 May our eyes the glory share ? 
 
 Holy Spirit ! 
 Hallow us this bliss to bear I 
 
 M Seeretissime et Pro: sent is si me." 
 
 7/ aud Most Manifest" 
 
 acgcstink. 
 
 O HEICxHT that doth all height excel 
 
 Where the Almighty doth abide ! 
 O awful depth unsearchable 
 
 Wherein the Eternal One doth hide ! 
 
 O dreadful glory that doth make 
 
 Thick darkness round the Heavenly Throne, 
 Through which no angel-eye may break. 
 
 Wherein the Lord doth dwell alone ! 
 
 Our fainting souls the quest give o'er, 
 Their weary wings no longer try : 
 
 His dwelling we may not explore, 
 We may not on His \ 
 
of Praise. 
 
 What secret place, what distant star 
 Is like, dread Lord, to Thine abode ? 
 
 Why dwellest Thou from us so far? 
 
 We yearn for Thee, Thou Hidden God. 
 
 Vain searchers ! but we need not mourn : 
 We need not stretch our weary wings ; 
 
 Thou meetest us where'er we turn ; 
 
 Thou beamest, Lord, from all bright things. 
 
 The glory no man may abide 
 
 Doth visit us, a gracious guest ; 
 Thou whom " excess of light " doth hide 
 
 Here shinest sweetly manifest. 
 
 But sweetest, Lord, dost Thou appear 
 In the dear Saviour's smiling face : 
 
 The Heavenly Majesty draws near 
 And offers us its soft embrace. 
 
 To us, vain searchers after God, 
 To us the Holy Ghost doth come ; 
 
 From us Thou hidest Thine abode ; 
 
 But Thou wilt make our souls Thy home. 
 
 O Glory that no eye may bear ! 
 
 O Presence Bright, our souls' sweet guest ! 
 O Farthest off, O ever Near ! 
 
 Most Hidden and Most Manifest ! 
 
The Go/den Chain 
 
 THE OPEN SECRET. 
 
 1 Of>en Thou mine eyes to behold wondrous things out of 
 Thy law" 
 
 LORD ! to Thy works so grand, so fair, 
 Glad, wondering looks our young eyes raise ; 
 
 The glorious garments Thou dost wear 
 Delight our weak, unsteadfast gaze. 
 
 But every day the glory grows 
 
 On our exploring, lingering eyes ; 
 More bright, more fair the beauty shows ; 
 
 More marvellous the wonders rise. 
 
 Thy words of grace our soft souls please ; 
 
 Thy words of awe we trembling hear ; 
 Yes, glorious sound the promises 
 
 Unto our childhood's yielding ear. 
 
 But to the fulness of their sound 
 
 We may not then our ears resign ; 
 We lightly tread the Holy Ground 
 
 Nor gaze into those deeps divine. 
 
 On our dim vision, Spirit sweet, 
 
 Thine own all-piercing brightness pour ! 
 
 Celestial Guide, direct our feet 
 The region meetly to explore ! 
 
 Give us each Birth of Grace to hail, 
 Each wonder of the Word to bless ; 
 
 And to their innermost unveil 
 The glory of the promises ! 
 
of Praise. 23 
 
 List, soul, what sweet, strange things unheard 
 
 To thy rapt ear each promise saith ! 
 Lo ! in the ocean of the Word 
 
 Deep after bright deep openeth. 
 
 Each day, revealing Spirit, show 
 
 Some marvel new, some glory bright, 
 
 And in the unfolded Word bestow 
 Fulness of wonder and delight ! 
 
 GOD GLORIOUS IN HIS WORKS. 
 
 IS not my spirit filled with Thine 
 
 Amidst Thy beauty, Lord ? 
 Are not Thy visits there divine, 
 
 Thy glory there outpoured ? 
 
 How full the life divine I breathe 
 These gladsome streams along, 
 
 Amidst these vales, those stars beneath, 
 The eternal hills among ! 
 
 Hast Thou not put Thy glory there 
 
 For me to make it mine, 
 Yes, shed Thy beauty everywhere 
 
 In this glad heart to shine? 
 
 No sense of mine partakes Thy cheer 
 
 Without a nobler guest \ 
 No pleasure waits on eye or ear 
 
 But, Lord, my soul is blest. 
 
24 The Golden Chain 
 
 Yes, every fair, bright thing I see 
 My soul some brightness brings ; 
 
 I hear the outer harmony : 
 Within a sweeter springs. 
 
 Nor glad air breatheth but it breathes 
 
 A blessing from above : 
 Each vision of Thy works bequeathes 
 
 A vision of Thy love. 
 
 Behold Thy temple, where my heart 
 Runs o'er in prayer and song, 
 
 Where oft I seek my Lord apart, 
 And oft Thy praise prolong. 
 
 But O ! not thus, not yet, not here 
 Doth Thy best brightness come : 
 
 Thy Word hath still diviner cheer ; 
 More bliss Thy Heavenly Home. 
 
 Yet here its light and beauty grow ; 
 
 Here endless gifts are given : 
 Yes all the glory won below 
 
 Shall glorify our Heaven. 
 
 GOD MOST GLORIOUS IN HIS WORD. 
 
 O BEAMING sun ! O solemn stars ! 
 
 Glad streams and hills sublime ! 
 O blooming earth ! O balmy airs ! 
 
 O myriad voiced chime ! 
 
of Praise. 25 
 
 Ye make me glad, ye lift me high, 
 
 Ye publish the First Fair, 
 The Mighty One ye magnify, 
 
 His glory ye declare. 
 
 But not from you His truth and grace 
 
 My longing soul may know ; 
 Ye bring me not to His embrace ; 
 
 My God ye cannot show. 
 
 Ye cannot make the Father known 
 
 Who chose me in His grace, 
 Nor show His glory as it shone 
 
 In mine own Saviour's face. 
 
 The glorious tale ye cannot tell 
 
 Of sweet Incarnate Love ; 
 O ! not among these bowers doth dwell 
 
 The Holy, Heavenly Dove. 
 
 No beam from these bright azure skies 
 
 Can pierce this darkened heart \ 
 No voice among earth's harmonies 
 
 Can bid my sins depart. 
 
 The mountain-tops I gladsome hail ; 
 
 The air blows pure and free ; 
 But where is the soul-healing gale 
 
 That breathes from Calvary ? 
 
 Full many a healing plant doth grow 
 
 In many an earthly field ; 
 But from what blessed tree may flow 
 
 That balm the Cross doth yield ? 
 
16 The Golden Chain 
 
 Ye stars that beckon as ye burn, 
 
 And bid mc upward come, 
 No, not from you the way I learn 
 
 To mine Eternal Home. 
 
 Lord ! set my heart upon Thy Word, 
 
 Thy treasure most divine ; 
 There all this truth and grace are stored ; 
 
 Make all this glory mine ! 
 
 WORSHIP IN SOLITUDE. 
 
 ALONE with Thee, with Thee alone, 
 
 I breathe tho heavenly air ; 
 Lord ! what sweet wonders hast Thou shown 
 
 Thy lonely worshipper ! 
 
 Thou takest this rapt soul apart 
 
 Into Thy secret place ; 
 Thou keepest for this yearning heart 
 
 The fulness of Thy grace. 
 
 P'or these blest eyes Thou openest 
 
 Full many a deep divine ; 
 In these glad ears Thou whisperest 
 
 Some secret sweet of Thine. 
 
 Alone my gracious Lord I hail 
 
 In the sweet strife of prayer ; 
 Alone I wrestle and prevail : 
 
 Alone I hold Thee there. 
 
of Praise. 2 7 
 
 Alone o'erflowers this gladsome heart 
 
 In many a thankful song : 
 What triumph breaks, what raptures start 
 
 From this unaided tongue ! 
 
 Beneath some tree, beside some spring 
 
 I find a place of prayer ; 
 Upon some mountain-top I sing 
 
 And build a Bethel there. 
 
 The solitude how populous ! 
 
 My Lord doth full appear; 
 The silence how melodious ! 
 
 My Lord alone I hear. 
 
 O Lord, my God, mine All, mine Own, 
 
 Still grant these visits sweet ! 
 Still meet Thy lover all alone ! 
 
 These blessed hours repeat ! 
 
 WORSHIP t IN THE ASSEMBLY. 
 
 ' I will give Thee thanks in the great congregation; I will 
 praise Thee among much peopled 
 
 BRIGHT Thy presence when it breaketh, 
 
 Lord, on some rapt soul apart ; 
 Sweet Thy Spirit when it speaketh 
 
 Peace unto some lonely heart; 
 Blest the raptures 
 
 From unaided lips that start. 
 
28 7/ir Golden CJiai?i 
 
 But more bright Thy presence dwelleth 
 In a waiting, burning throng ; 
 
 Yet more sweet the rapture swelleth 
 Of a many-voiced song : 
 
 More divinely 
 Glows each soul glad souls among. 
 
 What a mighty prayer Love bringeth 
 When true hearts together yearn ! 
 
 What a fragrant fire upspringeth 
 When glad lips together burn ! 
 
 bright their journey, 
 Heavenward who together turn. 
 
 Wouldst Thou not, forgiving Father, 
 By Thy children circled be ? 
 
 Wouldst Thou not, sweet Saviour, gather 
 Two or three to wait on Thee ? 
 
 Holy Spirit : 
 Lov'st Thou not a company? 
 
 Not alone each angel waiteth ; 
 
 Not apart each seraph sings ; 
 Lo ! the Heavenly Host dilateth, 
 
 Circling bright the King of Kings : 
 List ! the rapture 
 
 From ten thousand voices rings. 
 
 With that radiant Throng Supernal 
 Grant me, Lord, to shine for Thee ; 
 
 With that Harmony Eternal 
 Blend my song eternally ! 
 
 Let me love Thee 
 Dearer still in company. 
 
of Praise. 
 
 THE LORDS DAY EVENING. 
 
 FAREWELL, delightful day, 
 Day of divine delight ! 
 We hailed thy gladsome morning ray ; 
 We bless thine evening bright. 
 
 Hath not the Lord been sought ? 
 Hath not our King been near ? 
 Hath not His grace new wonders wrought ? 
 Hath not His house been dear? 
 
 Have not we given Him there 
 Our passions and our powers ? 
 Has not the joy of mingled prayer, 
 Of mingled praise been ours ? 
 
 Have not we, King of grace, 
 Together soared above, 
 Together seen Thy smiling face, 
 Together told Thy love ? 
 
 Hath not a mighty power 
 
 Unto our prayers been given ? 
 Hath not the Holy Ghost once more 
 
 Brought down the fire from Heaven ? 
 
 From souls divinely glad 
 
 Have not glad songs upsoared ? 
 Have not our hearts and voices made 
 Sweet music to our Lord ? 
 
30 The Golden Chain 
 
 Was it not sweet to talk 
 Of Thy dear love at home? 
 Yes, sweet abroad with Thee to walk 
 And back with Thee to come ? 
 
 Dear Lord ! the day was bright 
 Because the day was Thine ; 
 This full, this manifold delight, 
 Was it not all divine ? 
 
 Repeat the gladness here ! 
 Fulfil the bliss above ! 
 Thy day, the everlasting year, 
 
 The eternal joy, Thy love. 
 
 THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN HIS PEOPLE. 
 
 " Ye are a spiritual house." 
 
 LORD God ! of old who wentest 
 
 Where'er the ark removed, 
 Who Thine own presence lentest 
 
 To Sion's hill beloved ; 
 Who in the cloud didst render 
 
 Thine Israel's camp divine. 
 And in the fiery splendour 
 
 Amidst her host didst shine ! 
 
 Where now is seen Thy glory ? 
 
 Where makest Thou abode? 
 Where now on earth doth tarry 
 
 The Presence of our God ? 
 
of Praise. 3 1 
 
 For still Thine arm Thou showest : 
 
 For still Thou dost appear : 
 Thy presence Thou bestowest 
 
 Still in Thy temple here. 
 
 Where'er Thy saints confess Thee 
 
 With lifted hearts and hands, 
 Where'er Thy people bless Thee, 
 
 There, there Thy temple stands. 
 Thy presence thence they carry, 
 
 Thy presence thither bring ; 
 Thou stayest where they tarry, 
 
 Still with them goes their King. 
 
 Thou dwellest, Heavenly Father, 
 
 Where Thine own children meet ; 
 Where His redeemed gather, 
 
 The Saviour there they greet. 
 Where linked souls are yearning 
 
 The Spirit yearneth there ; 
 Where hearts and lips are burning 
 
 He breathes the praise and prayer. 
 
 Lord, come and with us tarry ! 
 
 Lord, come and with us go ! 
 Be this Thy sanctuary ! 
 
 Thy presence here bestow ! 
 Here spread Thy consecration, 
 
 Here spend Thine utmost grace ; 
 Our souls Thy habitation, 
 
 Our songs Thy dwelling-place. 
 
}2 The Golden Chaw 
 
 • O Thou that inhabited the praises of Israel.' 
 
 DEAR Saviour, how completely 
 
 Thy people Thee possess ! 
 Thou dwellest in them sweetly ; 
 
 Their Guest, their Guide they bless ! 
 Thy peace, Thy joy Thou givest : 
 
 Thy strength to them belongs : 
 In all their life Thou li . 
 
 Thou dwellest in their songs. 
 
 The joy of Thine inbringing 
 
 Must needs outpoured be ; 
 They break forth into singing, 
 
 For they are full of Thee. 
 That rapture Thou awakest : 
 
 Thou sendest down that fire : 
 That melody Thou makest, 
 
 That throng Thou dost inspire. 
 
 Deep in those hearts Thou dwellest. 
 Forth from those hearts dost go : 
 
 In that full strain Thou swellest, 
 On those glad lips dost glow. 
 
 Thir, she singed) 
 
 Builds Thee a mansion fair: 
 
 Thy glory down she bringeth 
 and a dwelling there. 
 
of Praise. 33 
 
 Lord ! may this trembling singer 
 
 Build Thee a house divine ? 
 Will Thy bright Presence linger 
 
 In this glad strain of mine ? 
 If in this soul so sweetly 
 
 Thou makest Thine abode, 
 Will not Thy glory meetly 
 
 Dwell in this song, my God ? 
 
 " Open Thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth 
 Thy praise." 
 
 SPEAK to me, Lord, and I will speak ; 
 
 Sing in me, Lord, and I will sing : 
 Thy glory from my mouth shall break, 
 
 Thy music back to thee I bring. 
 
 How can my soul Thy glory learn 
 
 Unless Thy very grace inspire ? 
 How can my lips divinely burn, 
 
 And not descend the Heavenly Fire ? 
 
 Lie open, soul ! be strangely blest ! 
 
 The Lord of Glory would come in \ 
 On glowing lips ! this glorious Guest 
 
 Goes forth another soul to win. 
 
 Why is my soul so often dull ? 
 
 Ah ! wherefore are my lips so dumb ? 
 I will not of my God be full. 
 
 I will not let His glory come. 
 
34 The Golden Chain 
 
 When, Lord, shall all Thy grace inspire, 
 And all my heart present the song? 
 
 For ever mine Thy Heavenly Fire, 
 For ever Thine my glowing tongue. 
 
 SPIRITUAL WORSHIP. 
 
 ' God is a Spirit, and they that worship ffijn must worship 
 Him in spirit and in truth. 
 
 YE children of the Father, 
 
 For whom the Son did die, 
 Close, close around Him gather j 
 
 Ye cannot come too nigh. 
 Draw near by Him invited, 
 
 Made bold by His own might, 
 By His own smile delighted, 
 
 With His own presence bright ! 
 
 Xo carnal worship render, 
 
 Thrust back the intruding priest ! 
 Your Father makes the splendour ; 
 
 Your Master spreads the feast. 
 No pomp, no perfume proffer, 
 
 No graceless gaud and glare ; 
 Your hearts' own incense otter ! 
 
 Your Lord's own raiment wear ! 
 
 Himself, Himself He sought you : 
 
 Yourselves the Saviour seek ! 
 With His own blood He bought you : 
 
 Yourselves your raptures speak ! 
 
of Praise. 35 
 
 Ye hold of His bestowing 
 The Spirit and the Word ; 
 
 With hearts and voices glowing 
 Make music to your Lord ! 
 
 Throw every power and passion 
 
 Into each song, each prayer ; 
 Bring a free, full oblation ! 
 
 Let all your strength be there ! 
 With utmost rapture greet Him, 
 
 Your inmost souls outpour ! 
 Spirit to Spirit meet Him ; 
 
 Within the veil adore ! 
 
 Thou openest, Lord ! we enter ; 
 
 Thou callest ; lo ! we come : 
 Within the veil we venture 
 
 And find our Lord at home. 
 Each a white garment weareth 
 
 Made white in Thine own blood : 
 Each a rich offering beareth, 
 
 A heart renewed by God. 
 
 Thine own redeemed adore Thee, 
 
 Themselves Thy precious things : 
 Thy people bow before Thee, 
 
 A race of priests and kings. 
 Here nigh to Thee we tarry; 
 
 Here close we wait on Thee : 
 And when we go to glory, 
 
 'Twill be Thy face to see. 
 
;/) The Golden Chain 
 
 THE SABBATH ON EARTH AND 
 IN HEAVEN. 
 
 WOULD not Thy people, Lord, 
 Each day in Thee be glad, 
 Each day with Thine own strength be stirred, 
 Each day in praise be clad ? 
 
 But are they now and here 
 Not clothed in their best? 
 Yes, overflows not their full cheer 
 
 On the " sweet day of rest " ? * 
 
 Doth not the Sabbath air 
 
 A strengthening fragrance bring? 
 Amidst the general praise and prayer 
 
 Take not their souls strong wing ? 
 
 "When souls together pray. 
 
 Hath not the prayer most might ? 
 When linked hearts His coming stay. 
 
 Comes not the King most bright ? 
 
 When gladsome voices join, 
 Is not the song most sweet ? 
 When glowing hearts their joy combine, 
 Is not the joy complete? 
 
 trust that every one will be reminded here of Watts'* lovely 
 Lord's I 'ay Hymn, " Welcome, sweet day of r 
 
of Praise. 37 
 
 Not yet : for who can speak 
 The sweetness of the song, 
 When glory to the Lamb shall break 
 
 From all the white-robed throng : 
 
 When all the heirs of grace 
 Their endless bliss shall blend, 
 And 'neath the shining of His face 
 The Eternal Sabbath spend ? 
 
 PRAISE PERFECTED BY HOLINESS. 
 
 st. david's. 
 "My lips shall utter praise, when Thou hast taught me 
 Thy statutes.'' 1 
 
 O ! WHEREFORE, Lord, doth Thy dear praise 
 
 But tremble on my tongue ? 
 Why lack my lips sweet skill to raise 
 
 A full, triumphant song ? 
 
 How can this heart divinely glow, 
 
 So ready to transgress ? 
 Thy broken law doth dull me so ; 
 
 My sins Thy praise oppress. 
 
 O make me, Lord, Thy statutes learn ! 
 
 Keep in Thy ways my feet ; 
 Then shall my lips divinely burn ; 
 
 Then shall my songs be sweet. 
 
The Golden Chain 
 
 Each sin I cast away shall make 
 My soul more strong to soar ; 
 
 Each work I do for Thee shall wake 
 A strain divine the more. 
 
 My voice shall more delight Thine ear, 
 
 The more I wait on Thee : 
 Thy service bring my song more near 
 
 The angelic harmony. 
 
 O ! wherefore swells so sweet above 
 
 The everlasting hymn ? 
 Thy will they work, Thy law they love, 
 
 Those tuneful Seraphim ! 
 
 O ! when shall perfect holiness 
 Make this poor voice divine, 
 
 And all harmonious Heaven confess 
 No sweeter song than mine ? 
 
 THE MINISTR Y OF ANGELS. 
 
 k Bless the Lord, ye His angels, that excel in strength, that 
 do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of 
 His word." 
 
 ANGELS bright, in strength excelling 
 
 On your Lord who dimly gaze. 
 Of His glory still be telling ; 
 
 Sweetly siiiL, r your sweet amaze '. 
 Mighty angels! 
 
 Spend your strength upon His praise. 
 
of Praise. 39 
 
 In your own glad home, bright legions, 
 
 Joy ye give no less than take ; 
 How ye bless the blissful regions, 
 
 Fairer the fair mansions make ! 
 Gracious angels ! 
 
 Works of grace ye ne'er forsake. 
 
 Faint the glow of Fields Elysian 
 
 To the bliss wherein ye dwell : 
 Yours the Beatific Vision ! 
 
 Yours the Light Ineffable ! 
 Happy angels ! 
 
 Who your myriad joys can tell ? 
 
 Yet to serve your Lord is sweetest : 
 
 His dear tasks bring fullest bliss : 
 Bowing low, ye stand completest, 
 
 Glorious, bear His messages : 
 Lowly angels ! 
 
 All your boundless love is His. 
 
 Without pause as without measure 
 All your strength on Him ye spend : 
 
 Smiling ye fulfil His pleasure, 
 On His errands gladsome wend : 
 
 Swift-winged angels ! 
 On His people ye attend. 
 
 Earth allures the Heavenly Dwellers : 
 
 Still ye link your life with ours : 
 Of glad tidings gladsome tellers 
 
 Hasten from the Blissful Bowers. 
 Helping angels ! 
 
 May our needs employ your powers ? 
 
40 The Golden Chain 
 
 Ye, who to the Throne Eternal 
 Helpless little ones do bear : 
 
 Ye who 'midst the Bliss Supernal 
 For our weakest sweetly care : 
 
 Guardian angels ! 
 Ye for us are strong and fair. 
 
 When the hosts of Hell assail us, 
 To our rescue ye descend : 
 
 When our weak defences fail us, 
 Your diviner strength ye lend : 
 
 Guardian angels 
 Bring the strife to happy end. 
 
 Down ye bring your gracious splendour 
 Where earth's thickest gloom appears : 
 
 Lighter and less sad ye render 
 Mortal woes and mortal fears ; 
 
 Tearless angels ! 
 Yet ye seek the Vale of Tears. 
 
 Never may ye weep ; O ! never 
 Angel-hearts let sorrow in ; 
 
 Happy aye, since holy ever, 
 Full of bliss since void of sin ! 
 
 Holy angels ! 
 May we e'er your pureness win ? 
 
 If perchance we faint and tremble 
 When our time draws near to die, 
 
 Angels, for our help assemble ! 
 Whisper sweetly of your sky ! 
 
 Waiting angels ! 
 Help our trembling souls on high. 
 
of Praise. 4 1 
 
 There the sweet-stream of your pity 
 
 Falls into your sea of love. 
 Ours the same Celestial City, 
 
 Ours the same bright thrones above ! 
 Fellow-angels ! 
 
 Ours on errands like to move ! 
 
 Angels bright, in strength excelling, 
 
 On your Lord who dimly gaze, 
 Of His glory still be telling ! 
 
 Spend your strength upon His praise ! 
 Fellow-angels ! 
 
 With your own our raptures raise ! 
 
 11 Qucerens cum nihil desit tibi." 
 " O Seeker, who lackest nothing" 
 
 AUGUSTINE. 
 
 AH ! mightily we weaklings crave : 
 Ah ! meetly may we sinners seek : 
 
 But, Lord of all, what wouldst Thou have ? 
 Wherein, Almighty, art Thou weak ? 
 
 Of glory Thou hast boundless store : 
 With bliss o'erflowing art Thou blest : 
 
 And yet Thou yearnest evermore ; 
 Yet makest Thou eternal quest. 
 
 O Father, whence these yearnings dear? 
 
 What longings wouldst Thou fain fulfil ? 
 What sought the Lord of Glory here ? 
 
 What seekest Thou, sweet Spirit, still ? 
 
42 The Golden Chain 
 
 Thou lack'st no lustre, Lord of Light ; 
 
 But art Thou not the Lord of Love ? 
 Thou fain wouldst share the mansions bright ; 
 
 Thou fain wouldst fill Thy home above. 
 
 These mortal sins, these mortal tears 
 Almost the heavenly glory dim : 
 
 And earth's sad tones divide Thine ears 
 With harpings sweet of Seraphim. 
 
 Yes, Lord of Glory, Thou wouldst make 
 Love unto heirs of dust and sin ; 
 
 Thou wouldst Thy Kingly State forsake 
 And die such hearts as ours to win. 
 
 Yes, ever the sweet Spirit yearns ; 
 
 In gracious quest the Dove doth come : 
 Stay sinful soul ! the Spirit mourns : 
 
 Mount ! His kind wings will bear thee home. 
 
 Strange Seeker Thou who nought dost want ! 
 
 Strange laggards we who all things need ! 
 Lend of Thyself, dear Lord, and grant 
 
 These slothful seekers better speed ! 
 
 XXVIII. 
 
 THE HEAVENLY LOVER. 
 
 " Atnas nee icstuas." 
 
 " Thou forest % but with no tumultuous /o:r." 
 
 AUGl'si ink. 
 
 ALAS ! with troubled tenderness 
 
 We mortal lovers yearn : 
 The more of love our hearts possess 
 
 The more we pant and mourn. 
 
of Praise. 43 
 
 Its sweetest hour a sadness keeps : 
 
 The rapture bringeth pain : 
 Our deeps of love are stormy deeps : 
 
 We plunge for peace in vain. 
 
 But O ! no pang, no ecstasy 
 
 The Heavenly Lover knows : 
 In Love's own fire abideth He : 
 
 Yet He serenely glows. 
 
 Thou yearnest, Lord, our souls to bless ; 
 
 Yet ne'er Thy bliss doth cease ; 
 O fulness of Thy tenderness : 
 
 O fulness of Thy peace ! 
 
 What endless stillness doth it keep, 
 
 That endless love of Thine ! 
 How wondrous calm, how wondrous deep 
 
 Flows on the stream divine ! 
 
 Ah, Lord ! must love with us remain 
 
 So stormy and so brief, 
 So sadly sweet, so blind and vain, 
 
 So mixed with fear and grief? 
 
 Shall our wild, fleeting love ne'er grow 
 
 More like, dear Lord, to Thine, 
 Nor learn the even, endless flow 
 
 Of holy Love Divine ? 
 
 When, Heavenly Lover, shall we learn 
 
 This sweet, strange lore of Thee, 
 Still with the flame of love to burn 
 
 And still at peace to be ? 
 
The Golden Chain 
 
 XXIX. 
 
 DIVINE LOVE. 
 
 Xot that we loved Him, but that He lot 
 
 \OT upon our waiting eyes, 
 Lord, did the heavenly lustre break ; 
 Xot to our love's beseeching cries 
 Did Love Divine slow answer make. 
 
 We made no haste to seek Thy face ; 
 
 Thy angels found no listening ear ; 
 We did not urge Thy lingering grace 
 
 Xor win Thy distant glory near. 
 
 O ! no ! Thy voice was first to speak, 
 Thy glory, Lord, was swift to come ; 
 
 Thy love made gracious haste to seek 
 And sweetly urge the wanderers home. 
 
 The Heavenly Glory would descend 
 ngel wings to us were given ; 
 And Love Divine would earthward bend 
 To make our souls in love with Heaven. 
 
 O ! if with holy fire we burn, 
 
 'Tis from the flame celestial caught ; 
 
 Yes ! heavenward now we sometimes yearn 
 Since Heaven our souls so sweetly sought. 
 
of Praise. 45 
 
 XXX. 
 
 THE DEBT OF LOVE. 
 
 " If God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." 
 
 AND didst Thou, Lord, our sorrows take ? 
 
 And didst Thou, Lord, our burdens bear ? 
 Didst Thou for love of us forsake 
 
 Those glorious heights, that heavenly air ? 
 
 O ! could our weakness move Thy might ? 
 
 Our misery make us sought of Thee ? 
 Our gloom allure Thy glory bright ? 
 
 Our sins win down Thy purity ? 
 
 Were these our charms ? was this Thy love ? 
 
 Was this our prevalence of prayer ? 
 Was it in Sin and Dust to move 
 
 This love divine, this heavenly care ? 
 
 O ! then shall dust 'gain't dust wax proud ? 
 
 Shall sin be fiercely wroth with sin ? 
 Must frailty never be allowed 
 
 Of fellow-frailty grace to win ? 
 
 We who so tenderly were sought, 
 
 Shall we not joyful seekers be, 
 "And to Thy feet divinely brought, 
 
 Help weaker souls, dear Lord, to Thee ? 
 
 Celestial Seeker ! send us forth ! 
 
 Almighty Lover ! teach us love ! 
 When shall we yearn to help our Earth 
 
 As yearned the Holy One above ? 
 
46 The Golden Chain 
 
 " To know the love of Christ that pas set h knowledge? 
 
 O LOVE Divine that passeth thought ! 
 
 Yet on that love our thoughts would dwell : 
 O Grace our strains that maketh nought ! 
 
 Yet o'er that grace our songs would swell. 
 
 For us the Lord forsook that throne ; 
 
 For us the Sinless bore that cross ; 
 O most sublime when most our own ! 
 
 O sweetest when most marvellous ! 
 
 Those deeps of grace, our thoughts that drown, 
 
 Yet make our sure abiding-place ; 
 Strange glory that our minds bows down ! 
 
 Sweet portion that our souls embrace ! 
 
 The more of His dear love we learn, 
 
 We feel it more all thought excel ; 
 The more His glory we discern, 
 
 More glorious grows Emmanuel. 
 
 Joy, joy, that we may ne'er explore 
 
 His height, His depth, His all of love ! 
 
 O full our feast for evermore, — 
 Our task, our song below, above ! 
 
 Blest lore we ne'er may wholly learn ! 
 
 Sweet tale we ne'er may meetly tell ! 
 For ever our rapt souls shall yearn ; 
 
 For ever our glad songs shall swell. 
 
of Praise. 47 
 
 "KISS THE SON." 
 
 BEHOLD the Everlasting Son, 
 The Father's Darling and Delight ; 
 
 Behold Him on His heavenly throne 
 Above the brightest angel bright ! 
 
 Behold how Heaven on Earth doth shine ; 
 
 Behold how God with man doth dwell ; 
 Behold our own that Son Divine, 
 
 Our Brother, our Emmanuel ! 
 
 Behold Him in our flesh arrayed ; 
 
 Behold Him stricken in our stead ; 
 Behold our sins upon Him laid : 
 
 Behold Him in our darksome bed ! 
 
 Behold Him in His home above, 
 Back to His Father's bosom borne, 
 
 Our Intercessor full of love, 
 
 Who still for sinful souls doth yearn ! 
 
 O sinful souls, draw near and gaze ; 
 
 Gaze and adore, behold, be won ! 
 With lowly love, with sweet amaze 
 
 Embrace your Saviour in the Son. 
 
 Not from those arms outstretched turn, 
 Nor bid that yearning heart remove ; 
 
 O ! think not of His beauty scorn 
 Nor turn to wrath His tender love. 
 
48 The Golden Chain 
 
 Still to the Son more closely cling : 
 Still in His grace more dearly grow ; 
 
 Till to His home your love ye bring, 
 Till in that home His love ye know : 
 
 Till eyes of full delight ye raise 
 To the full glory of His face, 
 
 For ever that enamoured gaze, 
 For ever that untired embrace ! 
 
 THE SOUL'S OWN SAVIOUlt. 
 
 ' The Son of God who loved me and gave Himself up for me.' 
 
 MY Saviour ! art Thou not mine own? 
 
 Hast Thou not loved me ? 
 Hath not this soul of mine brought down 
 
 Thy Heavenly Majesty? 
 
 Have not those weary feet of Thine 
 
 This very wanderer sought ? 
 Have not those bounteous hands divine 
 
 My very ransom brought ? 
 
 Lover ! hast Thou spared cost 
 To bring this soul to thee ? 
 
 Hast Thou not spent Thine uttermost, 
 Yes, given Thyself for me ? 
 
 Hath not Thy blood my soul redeemed ? 
 Thy wounds my wounds made whole ? 
 
 1 lath not Thy Spirit's brightness beamed 
 
 On this rejoicing soul ? 
 
of Praise. 49 
 
 This fainting servant to sustain 
 
 Hath not new grace been shed ? 
 Hast Thou not o'er and o'er again 
 
 Thine ingrate pardoned ? 
 
 Yes, there in Thine own home of light 
 
 Dost Thou not love me still ? 
 This very pilgrim keep in sight, 
 
 This very work fulfil ? 
 
 Thy smile is mine as though Thine eye 
 
 Upon no other shone : 
 Lord ! in Thy bosom I may lie 
 
 As though I lay alone. 
 
 There, where Thy lovers round Thee beam, 
 
 While all Thy host make cheer : 
 While glory from Thy face doth stK 
 
 Wouldst Thou not have me near? 
 
 Wilt Thou not smile upon me there 
 
 Amidst the countless throng 
 And sweetly note the part I bear 
 
 In the eternal song? 
 
 xxx 1 v. 
 
 THE SOX OF GOD. 
 
 'The brightness of His gfory and the express image of 
 His PersofC 
 
 LORD ! Thou hast made this bole : 
 
 Lord ! Thou wilt love me to the end : 
 
 Upon the Saviour of my soul 
 
 My heart, my life I fain would spend. 
 
50 The Golden Cham 
 
 But not alone for my poor sake 
 The Lord of Glory would I bless : 
 
 Son of God ! I fain would take 
 Delight in Thine own loveliness. 
 
 1 fain would triumph in the grace 
 
 That made the Father's glory known, 
 Yes, gaze enamoured on that face 
 In which the Father sweetly shone. 
 
 Mine eager ears would fain drink in 
 Each dropping of the Incarnate Word : 
 
 My yearning spirit fain would win 
 Each grace of my all-holy Lord. 
 
 Lord ! this self-seeking lover teach 
 Thee for Thine own dear sake to love : 
 
 O help me here sometimes to reach 
 The gladness of Thy saints above ! 
 
 Thy beauty makes each face to shine, 
 Thy glory makes each song to glow. 
 
 O Son of God ! this Heaven be mine, 
 More near to gaze, more like to grow ! 
 
 XXXV. 
 
 " Lord) to whom sJiall we %o t " 
 
 SAVIOUR ! needs the world no longer 
 To rejoice beneath Thy light ? 
 
 Have we lovers sweeter, stronger? 
 Beams for us a sun more bright ? 
 
 Are we weary 
 Of Thy meny and Thy might ? 
 
of Praise. 5 1 
 
 Mighty Lord so high above us ! 
 
 Loving brother all our own ! 
 Who will help us, who will love us, 
 
 Like to Thee who all hast known — 
 Who hast proved 
 
 Darksome grave and heavenly throne ? 
 
 Who so gentle to the sinners 
 
 As the soul that never fell ? 
 Who so strong to make us winners 
 
 Of the height He won so well ? 
 Alway Victor ! 
 
 Make Thine own invincible ! 
 
 From the Cross hath gone the glory ? 
 
 Seems it less divinely borne? 
 Sweetest day of man's sad story 
 
 Shineth not that Rising Morn ? 
 Heavenly Dweller ! 
 
 Leave ! O leave not Earth forlorn ! 
 
 Unarrayed in Thy divineness, 
 
 Souls and worlds are incomplete ; 
 Spirits bright put on their fineness 
 
 Sitting lowly at Thy feet ; 
 O our Glory ! 
 
 Groweth not Thy smile more sweet ? 
 
 Yesterday doth tribute render 
 
 To the brightness of Thy sway ; 
 O ! the holy, happy splendour 
 
 That Thou pourest on to-day ! 
 Must it vanish ? 
 
 Hast Thou given Thine all away ? 
 
52 The Golden Chain 
 
 Endless Lover ! never, never 
 
 Wilt Thou cease to save and shine ; 
 
 Yesterday, To-day, For Ever, 
 All the ages, Lord, are Thine ! 
 
 Come and bless them — 
 Come and make them more divine. 
 
 xxxvr. 
 
 OUR DOUBLE KINDRED TO EMMANUEL. 
 
 " The second man was the Lordfro?n Heaven T 
 
 u As we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also 
 
 bear the image of the Heavenly." 
 
 O ! mean may seem this house of clay, 
 
 Yet 'twas the Lord's abode ; 
 Our feet may mourn this thorny way, 
 
 Yet here Emmanuel trod. 
 
 This fleshly robe the Lord did wear ; 
 
 This watch the Lord did keep ; 
 These burdens sore the Lord did bear ; 
 
 These tears the Lord did weep. 
 
 This world the Master overcame, 
 
 This death the Lord did die ; 
 He bore our sins, He took our shame, 
 
 In our dark bed did lie. 
 
 ( ) vale of tears no longer sad, 
 
 Wherein the Lord did dwell! 
 O happy robe of flesh that clad 
 
 Our own Emmanuel ! 
 
of Praise. 53 
 
 Our very frailty brings us near 
 
 Unto the Lord of Heaven ; 
 To every grief, to every tear 
 
 Such glory strange is given. 
 
 But not this fleshly robe alone 
 
 Shall link us, Lord, to Thee ; 
 Not only in the tear and groan 
 
 Shall the dear kindred be. 
 
 We shall be reckoned for Thine own 
 
 Because Thy heaven we share, 
 Because we sing around Thy throne 
 
 And Thy bright raiment wear. 
 
 Thou to our woe who down did'st come, 
 
 Who one with us would'st be, 
 Wilt lift us to Thy heavenly home, 
 
 Wilt make us one with Thee. 
 
 Thou who wast clothed in our clay 
 
 And stricken in our stead 
 Wilt put on us Thy bright array, 
 
 Thy joy on us wilt shed. 
 
 O mighty grace, our life to live, 
 
 To make our earth divine ! 
 O mighty grace, Thy heaven to give, 
 
 And lift our life to Thine ! 
 
 Yes, strange the gifts and marvellous 
 
 By Thee received and given ! 
 Thou tookest woe and death for us, 
 
 And we receive Thy Heaven. 
 
54 The Got Wen Chain 
 
 THE EXCHANGE OF PLACES. 
 
 1 He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that 
 we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" 
 
 O MYSTERY of Love Divine 
 
 That thought and thanks o'erpowers ! 
 
 Lord Jesus ! was our portion Thine, 
 And is Thy portion ours ? 
 
 Emmanuel ! did'st Thou take our place 
 
 To set us in Thine own ? 
 Did'st Thou our low estate embrace 
 
 To lift us to Thy throne ? 
 
 Did'st Thou fulfil each righteous deed, 
 
 God's perfect will express, 
 That we the unfaithful ones might plead 
 
 Thy perfect faithfulness ? 
 
 Did'st Thou endure the desert drear 
 
 And know the Tempter's wile, 
 That we might taste the heavenly cheer 
 
 And win the Father's smile ? 
 
 On Thy pure soul did dread and gloom 
 
 In that drear garden rise ? 
 Are ours the brightness and the bloom 
 
 Of Thine own Paradise ? 
 
 Were utmost shame and wrath outpoured 
 
 Upon Thy holy head ? 
 Are crowns of heavenly glory stored 
 
 For us Thy ransomed ? 
 
of Praise. 55 
 
 For Thee the Father's hidden face ? 
 
 For Thee the bitter cry ? 
 For us the Father's endless grace, 
 
 The song of victory? 
 
 Did'st Thou expire upon the tree 
 
 And sojourn in the tomb 
 That endless life our lot might be, 
 
 And everlasting bloom ? 
 
 Our load of sin and misery 
 
 Did'st Thou the Sinless bear? 
 Thy spotless robe of purity 
 
 Do we the sinners wear ? 
 
 Lord Jesus ! is it even so ? 
 
 Have we been loved thus ? 
 What love can we on Thee bestow 
 
 Who hast exchanged with us ? 
 
 Thou, who our very place did'st take, 
 
 Dwell in our very heart ! 
 Thou, who Thy portion ours dost make, 
 
 Thyself, Thyself impart ! 
 
 THE UNITY OF CHRIST AND HIS PEOPIE. 
 
 LORD ! in Thy people dost Thou dwell, 
 
 And do they dwell in Thee ? 
 O blessedness unspeakable ! 
 
 O wondrous unity ! 
 
56 The Golden Chain 
 
 One with Thee, all Thy life they know, 
 And all Thou hast possess ; 
 
 In Thee they underwent all woe 
 And wrought all righteousness. 
 
 In Thee the world they vanquished, 
 
 The Tempter they defied ; 
 Upon Thy cross they suffered 
 
 And in Thy death they died. 
 
 When Thou was stricken, on them fell 
 The wrath, the woe, the shame ; 
 
 When Thou o'ercamest death and hell, 
 In Thee they overcame. 
 
 They rose upon Thy rising day, 
 With Thee to Heaven did soar ; 
 
 Thou livest evermore, and they 
 Shall live for evermore. 
 
 One with them still Thou walkest here 
 And all their life dost know ; 
 
 When they are glad Thou makest cheer ; 
 Thou weepest in their woe. 
 
 When from the world they suffer wrong. 
 
 'Gainst Thee the wrong is done ; 
 When strength and joy to them belong. 
 
 By Thee the praise is won. 
 
 When Satan tempts Thy people sore, 
 
 Again he tempteth Thee : 
 And when he flees from them, once more 
 
 Thou makest him to flee. 
 
of Praise. 5 7 
 
 In every gift and grace of theirs 
 
 Thy beauty, Lord, doth shine ; 
 Their faithfulness Thine own declares ; 
 
 Their righteousness is Thine. 
 
 When Thou for judgment shalt appear, 
 
 They shall appear with Thee ; 
 When all the world its doom shall hear, 
 
 Thy voice their voice shall be. 
 
 When Thou Thy kingdom shalt obtain 
 
 And put Thy glory on, 
 Thine endless reign shall be their reign ; 
 
 The King and they are one. 
 
 Lord Jesus ! grant me all this grace ! 
 
 Abide, be one with me ! 
 Give me to dwell in Thine embrace, 
 
 For ever one with Thee ! 
 
 " With His stripes we are healed" 
 
 THOU, who didst suffer and didst save, 
 Thou, who didst die and didst redeem, 
 
 Attendant tears Thy sorrows crave \ 
 Triumphant smiles Thy grace beseem. 
 
 Grief, joy together make abode ; 
 
 Our sighs, our songs together rise : 
 Alas ! Thou bleedest, Lamb of God ; 
 
 But O ! we bless our sacrifice. 
 
58 The Golden Chain 
 
 We mourn Thy cross so dread, so drear. 
 
 But in our refuge-place delight ; 
 We weep beside Thy sepulchre : 
 
 But O ! our treasure-house how bright ! 
 
 Ah loath i'd sins the Lord that smote ! 
 
 Ah gifts that cost the Lord so dear ! 
 What joy to be divinely sought"! 
 
 What glory to be brought so near ! 
 
 Woe, woe that Thou wast wounded sore! 
 
 Joy, joy that we are healed quite ! 
 That sacred blood runs dreadly o'er ; 
 
 How glorious gleam our garments white ! 
 
 O Man of Sorrows, Lord of Love, 
 To Thee our grief, our joy belongs ; 
 
 Thy cross our saddest tears doth move ; 
 Thy cross doth win our sweetest songs. 
 
 1 He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be 
 satisfied" 
 
 DEAR Lord ! Thou art not sorry 
 
 That Thou didst bear our load : 
 The shame hath brought Thee glory : 
 
 The woe hath joy bestowed. 
 Thy travail sore forth bringeth 
 
 A people for Thy praise : 
 A people from Thee springeth 
 
 And maketh glad Thy gaze. 
 
of Praise. 59 
 
 From every tongue and nation 
 
 Thou countest up Thy gain, 
 Rich fruit of Thine oblation, 
 
 Dear purchase of Thy pain. 
 Still souls Thou welcome makest 
 
 Born of Thy travail sore ; 
 And still new spoil Thou takest 
 
 And still Thy joy is more. 
 
 Thy people who can reckon ? 
 
 Thy glory who can tell ? 
 For each Thou wast sore stricken : 
 
 Thy triumph each doth swell. 
 As each more holy groweth, 
 
 Thou of Thy pain dost see ; 
 In each Thy sorrow showeth 
 
 More sweet eternally. 
 
 Shall I no sweetness borrow, 
 
 Lord, from Thy bitter bowl ? 
 Wilt Thou not of Thy sorrow 
 
 See in this sinful soul ? 
 Wilt Thou be glad and glorious 
 
 And have no joy in me ? 
 Wilt Thou march on victorious 
 
 Nor my dear Conqueror be ? 
 
 Lord ! let my new creation 
 
 Thy bitter pains requite ; 
 Lord ! let my full salvation 
 
 Thy yearning love delight. 
 Amidst the throng supernal, 
 
 Redeemer, smile on me, 
 And in my bliss eternal 
 
 Of Thy sore travail see. 
 
6o The Golden Chain 
 
 RASTER SUNDAY. 
 1 Blessed an they thai have not seen and yet have believed? 
 
 NOT ours to breathe that early air, 
 Not ours that fragrant store to bring, 
 
 And at the open sepulchre 
 
 To find the angel's radiant wing. 
 
 Not ours sad Mary's tears to weep 
 O'er the stolen treasure of that grave ; 
 
 Not ours that mournful watch to keep — 
 Not ours that vanished form to crave. 
 
 Not for our eyes the vision bright 
 Of that dear form beheld once more ; 
 
 Those tones our ears may not delight, 
 Nor hands of ours those wounds explore. 
 
 Yet shineth full on our glad eyes 
 The lustre of that wondrous morn ; 
 
 For us the Lord of life doth rise ; 
 Our Lord, our Lover is new-born. 
 
 Yes, ours the gain without the loss ! 
 
 The glory ours without the gloom ! 
 Nought but our refuge-place that Cross — 
 
 Nought but our treasure-house that Tomb. 
 
 The grief that streamed from Mary's eyes 
 
 Our settled spirits may not move ; 
 Yet with her joy our gladness vies 
 
 To greet the Master whom we love. 
 
of Praise. 6 1 
 
 We meet, no fearful throng by night ; 
 
 We dread no tidings dolorous ; 
 Yet shines 'midst us the Saviour bright, 
 
 Yet speaketh He sweet peace to us. 
 
 No lips of ours the news gainsay, 
 
 No witness do our hands require ; 
 O sure and sweet the hold we lay 
 
 Upon the Lord of our desire. 
 
 We envy not the eyes that saw, 
 
 Since God hath given our souls to see ; 
 
 O souls thrice-blessed, that could draw 
 Thy latest blessing, Lord, from Thee ! 
 
 We sweetly store those words divine, 
 
 And lowly wait and trustful love, 
 Till bright on us Thy face shall shine, 
 
 And ours shall be Thy smile above. 
 
 "/ am the Resurrection and the Life," 
 
 DOTH the Heavenly Country seem 
 For our darkened souls too bright ? 
 
 Faintly doth the glory gleam 
 On our sin-beclouded sight ? 
 
 Do we at sad distance stand 
 
 From the sweet Celestial Land ? 
 
(>2 The Golden Chain 
 
 Saviour, take away our sin ! 
 
 Saviour, bid our darkness flee ! 
 Let the Heavenly Glory in — 
 
 Bring the Better Land with Thee ! 
 Full upon our longing eyes 
 Bid the Realms of Light arise ! 
 
 When we feel Thy quickening power 
 Then we know we shall not die ; 
 
 With the glory of that hour 
 Opens our eternity. 
 
 Then we hail that empty tomb, 
 
 Then we greet that fadeless bloom. 
 
 Thou hast risen : Thine own must rise ! 
 
 Thou art Light : Thine own must shine ! 
 Nevermore the Saviour dies ; 
 
 Ours must be the Life Divine ! 
 Where Thou art, Thine own must be : 
 Still Thy saints partake with Thee. 
 
 SWEET SURPRISES. 
 
 (Easter Sunday.) 
 
 THEY sought Thy tomb, Thou Saviour sweet. 
 
 Those early seekers true :ind sad ; 
 But Thou, their Living Lord, did'st meet 
 
 And maki: Thy mourning lovers glad. 
 
of Praise. 63 
 
 The friends as on their way they went 
 With troubled faces, talked of Thee ; 
 
 When Thou did'st suddenly present 
 Thy comfort and Thy company. 
 
 They met in fear, they met by night, 
 
 Those shrinking servants, Lord, of Thine ; 
 
 When sudden shone Thy presence bright 
 And sounded sweet Thy Voice Divine. 
 
 Thou who thus sweetly did'st surprise, 
 Dost Thou not still Thy seekers bless, 
 
 And still to loving weeping eyes 
 Appear in sudden gloriousness ? 
 
 Dost Thou not in their sorest need 
 
 Thy fainting servants still renew ? 
 And still their dearest hope exceed 
 
 And still their best desire outdo ? 
 
 To us Thy tremblers, Lord, appear ; 
 
 With us Thy weary pilgrims walk ! 
 Delight our banquets with Thy cheer 
 
 And lift to heights divine our talk ! 
 
 On us in sudden brightness break, 
 
 For us repeat each sweet surprise ; 
 Our hearts will burn when Thou dost speak, 
 
 Our earth-bound souls with Thee will rise. 
 
64 The Golden Chain 
 
 J0\ IN THE ASCENDED SAVIOUR. 
 " // is expedient for you that I go away" 
 
 TO glory back Thou goest, 
 
 Who down to woe did'st come ; 
 Again the joy Thou knowest 
 
 Of Thy celestial home. 
 O Son of God, not spared 
 
 By Thine own Sire Divine, 
 Again His throne is shared, 
 
 Again His bliss is Thine. 
 
 Dear Lord ! Thy people borrow 
 
 Their glory from Thy shame : 
 Because of Thy sharp sorrow 
 
 Eternal joy we claim. 
 Thy bitter cross and passion 
 
 We needs must dearly greet : 
 Thy one complete oblation 
 
 Must needs be wondrous sweet. 
 
 But, Saviour, shall Thy sadness 
 
 Alone our songs employ ? 
 Thy glory and Thy gladness, 
 
 Shall they not bring us joy? 
 Shall we not triumph meetly 
 
 With our triumphant King ; 
 Thy sweetness welcome sweetly, 
 
 Thy bliss enraptured sing? 
 
of Praise. 65 
 
 For us Thou earnest hither j 
 
 Our load Thou here did'st bear : 
 For us Thou wentest thither, 
 
 For us Thou reignest there. 
 Yet for Thine exaltation 
 
 Would we in praise be clad ; 
 To Thee we sing " Salvation ; " 
 
 Thy glory makes us glad. 
 
 Shall we not, Lord ascended, 
 
 One day to Thee ascend ? 
 Will not our bliss be blended 
 
 With Thine that hath no end ? 
 For ever and for ever 
 
 We shall Thy glory see ; 
 For ever and for ever 
 
 We shall be glad with Thee. 
 
 XLV. 
 
 THE THREEFOLD FEAST. 
 
 ' As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye show 
 forth the Lord's death till He come" 
 
 TELL of your Redeemer's passion, 
 Ye who feel His banquet sweet : 
 
 Triumph in His one oblation, 
 In His sacrifice complete ! 
 
 Of your Saviour mindful be ; 
 
 Keep the Feast of Memory ! 
 
60 The Golden Chain 
 
 At the banquet He provideth 
 To the Eternal Priest draw near ; 
 
 Tell how sweetly He abideth 
 In the souls He held so dear : 
 
 With your living Lord be one, 
 
 Keep the Feast of Union ! 
 
 Keep the feast with gladsome yearning 
 For your King to come again ; 
 
 Tell the world He is returning ! 
 Tell how glorious He will reign ! 
 
 Lift each eye and lift each voice, 
 
 At the Feast of Hope rejoice ! 
 
 Gladsome render this dear duty 
 To the Bridegroom tarrying yet, 
 
 Till He come in all His beauty, 
 Till the marriage-feast be set, 
 
 Till your eyes behold His face, 
 
 Till ye rest in His embrace ! 
 
 THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST 
 
 "He roer liveth to make intercession jor us.' 
 
 WAST not enough to die for me, 
 
 Thou spotless Lamb of God ? 
 Was't not enough to take on Thee 
 'Mine overwhelming load? 
 
 • Was't not enough my sin to bear. 
 My sin to take away. 
 And in Thy righteousness so lair 
 This sinner to array ? 
 
of Praise. 67 
 
 But ah ! that glorious robe of Thine 
 
 Each day doth stains receive : 
 Each day I wrong Thy love divine, 
 
 Each day Thy Spirit grieve. 
 
 Against these darling lusts so strong 
 
 What feeble fight I make ! 
 How weak the prayer, how dull the song 
 
 My needs and mercies wake ! 
 
 Lord ! hath Thy blood been shed in vain ? 
 
 Lord ! hast Thou died for nought ? 
 Joy ! joy ! Thou livest to sustain 
 
 The weakling Thou hast bought. 
 
 Thy lover still the covenant breaks ; 
 
 Still, still Thy servant fails ; 
 But still mine Intercessor speaks, 
 
 Mine Advocate prevails. 
 
 Defiled by devil, world and flesh, 
 
 Each day I seek my God : 
 Each day Thou sprinklest me afresh 
 
 With Thine all cleansing blood. 
 
 I stray ; but Thine outstretched arm 
 Brings back Thy wandering sheep ; 
 
 I faint ; but safe from mortal harm 
 Thy trembler Thou dost keep. 
 
 Thou minglest with my weak, cold prayers 
 
 Thine all-prevailing breath ; 
 The flow of my repentant tears 
 
 Thine offering halloweth. 
 
6S The Golden Chain 
 
 Unworthy my best praises rise 
 The Father's ear to greet ; 
 
 Thou minglest Thine own sacrifice 
 And mak'st my offering sweet. 
 
 O great High Priest ! be helpful still ; 
 
 Helpless I cling to Thee ; 
 Save to the uttermost — fulfil 
 
 Thy work of grace in me ! 
 
 THE ELDER BROTHER. 
 " The First Bom among many brethren." 
 
 O THOU, the Father's only Son, 
 Art Thou indeed the First Born too ? 
 
 Thou partner of the eternal throne, 
 Hast Thou with earthly ties to do ? 
 
 Dost Thou, bright Lord of angels bright, 
 Count up Thy spreading kindred here ? 
 
 Celestial King ! dost Thou delight 
 Here in Thy many brethren dear ? 
 
 Yes, Lord, our brother sure Thou art, 
 We know Thee of our very kin ; 
 
 We know Thee by that wounded heart, 
 That robe of flesh, that load of sin. 
 
 And dost Thou not Thy brethren know 
 By each dear gift and grace of Thine ? 
 
 Thine image dost Thou not bestow, 
 
 That peace past thought, that love divine 5 
 
of Praise. 69 
 
 Are we such brethren, First Born Son ? 
 
 May we be sharers, Lord, with Thee ? 
 O ! then Thy Father is our own ; 
 
 The Father loveth us in Thee. 
 
 Thy robes we wear, Thy rights we claim, 
 We walk Thy ways, we share Thy grace : 
 
 We name the Elder Brother's name 
 And feel the Father's dear embrace. 
 
 Thy brethren meet with cares and woes, 
 
 Yet in the First Born still are blest : 
 We faint, our weakness to repose 
 
 Upon the Elder Brother's breast. 
 
 Oft, oft the younger brethren stray : 
 But not in vain the First Born pleads : 
 
 Again we walk the heavenly way 
 
 And follow where the First Born leads. 
 
 Too brightly shine those angels bright ? 
 
 Ah ! strangely fair those heavenly bowers ? 
 Eternal Father ! beams Thy light 
 
 Too glorious for these eyes of ours ? 
 
 The Elder Brother meets us there ; 
 
 We needs must feel at home with Him ; 
 At home amidst the Mansions Fair, 
 
 At home amidst the Seraphim ! 
 
 Akin to Him, presented thus, 
 
 We needs must dear and welcome be : 
 
 O Father ! Thou wilt smile on us, 
 The First Born bringeth us to Thee. 
 
70 The Golden Chain 
 
 THE ONLY MEDIATOR. 
 
 1 There is one Mediator between God and man, the man 
 Christ Jesus." 
 
 OFFERER of the one oblation, 
 
 Who alone the work hast wrought ! 
 Bringer of the great salvation, 
 
 Who alone the joy hast brought ! 
 Sinless Saviour ! only to Thee 
 
 May the sinful soul repair ; 
 Priest Eternal ! only through Thee 
 
 May ascend the sinner's prayer. 
 
 Yet will men Thy glory darken ; 
 
 Yet will men Thy comfort leave, 
 Unto lying prophets hearken, 
 
 Unto helpless helpers cleave ; 
 In Thy spoils array transgressors, 
 
 Sinful saviours join with Thee, 
 And for powerless intercessors 
 
 Claim Thy might and majesty. 
 
 For no sinning saints we leave Thee, 
 
 Lift no virgin to Thy throne ! 
 Only Saviour ! we receive Thee 
 
 For our all as for our own : 
 We rejoice in Thy completeness ; 
 
 We Thy finished work proclaim, 
 And uplift alone the sweetness 
 
 Of that only Saving Name. 
 
of Praise. 7 r 
 
 Thou alone our souls contentest, 
 
 Who alone didst bear our sin, 
 Who alone our prayers presentest, 
 
 Who alone our Heaven dost win ; 
 There we share the angels' duty, 
 
 There the Father's smile partake, 
 Radiant only in Thy beauty, 
 
 Welcome only for Thy sake. 
 
 THE ONLY PRIEST. 
 
 " We have a great High Priest who has passed into the 
 Heavens, Jesus the Son of God." 
 
 BRIGHT the eye of Israel beamed 
 When her Priest atonement made, 
 
 When the gorgeous vesture gleamed, 
 When the solemn prayer was prayed : 
 
 Rapt her waiting 
 While within the veil he stayed. 
 
 For a while the joy might tarry j 
 
 For an hour the glory shone ; 
 From the earthly sanctuary 
 
 Soon the mortal priest was gone : 
 Weak the blessing 
 
 By the sinful weakling won. 
 
 O our ransom's rich completeness 
 
 By the sinless Saviour wrought ! 
 O ! our joys abiding sweetness 
 
 By the Heavenly Lover brought ! 
 O the glory 
 
 Of our Priest who dieth not ! 
 
72 The Golden Chain 
 
 Still He dwcllcth, bright He beameth 
 In the inmost realm above ; 
 
 Yet through all the glory streameth 
 Down the fulness of His love ; 
 From I lis Father, 
 From His folk He will not move. 
 
 Everywhere we greet the splendour 
 Of our endless Priest Divine ; 
 
 Meetly, Lord, our gifts we render 
 Sprinkled with that blood of Thine ; 
 
 In Thy raiment, 
 In those strange white robes we shine. 
 
 Have Thy Lovers earthward yearned ? 
 
 Still the Heavenly Lover pleads j 
 Have we from Thy warfare turned ? 
 
 Still the Saviour intercedes : 
 Wax we weary ? 
 
 Still our own Forerunner leads. 
 
 O our sole Redeemer ever ! 
 
 O our only, only Priest ! 
 Son of God ! be parted never 
 
 From Thy lowliest and Thy least ! 
 Ours Thy glory — 
 
 Ours the fulness of Thy feast. 
 
 ' Sit Thou at my right hand, until I make Thine cncmiis 
 Thy footstool" 
 
 THOU tarriest with the Father, 
 
 Dear Son of His delight, 
 Till all the spoils Thou gather 
 
 Of Thy well-foughten fight ; 
 
of Praise. 73 
 
 Thou stayest in His glory 
 
 Till all Thy foes lie low, 
 And angels sing the story 
 
 Of their full overthrow. 
 
 Ah ! foemen still deny Thee, 
 
 Still Thy dear truth gainsay ; 
 Ah ! rebels still defy Thee, 
 
 Still spurn Thy blessed sway. 
 Yet shall the last, the greatest, 
 
 Be brought beneath Thy yoke ; 
 The while Thou yonder waitest 
 
 And watchest o'er Thy folk. 
 
 Thou pleadest, Priest Eternal, 
 
 Thou pleadest for Thine own ; 
 They bless the grace supernal 
 
 That streameth from Thy throne. 
 They wait Thy sure returning, 
 
 They wait Thy glorious hour, 
 Their eyes, their hearts are yearning 
 
 To greet Thy day of power. 
 
 It breaketh, lo, it breaketh, 
 
 That wondrous Day Divine ! 
 Thy wrath its fulness taketh, 
 
 Thy love its best doth shine. 
 Thy foes, they lie beneath Thee, 
 
 Sore smitten, broken quite : 
 Thy people, they are with Thee, 
 
 All glorious in Thy light. 
 
 O call us to that muster ! 
 
 O bring us in Thy train ! 
 Shed down on us Thy lustre ! 
 
 Partake with us Thy reign ! 
 
74 The Golden Chain 
 
 While Thou dost yonder tarry, 
 Lord, keep us faithful still ! 
 
 And when Thou com'st in glory, 
 Our joy in Thine fulfil ! 
 
 Surely, /come quickly. Amen, even so; come, Lord Jesus." 
 
 SAVIOUR, in grace complete, 
 
 Whose promises endure ; 
 Whose every word is sweet, 
 
 Whose every word is sure ; 
 Thy saints rejoice 
 
 Tn pnrh Qiirp wnrrl • 
 
 In each sure word ; 
 They love the voice 
 Of their dear Lord. 
 
 But, say ! what word of Thine 
 
 Doth their best gladness wake ? 
 When doth Thy Voice Divine 
 Their ear most sweetly take ? 
 What promise blest 
 Of all the twain, 
 In each glad breast 
 Doth sovereign reign ? 
 
 Saith not their Saviour dear, 
 " Surely I quickly come " ? 
 Thou wilt not leave them here ! 
 Thou soon wilt fetch them home ! 
 This promise, Lord, 
 
 Doth sound most sweet ; 
 This thrice-blest word 
 They gladliest greet. 
 
 
of Praise. 75 
 
 Their joy will not be dumb ; 
 
 Their love must needs reply ; 
 " Even so, Lord Jesus come ! 
 " Amen ! Amen ! " they cry. 
 How full of cheer 
 
 Such news of Thee ! 
 They love to hear ; 
 They long to see. 
 
 This promise first he heard, 
 This answer first he made 
 Who on Thy bosom, Lord, 
 His loving head once laid. a 
 This promise sweet 
 
 Thy Church receives ; 
 This answer meet 
 
 Thy Church still gives. 
 
 " Surely," our Master saith, 
 
 " I come nor will be slow ; " 
 Alas our faltering faith, 
 
 Our love that burns so low ! 
 For us doth ring 
 
 That Voice Divine ; 
 The coming King 
 On us may shine ! 
 
 a Happy are we that eat this bread, 
 But doubly blest was he 
 That gently bowed his loving head 
 And leaned it, Lord, on Thee. 
 
 WATTS, BOOK III., 
 
76 The Golden Chain 
 
 Our faith would hear and watch, 
 
 Our love would long and burn ; 
 Our lips the glow would catch 
 And answer glad return ; 
 " Amen, Amen ! 
 
 " Lord Jesus, come ! 
 " Appear again 
 
 " And take us home." 
 
 THE FIFTH MONARCHY. 
 11 Come, Lord Jesus" 
 
 SAVIOUR ! what a glorious yearning 
 
 Filled Thy mighty men of old ! 
 How they watched for Thy returning ! 
 
 Fain would they Thy face behold. 
 Ceaselessly their prayers required Thee 
 
 From the sweet celestial home : 
 With desire their hearts desired Thee ! 
 
 Still they cried, " Lord Jesus, come ! " 
 
 Thrones and sceptres how they spurned ; 
 
 They would have no King but Thee ; 
 Shall we mock them that they yearned 
 
 For no meaner royalty ? 
 Idly were their souls dilated 
 
 By a longing so sublime ? 
 Was it folly that they waited 
 
 For their Lord before His time? 
 
of Praise. 7 7 
 
 O that our dull souls were burning 
 
 With this holy, heavenly fire ! 
 O that so divine a yearning 
 
 Swallowed up each low desire ! 
 With this blessed consolation 
 
 Sweeten, Lord, our pains and tears ; 
 With this mighty expectation 
 
 Glorify our mortal years ! 
 
 Lovers of the Lord's appearing, 
 
 Watchers for His face to shine, 
 We would tarry still in hearing 
 
 Of His blessed voice divine. 
 Lord ! to us Thou speakest sweetly, 
 
 " I will come and not be slow ! " 
 Give us grace to answer meetly, 
 
 " Come, Lord Jesus, even so ! " 
 
 THE REIGN OF CHRIST. 
 
 The kingdoms of this world have become the Kingdoms of 
 our God and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever 
 and every 
 
 GRIEVES it, Lord, Thy longing lovers 
 
 O'er this smitten Earth to gaze ? 
 Mourn they at the cloud that covers 
 
 Nations from Thy Truth's glad rays ? 
 Do they loathe the baleful lustre 
 
 Of each proud unholy throne ? 
 Wax they faint before the muster 
 
 Of the Tyrants set thereon ? 
 
7 8 The Golden Chain 
 
 Mourn they that Thine Earth still keepeth 
 
 Her old portion, blood and tears — 
 That the sword to fight still Leapeth, — 
 
 That the slave his chain still wears ? 
 Comfort have they ceased to carry 
 
 From each prophet's cheerful song ? 
 Do they cry, of waiting weary, 
 
 " Lord, our God ! how long? how long?" 
 
 Deafened ears ! the Lord hath spoken ! 
 
 Faithless hearts ! his Christ shall reign ! 
 May the Eternal Word be broken ? 
 
 Sounds one promise sweet in vain ? 
 Gladness with Thy mourners dwelleth 
 
 At each gracious word divine ; 
 From the deeps their triumph swelleth ; 
 
 In the dust their faces shine. 
 
 Not in vain the intercession 
 
 That Thy seeking servants pour ! 
 Not for ever the oppression 
 
 That Thine Earth doth vex so sore ! 
 One mild monarchy victorious 
 
 Shall o'erthrow each guilty throne ; 
 Thy dear Christ, divinely glorious, 
 
 O'er the earth shall reign alone. 
 
 To our tender Intercessor 
 
 Yields each ruthless Cassar place ; 
 On the throne of the oppressor 
 
 Sits and smiles our King of Grace. 
 Wasted realm and withered region 
 
 Have become Emmanuel's land ; 
 Saintly troop and angel-legion 
 
 Have replaced the blood-stained band. 
 
of Praise. 79 
 
 Never shall His throne be shaken ; 
 
 Never shall His kingdom move ; 
 Never shall the Lord be taken 
 
 From the people of His love. 
 O that sweet unending story ! 
 
 O that song that ne'er doth cease ! 
 Ever shines our King of glory ; 
 
 Ever reigns our Prince of Peace. 
 
 CHRIST OUR CAESAR. 
 
 " Render unto Ccesar the things that are Ccesar 1 s, and unto 
 God the things that are Gods." 
 
 LORD ! Thy gracious voice hath spoken, 
 
 Lord ! thy faithful ones obey ; 
 Not by us be rudely broken 
 
 Christ's command or Caesar's sway ! 
 God too greatly cannot task us — 
 
 Tribute glad we bring the Lord ; 
 Service slight must Caesar ask us — 
 
 Tribute small can we afford. 
 
 Yet each holier soul desireth 
 
 Nobler Caesars to appear : 
 Each diviner hour requireth 
 
 Powers and thrones more glorious here — 
 All our tribute, all our treasure 
 
 We would spend where we can love ; 
 Jesus ! come and be our Caesar ! 
 
 Sovereign here as Lord above. 
 
So The Golden Chain 
 
 Low before Thy kingdom's splendour 
 
 Make the world's poor kingdoms bow ! 
 Lord ! to Thee our all we render — 
 
 Thou our gracious Caesar, Thou ! 
 Thy mild monarchy victorious 
 
 Half Thy word shall needless make. 
 Our least service shall be glorious — 
 
 All our tribute God shall take. 
 
 THE GLORY OF THE LATTER DAYS. 
 
 The power of Thy grace is not passed away with the 
 primitive times as fond and faithless men imagine, but 
 Uiy kingdom is now at hand and Thou standing at the 
 door." 
 
 MILTON. 
 
 OUR God ! our God ! Thou shinest here, 
 
 Thine own this latter day : 
 To us Thy radiant steps appear : 
 
 We watch Thy glorious way. 
 
 Thou tookest once our flesh j Thy face 
 
 Once on our darkness shone ; 
 Yet through each age New Births of Grace 
 
 Still make Thy glory known. 
 
 Not only olden ages felt 
 
 The presence of the Lord; 
 Not only with the fathers dwelt 
 
 Thy Spirit and Thy Word. 
 
of Praise. 8 1 
 
 Doth not the Spirit still descend 
 
 And bring the heavenly fire ? 
 Doth not He still Thy church extend 
 
 And waiting souls inspire ? 
 
 Come, Holy Ghost ! in us arise ; 
 
 Be this Thy mighty hour ! 
 And make Thy willing people wise 
 
 To know Thy day of power ! 
 
 Pour down Thy fire in us to glow, 
 
 Thy might in us to dwell ; 
 Again Thy works of wonder show, 
 
 Thy blessed secrets tell ! 
 
 Bear us aloft, more glad, more strong 
 
 On Thy celestial wing, 
 And grant us grace to look and long 
 
 For our returning King. 
 
 He draweth near, He standeth by, 
 
 He fills our eyes, our ears ; 
 Come, King of Grace, Thy people cry, 
 
 And bring the glorious years ! 
 
 LVI. 
 
 FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH. 
 
 " Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching 
 forward to those things which are before." 
 
 EVERLASTING ! Changing never ! 
 
 Of one strength, no more, no less ! 
 Thine Almightiness for ever, 
 
 All the same Thy holiness ! 
 In all fulness 
 
 Thou all glory dost possess. 
 
The Golden Chain 
 
 But we weaklings, but we sinners 
 Would not in our weakness stay : 
 
 Of more glory make us winners ; 
 Lead us on along Thy way 
 Ever nearer 
 To Thy pure and perfect day ! 
 
 May we not draw forth new treasure 
 From the Saviour's boundless store ? 
 
 Spirit ! takest Thou not pleasure 
 On each age Thy breath to pour ? 
 
 Sweet and mighty 
 Com'st Thou not as heretofore ? 
 
 By Thine earliest, by Thy latest, 
 By Thy saints and martyrs all, 
 
 By Thy sweetest, by Thy greatest, 
 By Thy John and by Thy Paul, 
 
 By Thy sages, 
 By Thy souls heroical ! 
 
 By their holy, high achieving, 
 By their visions more divine, 
 
 By each gift of our receiving 
 
 From those mighty ones of Thine, 
 
 By Thy radiance 
 That through them on us doth shine ! 
 
 By Thy truth, how faintly spoken ! 
 
 By Thy will, how slackly done ! 
 By each idol still unbroken, 
 
 By each spirit still unwon ; 
 
 Hear us ! hear us ! 
 
 Our Almighty, help us on ! 
 
of Praise. 83 
 
 Give Thy people to inherit 
 
 Births of Grace with Thee upstored, 
 Fuller breathings of Thy Spirit, 
 
 Fuller openings of Thy Word ! 
 Make us meeter 
 
 To embrace our coming Lord ! 
 
 Make our own a nobler story 
 Than was ever writ before ! 
 
 Stay not then ! show forth Thy glory 
 In our aftercomers more ! 
 
 Everlasting ! 
 Fuller grace incessant pour ! 
 
 ENGLAND'S HYMN 
 
 1 He hath not dealt so with any nation. Praise ye the Lord" 
 
 LIFT thy song among the nations, 
 
 England of the Lord beloved ! 
 Sing the grace for generations 
 
 That hath kept thy lamp unmoved ; 
 Sing how vainly hosts assembled 
 
 'Gainst the isle of His delight ; 
 Sing how tyrants turned and trembled 
 
 When His arm upheld thy right ! 
 
 Sing how He the Lord hath brought thee 
 
 Onward still from height to height, 
 How the Heavenly Lustre sought thee 
 
 Ere it made the world more bright. 
 
%4 The Golden Chain 
 
 Let the freedom long-descended 
 Gloriously uplift thy voice ! 
 
 In the Good Old Cause defended 
 By thy men of might rejoice ! 
 
 Sing how lie His England crowned 
 
 When He loosed the yoke of Rome ; 
 Sing how He His truth enthroned 
 
 In this consecrated home ; 
 How He trusts thee with the treasure 
 
 Of His Word to send it forth ; 
 Mightily fulfil His pleasure ; 
 
 Send His Word o'er all the earth ! 
 
 Sing how gleamed His sword victorious 
 
 In the hands of heroes thine ! 
 How His fire more sweetly glorious 
 
 Streamed from thy souls divine ! 
 Let no marvel of thy story 
 
 Lose its place amidst the praise ! 
 Praise Him for thine olden glory ! 
 
 Praise Him for these latter days ! 
 
 Sing how freedom's fire abideth 
 
 Where it first did burn and shine ; 
 How for thee the Lord provided) 
 
 Boundless realms and tasks divine ! 
 Costly gifts of old thou broughtest ; 
 
 Holy songs thou once didst bring ; 
 Seek the Lord as once thou soughtest ; 
 
 Mighty serve and mighty sing ! 
 
of Praise. 85 
 
 LVIII. 
 
 THE GOOD OLD CAUSE IN AFFLICTION. 
 
 " Hath the Lord forgotten to be gracious ? " 
 
 (Drawn forth by the fall of Hungary and Rome in 1849.) 
 
 HOW bitter, Lord, these tears I shed ! 
 
 How faint this heart of mine ! 
 I weep o'er glorious visions fled, 
 
 O'er vanished hopes divine. 
 
 I weep o'er wounded Truth and Right, 
 
 O'er saints and heroes slain : 
 I mourn that Wrong has won the fight, 
 
 That tyrants rage and reign. 
 
 How long shall Truth and Right lie low ? 
 
 How long, O Lord, how long 
 Shall Thy Good Cause sore smitten bow, 
 
 And Thine own foes be strong? 
 
 How long shall we with ceaseless cries 
 
 Thy coming vainly pray, 
 And vainly wait with longing eyes 
 
 Thy bright, redeeming day ? 
 
 Lord ! wilt Thou from Thy seekers hide ? 
 
 Wilt Thou Thy Cause forsake, 
 Nor mighty with Thy host abide, 
 
 Nor glad Thy mourners make ? 
 
B6 The Golden Chain 
 
 Our hearts may faint ; our eyes may stream : 
 But, Lord, we trust Thee still : 
 
 We know Thy cause Thou wilt redeem, 
 Thy work Thou wilt fulfil. 
 
 Not vainly saints and heroes die ; 
 
 Their blood Thou holdest dear ; 
 Yet shall they win the victory, 
 
 And Thou the glory wear. 
 
 THE HYMN OF THE WALDENSES. 
 
 "Lord! Thou hast been our dwelli?ig place in all generations.' 
 
 LORD ! Thou hast been our dwelling place 
 
 In every generation ; 
 Thy people still have known Thy grace 
 
 And blessed Thy consolation ; 
 Through every age Thou heard'st our cary ; 
 Through every age we found Thee nigh, 
 
 Our strength and our salvation. 
 
 Our cleaving sins we oft have wept, 
 
 And oft Thy patience proved ; 
 But still Thy faith we fast have kept, 
 
 Thy name we still have loved : 
 And Thou hast kept and loved us well, 
 Hast granted us in Thee to dwell, 
 
 Unshaken, unremoved. 
 
of Praise. 87 
 
 (We kept Thy faith 'gainst kings of might 
 
 And potentates infernal ; 
 We kept Thy faith in Rome's despite 
 
 By help of Grace Supernal. 
 The foe was fierce, the woe was long ; 
 But O ! our Helper was more strong, 
 
 Our Lover was eternal. 
 
 Through woes unspeakable we went, 
 
 But Thou didst go before us ; 
 Hell all its darts against us spent, 
 
 But Thou, our shield, wast o'er us : 
 Within the sevenfold fire we stood, 
 But there appeared the Son of God, 
 
 The flame would not devour us. 
 
 Vain was the long enduring rage, 
 
 Vain, vain the ceaseless slaughter ; 
 Thine Israel lived from age to age, 
 
 Kept by the blood that bought her : 
 She could not droop, she could not die ; 
 The Heavenly Helper still was nigh 
 
 And dear deliverance brought her. 
 
 Thy stricken people now have rest, 
 
 In peace we may confess Thee ; 
 Thy Word is no forbidden guest, 
 
 In gladness we may bless Thee. 
 Lord, as our fathers held Thee fast 
 Through all the bitter, glorious Past, 
 
 So may their sons possess Thee ! 
 
 Love us not only for their sake 
 
 But get from us some glory ! 
 Sublime and bright and blessed make 
 
 This sweetness of our story. 
 
88 The Golden Cham 
 
 Give us to trace with filial feet 
 Their footsteps through these valleys sweet 
 And o'er these mountains hoary.) 
 
 No, nothing from those arms of love 
 Shall Thine own people sever : 
 
 Our Helper never will remove, 
 Our God will fail us never. 
 
 Thy people, Lord, have dwelt in Thee ; 
 
 Our dwelling-place Thou still wilt be 
 For ever and for ever. 
 
 [This hymn as a whole belongs to the Waldenses only, among whom 
 it was begun, but all the people of God have an interest in the 
 first two and the last verses.) 
 
 THE PILGRIM FATHERS. 
 
 1 Let Thy work appear unto Thy servants, and TJiy %/ory 
 unto their children." 
 
 LORD God! one blessing ever 
 
 Thy faithful servants ask, 
 Thy help in each endeavour — 
 
 Thy presence in each task. 
 This boon our fathers asked : 
 
 This boon the Pilgrims won ; 
 Divinely were they tasked ; 
 
 Divinely have they done. 
 
of Praise. 89 
 
 Their pathway plain Thou mad est 
 
 Across the wintry sea ; 
 They came because Thou badest ; 
 
 They came to wait on Thee, 
 They came their chiefest treasure 
 
 In freedom to possess, 
 To work their Lord's dear pleasure 
 
 Here in the wilderness. 
 
 Their tears, their toil they brought Thee, 
 
 Thou Taskmaster Divine : 
 In fear, in gloom they sought Thee ; 
 
 Still, still Thy face did shine. 
 The Great Taskmaster knew them : 
 
 The Lord of Glory smiled ; 
 No meaner presence drew them : 
 
 No earthly dream beguiled. 
 
 Not of the might they deemed 
 
 Their weakness forth would bring : 
 No golden dream they dreamed 
 
 Of empire thence to spring. 
 They laid their work before Thee : 
 
 They knew it was divine : 
 They left the glory for Thee : 
 
 Their sons have seen it shine. 
 
 On us doth rest the splendour, 
 
 With us doth dwell the might : 
 Our power doth tribute render 
 
 Unto their lowly plight. 
 Our strength and store we borrow 
 
 From their heroic pains : 
 Out of their godly sorrow 
 
 We draw our glorious gains. 
 
90 The Golden Chain 
 
 We who such gifts inherit, 
 
 Shall we no gift bequeath ? 
 Lord ! full on us the spirit 
 
 Of Thy dear Pilgrims breathe ! 
 In us repeat their story, 
 
 No task divine withhold ; 
 And then anew the glory 
 
 Unto our sons unfold ! 
 
 THE THANKSGIVING SONG 01 
 PROTESTANT BRITAIN. 
 
 " Let us all go, aery true Pretested Briton, throughout the 
 three kingdoms, and render thanks to God the Father of 
 lights, and to His Son Jesus Christ our Lord?' 
 
 HANOVER. MILTON. 
 
 O'ER fulness of grace, blest Britain, rejoice I 
 In fulness of heart, glad Britain, loud sing ! 
 
 Ten thousand the mercies that gladden thy voice, 
 But let thy chief glory most gloriously ring. 
 
 Rejoice in the King who gave thee each gift, 
 
 The freedom, the skill, the strength and the store ; 
 
 But songs yet more glad to the Giver uplift 
 
 Who gave thee His Gospel, who taught thee His lore. 
 
 He loosed thy neck from Rome's grievous yoke : 
 Before thee her power and pride He subdued : 
 
 Her darkness He scattered, her idols He broke, 
 Thy realm He redeemed, thy soul He renewed. 
 
of Praise. 9 1 
 
 Full beamed the Light Divine on thine eye ; 
 
 Rang sweetly the Voice Divine in thine ear : 
 Thou knewest thy time as the Quickener drew nigh, 
 
 His breath madest welcome, His Word heldest dear. 
 
 He bade thee o'er earth His Gospel make known ; 
 
 His fulness of grace on Britain He spent ; 
 I,o ! high He enthroned His truth on thy throne 
 
 And with His own glory thy glory He blent. 
 
 Because of His truth He widened thy reign : 
 He crowned the isle that welcomed His Word : 
 
 He made of far regions thy long-sweeping train 
 And put in thine hand an invincible sword. 
 
 O cleave to His truth that set thee on high ! 
 
 Rejoice in His light that made thee to shine ! 
 Like strong-winged eagle, keep sunward thine eye 
 
 And tell of His glory that mingles with thine ! 
 
 Remember thy Chiefs His glory who sought : 
 Remember thy Seers His bidding who spake ; 
 
 Remember thy Heroes His battles who fought, 
 Remember thy Martyrs who died for His sake ! 
 
 Unlearn not the lore thy Wycliffe well learned, 
 Forsake not the cause thy Milton approved ; 
 
 Forget not the fire where thy Latimer burned, 
 
 Nor turn from the truth that thy Cromwell so loved ! 
 
 The yoke they cast off, of thee still be spurned ! 
 
 The idols they broke, of thee be abhorred ! 
 Still cleave where they cleaved ! still yearn as they yearned ! 
 
 Be glad with their gladness ! be true to their Lord ! 
 
92 The Golden Chain 
 
 His wonders adore, thy bright Past respect ! 
 
 To praise His great name thy glory employ; 
 Rejoice, thou Belovrd I be glad, thou Elect! 
 
 Break forth into singing beneath the full joy! 
 
 THE FALL OF BABYLON. 
 
 " Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great" 
 
 ' Rejoice over her, tJiou Ifcaren, and ye holy apostles and 
 
 prophets." 
 
 THE Lord sends forth His dooming voice 
 
 And waves His dreadful sword ; 
 Be glad, ye people of His choice, 
 
 With your avenging Lord ! 
 
 Smile as His righteous doom doth light 
 
 On some long spared foe ! 
 Sing as His flaming sword doth smite 
 
 And lay some tyrant low ! 
 
 But now your gladdest songs ring forth, 
 
 Your brightest robes put on ! 
 Let loose the fulness of your mirth 
 
 O'er fallen Babylon ! 
 
 Hark how each angel lends His voice 
 
 To help the joy divine ! 
 With the rejoicing Heavens rejoice ! 
 
 The song angelic join ! 
 
of Praise. 93 
 
 Remember all her idols brought 
 
 Within the sacred doors ; 
 Remember all the sin she wrought 
 
 With royal paramours. 
 
 Remember how His truth divine 
 
 She hid with lying lore, 
 Remember how with deadly wine 
 
 Her golden cup ran o'er. 
 
 Remember how she spread abroad 
 
 O'er earth her darkness drear, 
 And staggered, drunken with the blood 
 
 Of Jesu's martyrs dear ! 
 
 Behold her now nor triumph spare ; 
 
 Enjoy her fallen estate ; 
 Sing as her lovers strip her bare 
 
 And make her desolate ! 
 
 Smile o'er her broken golden cup, 
 
 Her royal purple torn : 
 Sing as her withered arm lets drop 
 
 The sword once dreadly borne : 
 
 Behold the smiter smitten sore, 
 
 The doomer doomed to die, 
 And in her overthrow adore 
 
 Your Lord's own Victory. 
 
 Ye saints below, ye saints above, 
 
 Mingle each dear delight : 
 Be glad in His redeeming love, 
 
 In His avenging might ! 
 
<»4 The Golden Chain 
 
 Sing how the Lord hath heard your cry, 
 And forth His glory shown ; 
 
 Yes, join the triumph of the sky 
 O'er fallen Babylon ! 
 
 AGAIN THEY SAID HAILELUJAH. 
 
 u Hallelujah ! Sa /rat ion and glory and honour and power 
 unto the Lord our God. For true and righteous are 
 His judgments ; for He hath judged the great whore 
 which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and 
 hath avenged the blood of His servants at her hand. 
 And again, they said, Hallelujah." 
 
 HOW Thy saints rejoice before Thee, 
 
 God of justice and of grace ! 
 With what triumph they adore Thee, 
 
 With what transport speak Thy praise ! 
 Hallelujah ! 
 
 True and righteous are Thy ways. 
 
 Thou the mighty whore hast doomed 
 
 Who defiled the earth of yore : 
 Thou her splendour hast consumed : 
 
 Thou her strength hast smitten sore : 
 Hallelujah ! 
 
 Low she lies to rise no more. 
 
 All her sins hast Thou regarded, 
 
 All in Thy remembrance stored ; 
 All her sins hast Thou rewarded ; 
 
 All Thy plagues on her hast poured. 
 Hallelujah ! 
 
 Art Thou not the righteous Lord ? 
 
of Praise. 95 
 
 She a deadly cup hath brewed, 
 She a deadly cup hath drained, 
 
 Countless woes hath she renewed ; 
 Countless woes hath she sustained. 
 
 Hallelujah ! 
 Wrath divine hath on her rained. 
 
 Thou her lovers hast estranged, 
 
 Hast with hate their hearts inspired, 
 
 Thou Thy people hast avenged, 
 At her hand their blood required. 
 
 Hallelujah ! 
 Dawns the day so long desired. 
 
 Naked and forlorn she dieth 
 Who in gold and purple shone : 
 
 She who vexed the earth, low lieth, 
 She who slew the saints is gone. 
 
 Hallelujah ! 
 Fallen, fallen is Babylon. 
 
 NATIONAL AND SPIRITUAL RENEWAL. 
 
 "Praise the Lord, all ye nations" Praise the Lord, 
 O my soul. 
 
 NOW to the one Almighty King 
 
 Be a new song begun ! 
 A mighty strain, ye nations, bring, 
 
 For greatly hath He done. 
 
 Tell of Jehovah's going forth, 
 The world's confounded powers, 
 
 This stricken, trembling, reeling earth, 
 These wondrous, awful hours ! 
 
</> The Golden Chain 
 
 Sing how He takes away the crown 
 And breaks the brimming cup ! 
 
 Sing how He casts the mighty down 
 And lifts the lowly up ! 
 
 How black the tempest-laden skies! 
 
 How dread the thunder-tones! 
 All terrible the nations rise 
 
 And headlong fall the thrones. 
 
 O that the stricken world might cry, 
 " The Lord hath been abroad," 
 
 And nobler nations glorify 
 Their own renewing God ! 
 
 Yet, if the nations will not learn 
 His judgments and His ways, 
 
 Thou soul of mine, His hand discern ! 
 My soul, declare His praise ! 
 
 Sing how in them, in thee shines forth 
 The glory of His name ! 
 
 Tell of His judgments in the earth ! 
 His grace to thee proclaim ! 
 
 He bursteth on thy careless hour ; 
 
 He takes thy mirth away ; 
 Down cometh His renewing power ; 
 
 How shall thine evil stay ? 
 
 Sing, sing each glorious victory 
 Thine own Deliverer wins ; 
 
 Sing how he makes thy tyrants flee ! 
 Sing how He slays thy sins ! 
 
of Praise. 97 
 
 Sing how from all He sets thee free 
 To take thee for His own, 
 
 And graciously builds up in thee 
 His everlasting throne ! 
 
 THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 ( Whitsunday.) 
 
 DAY divine ! when sudden streaming 
 
 To the Lord's first lovers came 
 Glory new and treasure teeming, 
 
 Mighty gifts and tongues of flame ! 
 Day to happy souls commended 
 
 When the Holy Ghost was given, 
 When the Comforter descended 
 
 And brought down the joy of Heaven ! 
 
 Lord ! to-day Thy people learneth 
 
 No past wonder, no strange tale ; 
 Lord ! to-day Thy people yearneth 
 
 Here the Holy Ghost to hail ! 
 O'er again to write this story 
 
 Our weak trembling souls aspire ; 
 Unto us may come the glory — 
 
 Full on us may fall the fire ! 
 
 Hath the Holy Ghost been holden 
 By those ancient saints alone ? 
 
 Only may the ages olden 
 
 Call the Comforter their own ? 
 
98 The Golden Chain 
 
 Ah ! their portion we inherit, 
 Ours the sorrow, ours the sin ! 
 
 We beseech the Holy Spirit — 
 We the Comforter would win. 
 
 THE SPIRITS BEST GIFTS. 
 
 WOULD the Spirit more completely 
 
 Make abode with saints of old ? 
 Would the Comforter more sweetly 
 
 Thy first lovers, Lord, enfold ? 
 Wonders we may not inherit ; 
 
 Signs and tongues we do not crave ; 
 Yet we still receive the Spirit — 
 
 Still the Comforter we have. 
 
 Still are given His gifts most precious ; 
 
 Open lies His richest store — 
 We may win His grace most gracious — 
 
 We His deepest deep explore ! 
 Signs most glorious, all excelling, 
 
 Witness brightest we may show ; 
 Sure the Holy Ghost is dwelling 
 
 With the souls that holier grow. 
 
 Hope that makes ashamed never — 
 Perfect Peace that passeth thought — 
 
 Mighty joy that stayeth ever — 
 Love divine that changeth not ; — 
 
of Praise. 99 
 
 Such the gifts that still are given — 
 Such the glory we may boast ; 
 
 Help us, Lord, to this pure Heaven- 
 Breathe on us the Holy Ghost. 
 
 THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 HOLY Spirit ! dwell with me ! 
 
 Glorify this humble home ! 
 Meet again mortality — 
 
 To another temple come ! 
 
 Holy Spirit ! forth from me ! 
 
 Sweetly forth — ah not away ! 
 Kept Thou mays't, yet given be ; 
 
 Mighty go, yet mighty stay. 
 
 Spirit that with me dost dwell, 
 
 Make Thy presence richly known ! 
 
 Holy deeds send forth to tell 
 Of the bright communion ! 
 
 Peaceful Spirit ! hath the soul 
 
 Where Thy voice so sweet doth sound, 
 
 Of Thy mighty music full, 
 Ears to hear the roar around ? 
 
 Cheerful Spirit ! where but here 
 
 In this happy home of Thine, 
 Floweth on such gladsome cheer? 
 
 Ever fresh the feast divine 
 
The Golden Chain 
 
 Holy Spirit ! give not o'er ; 
 
 Leave not, leave not hallowing me, — 
 Me Thy temple evermore ; 
 
 Mine Thine own Eternity ! 
 
 THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT. 
 
 BRIGHT Presence ! may my soul have part 
 
 In those sweet beams of Thine ? 
 Lord ! soundeth in mine inmost heart 
 
 Thy very Voice Divine? 
 Yes, Lord, with Thee I may partake ; 
 
 To me Thou wilt repair, 
 This soul wilt cheer and warn and wake, 
 
 The Spirit's witness there ! 
 
 In holy tasks, in noble pain 
 
 My soul this comfort hath : 
 The amazed world exclaims in vain ; 
 
 The Spirit witnesseth. 
 To break my peace the tumult seeks ; 
 
 I have no ears to hear ; 
 So mightily the Spirit speaks, 
 
 So sweetly fills mine ear. 
 
 Alas my Lord ! that Sense and Sin 
 
 To tempt this soul should dare, 
 That Thine own foes should audience win. 
 
 The Spirit's witness there ! 
 
oj Praise. 
 
 He speaketh oft, He warneth clear, 
 
 He witnesseth in vain : 
 Repent, sad Soul, if thou wouldst hear 
 
 The Voice Divine again ! 
 
 Glad Soul ! art thou ashamed to smile ? 
 
 Of gladness hast thou fear ? 
 Thou may'st enjoy thy golden while, 
 
 Yes, boldly take thy cheer : 
 Each glorious hour thou may'st renew 
 
 In thine own bower of bliss ; 
 
 ! sweet and strong the joy whereto 
 The Spirit witnesses ! 
 
 Alas ! do subtle foes conspire 
 
 To darken my soul's day, 
 To quench the bright celestial fire, 
 
 And take my Lord away ? 
 
 1 need not seek o'er all the earth 
 Wherewith to guard my faith ; 
 
 A champion near and strong springs forth ; 
 The Spirit witnesseth. 
 
 My Father ! when Thy child delights 
 
 To feel himself Thine own, 
 And others would deny his rights 
 
 And thrust him from Thy Throne ; 
 I still draw near, I still rejoice, 
 
 Thy child doth nothing care 
 If to his claim Thy Spirit's voice 
 
 Its witness sweet doth bear. 
 
 O ! that this voice my soul did stir 
 
 Nor make it sadly start ! 
 O ! that Thy Spirit oftener 
 
 Bore witness with my heart ! 
 
The Golden Chain 
 
 O ! that His gracious, awful voice 
 More swiftly caught mine car ! 
 
 O ! that I always could rejoice 
 His witness, Lord, to hear ! 
 
 One day the joy may fully come, 
 
 The music may be mine ; 
 O ! ever in the Heavenly Home 
 
 Sweet sounds the Voice Divine. 
 To each desire, to each delight, 
 
 " Yes," " Yes," it sweetly saith ; 
 Smile on, sing on, ye Angels Bright ! 
 
 The Spirit witnesseth. 
 
 11 The Earnest of the Spirit." 
 
 WHY hasteth on this pilgrim throng 
 As burthen ed with no cares? 
 
 These lowly souls — why swells their song 
 As though the world was theirs ? 
 
 What can their happy fulness crave ? 
 
 Where can their wishes rove ? 
 Thy Holy Spirit, Lord, they have, 
 
 The Earnest of Thy love. 
 
 They needs must rest in glorious things 
 With whom the Spirit dwells ; 
 
 Sweet messages the Spirit brings, 
 Great news the Spirit tells. 
 
of Praise. 1 03 
 
 Lord ! if Thy gracious voice divine 
 
 One whisper sweet lets fall, 
 They know that Thou hast made them Thine, 
 
 That Thou hast given them all. 
 
 O ! if the Lord Himself hath given, 
 
 All else they know must come — 
 The shining thrones, the blissful heaven, 
 
 The everlasting home. 
 
 Lord ! may not I these tidings hear ? 
 
 These messages receive ? 
 Assure my soul that she is dear — 
 
 To me the Spirit give. 
 
 Teach me no other prayer to lift, 
 
 No other boon to crave ; 
 Mine all Thy grace, mine every gift, 
 
 If I the Earnest have. 
 
 Take all Thine other gifts away, 
 
 But do not Thou remove ; 
 All things remain, if with me stay 
 
 This Earnest of Thy love. 
 
 ST. DAVIDS. 
 
 11 Grieve not the Holy Spirit''' 
 
 LORD ! am I precious in Thy sight ? 
 
 Lord ! would'st Thou have me Thine 
 What ! may I grieve, may I delight 
 
 The Majesty Divine? 
 
104 The Golden Chain 
 
 Dost Thou so sweetly urge and press 
 My soul Thy heaven to win ? 
 
 Lord ! dost Thou love my faithfulness ? 
 Lord ! dost Thou hate my sin ? 
 
 O Holy Spirit ! dost Thou mourn 
 When I from Thee depart ? 
 
 Dost Thou rejoice when I return 
 And give Thee back my heart ? 
 
 O sweet, strange height of Grace Divine 
 My sin Thy grief to make, 
 
 And this poor faithfulness of mine 
 For Thy delight to take ! 
 
 Strange height of sin to spurn the love 
 That yearns to make me blest, 
 
 And drive away the Heavenly Dove 
 That fain would be my guest ! 
 
 O happy Heaven where Thine embrace 
 
 I never more shall leave, 
 Nor ever cast away Thy grace, 
 
 Nor once Thy Spirit grieve ! 
 
 Let me, dear Lord, each grace possess 
 That makes Thy Heaven more bright, 
 
 And bring the humble holiness 
 That gives my God delight. 
 
of Praise. 105 
 
 THE SPIRITS DEALINGS WITH THE 
 HEART 
 
 SWEET Spirit ! would Thy Breath Divine 
 O'er a void waste all fragrant blow ? 
 
 Bright Presence ! would that fire of Thine 
 All lonely in Thy temple glow ? 
 
 Thou dost not sure an empty heart 
 For Thy dear dwelling-place desire ; 
 
 To glorify Thy holy art 
 
 Thou dost a peopled realm require. 
 
 O sternly all the robbers chase, 
 
 But give the dwellers leave to stay : 
 
 Unpeople not the yielded place 
 Nor all its treasure cast away. 
 
 The taken treasure-house explore 
 With Thine all-searching fire divine : 
 
 And put upon the dross-blent store 
 The glory of Thy gold most fine. 
 
 O teach the conquered realm Thy law, 
 
 Each passion 'neath Thy sweet sway bring ; 
 
 From each dark depth Thy glory draw — 
 From each dull chord Thy music ring ! 
 
 Each mounting thought, each strong desire 
 Help on Thy heavenly wings to rise, 
 
 And light in hearts with love on fire 
 Thine own pure flame that never dies. 
 
io6 The Golden Chain 
 
 O teach our wrath the holy glow 
 
 Wherewith Thine awful anger burns, 
 And make our grovelling sorrow know 
 .Joriously the Spirit mourns ! 
 
 O lend our hope's dim, dying light 
 The steadfast glory of Thy flame, 
 
 And grant our joy, divinely bright, 
 The witness of Thy smile to claim. 
 
 Take all this heart, its weak:.. 
 
 Linings soft, its longings high, 
 
 Its bleeding wounds, its golden hours, 
 
 And on them all Thy sweet skill try. 
 
 O breathe on them Thy breath divine ! 
 
 O steep them in Thy heavenly glow '. 
 Nor let one smile unhallowed shine, 
 
 Nor let one tear unhallowed flow. 
 
 THE SAME. 
 
 LORD ! when we come at Thy dear call, 
 
 Our scanty store we bring ; 
 Sweet Spirit ! Thou dost ask our all 
 
 For Thine own hallowing. 
 
 We need not ask of our right hand 
 
 Its cunning to forget ; 
 May not it move at thy command ? 
 
 Hast not Thou tasks to set ? 
 
of Praise. 107 
 
 Why need we, Lord, our hearts deny, 
 
 Why bid our love begone ? 
 The Heavenly Dove comes down to try 
 
 His own sweet skill thereon. 
 
 Why should our minds repent their pains, 
 
 Unlearn their little lore ? 
 Spirit of Truth ! advance their gains ; 
 
 Mingle Thine own bright store. 
 
 Our tender tears we need not hide, 
 
 Our yearnings deep reprove ; 
 Teach us a glorious grief allied 
 
 To Thine, sin-vexed Dove ! 
 
 We need not dread our golden while, 
 
 Nor shun each Blissful Bower ; 
 Bright Presence ! bless it with Thy smile ! 
 
 Make it Thine own sweet hour ! 
 
 For us no height, for us no deep 
 
 Whereon Thou may'st not shine ; 
 O Spirit sweet ! Thou would'st not keep 
 
 From us one gift divine. 
 
 " The Spirit also Hrfpcth our Infirmities." 
 
 ALAS these pilgrims faint and worn ! 
 
 Alas this Vale of Tears ! 
 These sinners sore who sink and mourn 
 
 Through the long mortal years ! 
 
7 he Golden Chain 
 
 Behold this Garden of the Lord, 
 
 These guests in raiment bright ! 
 
 This beauty hath the Spirit poured, 
 
 Hath made that darkness light. 
 
 O faithless souls that dwelt apart ; 
 
 Ah lifeless, loveless throng! 
 No fire within each joyless heart — 
 
 Dull, dull, each formal tongue ! 
 
 Behold these brethren dear ! enquire 
 How hath this sweetness grown ! 
 
 The Spirit sets their souls on fire; 
 The Spirit makes them one. 
 
 Kneel with this prayerful company, 
 Join, join these cheerful songs ! 
 
 The Spirit breathes this harmony, 
 The Spirit tunes these tongues. 
 
 Ah ! weaklings vain who faintly wrought, 
 Who soon the strife gave o'er, 
 
 Who no sweet gift the brethren brought, 
 The Lord no tribute bore ! 
 
 The Spirit pours the lavish love 
 
 Of this gift-bearing throng ; 
 These linked hands that mountains move, 
 
 The Spirit makes them strong. 
 
 He leadeth forth His mighty host, 
 
 He mingleth in the fight ; 
 O ! army of the Holy Ghost, 
 
 What can withstand your might ? 
 
of Praise. 109 
 
 Ah souls their veiled Heaven that mourned ! 
 
 Ah glory faint and dim ! 
 Ah tearful eyes that vainly yearned ! 
 
 Ah distant Seraphim ! 
 
 Blest souls that here Heaven's glory greet, 
 
 That now Heaven's rapture feel ! 
 The Spirit brings this earnest sweet, 
 
 The Spirit sets His seal. 
 
 For you the fulness of His cheer, 
 
 The fulness of His love ! 
 Ye saints, be mighty in Him here ! 
 
 Soar on His wings above ! 
 
 A BREATHING AFTER THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 O HOLY Ghost who down dost come 
 To make each contrite heart Thy home, 
 On me descend ! within me dwell, 
 My soul renew, my sin expel ! 
 
 Spirit of Truth who makest bright 
 All souls that long for heavenly light, 
 Appear and on my darkness shine ! 
 Descend and be my Guide Divine ! 
 
 Spirit of power whose might doth dwell 
 Full in the souls Thou lovest well, 
 Unto this fainting heart draw near 
 And be my daily Quickener ! 
 
The Golden Chain 
 
 Spirit of joy who makest glad 
 Each broken heart by sin made sad, 
 Pour on this mourning soul Thy cheer ; 
 Give me to bless my Comforter I 
 
 O tender Spirit who dost mourn 
 Whene'er from Thee Thy people turn, 
 Give me each day to grieve Thee less : 
 Enjoy my fuller faithfulness ! 
 
 Come mightier down ! Thyself impart 
 More largely to this longing heart ; 
 My Comforter more dearly be ; 
 More sweetly guide and hallow me : 
 
 Till Thou shalt make me meet to bear 
 The sweetness of Heaven's holy air, 
 The light wherein no darkness is, 
 The eternal, overflowing bliss ! 
 
 THE HE A I EXL Y DO VE. 
 
 44 that I had wings like a dorr, for then would I flee 
 away and be at rest.' 1 (Psalm lv. 6.) " The Spirit 
 descending like a ' I atthew iii. 15.) 
 
 O SMITTEN soul that cares and conflicts wring, 
 O fainting heart that burdens sore oppress; 
 What glory gleameth from each gladsome wing ! 
 What sweetness wrapp'th the still wilderness ! 
 
of Praise. 1 1 1 
 
 Thou mournest o'er the radiant wings denied ; 
 Thou yearnest for the Happy Isles afar • 
 Fain on the dove's soft pinion would'st thou glide, 
 And win sweet peace from the calm, desert air. 
 
 These yearnings bright ! oh vainly are they stirred ? 
 These golden dreams ! for nothing do they come? 
 Ah ! woos Thee mockingly each soaring bird ? 
 Ah ! vainly calleth Thee some smiling home ? 
 
 Unbounded heart ! thou shapest bright desires, 
 Yet richlier hath Thy Heavenly Lover wrought : 
 Yes, more than all each golden dream requires 
 Preventing Grace hath in sweet fulness brought. 
 
 What needs this envy of the swift-winged dove, 
 This quest of deserts that no cheer may make, 
 When the sweet Spirit leaves His home above, 
 When I, bright Dove Divine, Thy wings may take ? 
 
 Thou bringest me the branch of Heavenly peace 
 Midst winds that roar and waters that would whelm, 
 And steepest me, here on the stormy seas, 
 In the deep stillness of Thine own bright realm. 
 
 Thou com'st not near, sweet Dove, with fleeting beam 
 And hasty wing to mock my sad estate ; 
 Still over me those glorious pinions gleam ; 
 Still, still for me those tender wings do wait. 
 
 Dove Divine ! no more the captive sighs, 
 The weary soul pours forth no bootless prayer ; 
 
 1 breathe the quiet of Thine own soft skies ; 
 I drink the fragrance of thine own sweet air. 
 
12 7 he Golden Chain 
 
 LXXVI. 
 
 THE DIVINE RENEWER. 
 
 Thou renewest the face of the earth" "Be renewed in 
 the spirit of your mind." 
 
 THE glory of the spring how sweet ! 
 
 The newborn life how glad ! 
 What joy the happy earth to greet 
 
 In new, bright raiment clad ; 
 
 The blessed vernal airs to hail 
 
 In their renewing power, 
 The new song of each nightingale, 
 
 The new birth of each flower ! 
 
 Divine Renewer ! Thee I bless ; 
 
 I greet Thy going forth : 
 I love Thee in the loveliness 
 
 Of Thy renewed earth. 
 
 But O ! these wonders of Thy grace, 
 
 These nobler works of Thine, 
 These marvels sweeter far to trace, 
 
 These new-births more divine ! 
 
 These sinful souls Thou hallowest, 
 
 These hearts Thou makest new, 
 These mourning souls by Thee made blest, 
 
 These faithless hearts made true : 
 
 This new-born glow of faith so strong, 
 
 This bloom of love so fair ; 
 This new-born testacy of song 
 
 And fragrancy of pra>cr I 
 
of Praise. 113 
 
 Creator Spirit, work in me 
 
 These wonders sweet of Thine ! 
 Divine Renewer, graciously 
 
 Renew this heart of mine ! 
 
 Grant me the grace of the New Birth, 
 
 The joy of the New Song ! 
 The vernal bloom, the vernal mirth 
 
 In my new heart prolong ! 
 
 Still let new life and strength upspring, 
 
 Still let new joy be given ! 
 And grant the glad new song to ring 
 
 Through the new earth and Heaven ! 
 
 Take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. y 
 
 O SPIRIT sweet and pure 
 Wilt Thou at last depart ? 
 Canst Thou no more endure 
 This faithless, fallen heart ? 
 These lusts that reign, 
 
 These sins that cleave, 
 Will they constrain 
 My Lord to leave ? 
 
 Was not this heart of mine 
 
 Thy dwelling fair and bright ? 
 Didst not Thou, Guest Divine, 
 In that abode delight ? 
 With me to dwell 
 
 My Lord did love j 
 I pleased Thee well, 
 Celestial Dove. 
 
i 14 Tlie Golden Chain 
 
 Thou madest all Thy power 
 And glory known to me ; 
 Thou broughtest all Thy dower 
 Of gifts divine with Thee. 
 Thy cheer ran o'er, 
 
 Thy love o'erflowed ; 
 Thy precious store 
 Was all bestowed. 
 
 Those tender tears and sighs, 
 
 Those strivings strong and blest, 
 Those prayers that rend the skies, 
 They came with Thee, sweet Guest. 
 That joy divine, 
 
 That gladsome strain, 
 They once were mine, 
 Thy glorious train. 
 
 And now I grieve Thee sore, 
 
 I scarce resist the Foe : 
 The song ascends no more : 
 The stream of prayer runs low. 
 Sweet Holy Ghost, 
 
 And art Thou gone ? 
 
 Bright Heavenly Host, 
 
 And have ye flown ? 
 
 Lord ! shall I never more 
 
 Thy Spirit entertain ? 
 In vain do I implore, 
 A visit sweet again ? 
 Ah ! well I mourn ; 
 
 Thou well dost chide : 
 But yet return ! 
 But yet abide ! 
 
of Praise. 1 1 5 
 
 More mightily descend — 
 
 More graciously come in ! 
 Thy fuller presence lend — 
 A fairer temple win ! 
 O ! go away 
 
 Sweet Guest, no more, 
 But come and stay 
 With all Thy store ! 
 
 THE SINNERS CRK 
 
 Who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? ' 
 " 1 thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord" 
 
 ALAS, dear Lord, this cleaving sin ! 
 
 How close it clothes us round ! 
 How shall our souls deliverance win ? 
 
 Where shall new robes be found ? 
 
 Ah ! naked, Lord, we would not groan ; 
 
 We seek a change of dress ; 
 Take off this garb of sin ! put on 
 
 Thy robe of righteousness ! 
 
 Our souls would shine in holy white 
 
 So strangely wrought by Thee, 
 Yes, meekly wear the raiment bright 
 
 Of Thine own purity. 
 
i 1 6 The Golden Chain 
 
 i. XXIX. 
 
 THE WARFARE WITH SIN. 
 u 0/ Thy Mercy Cut off mine Enemies. ." 
 
 LORD ! may not wrath within me rise, 
 Yet still Thy will be done ? 
 
 May not I hate mine enemies. 
 And yet obey Thy Son ? 
 
 Have I not sins whereon may light 
 
 The utmost of my hate ? 
 Have I not foes with whom to fight 
 
 Is on my Lord to wait ? 
 
 I cannot burn with too much ire 
 'Gainst these Thy foes and mine : 
 
 Feed, Holy One, the holy fire ! 
 Inflame my wrath divine ! 
 
 I cannot here too strongly smite. 
 
 Too gladly help to slay ; 
 With me against my sins to fight 
 
 I sure my Lord may pray. 
 
 Here I may ask of Thee a spear 
 And win of Thee a shield ; 
 
 Wilt Thou not. Holy One, appear 
 Upon this battle field ? 
 
 Well may the victor give to Thee 
 Of such a fight the praise ; 
 
 el to Thine ears the song must be 
 Such conqueror may raise. 
 
of Praise. 
 
 O ! sweet the holy hate that grows 
 To happy Heavenly Love ! 
 
 O ! blest the warfare that will close 
 In endless rest above ! 
 
 THE MEMOR Y OF SIN. 
 " / remember my faults this day? 
 
 WHEN shall I, Lord, a journey take 
 Through my departed years, 
 
 And not a mournful visit make 
 And not return in tears ? 
 
 If sad the thought of sweetness gone, 
 If pain past pleasures bring, 
 
 How shall my sins be gazed upon 
 And not resume their sting ? 
 
 Hath not Thy mercy made me whole ? 
 
 Hath not Thy grace forgiven ? 
 Yet still the grief regains my soul : 
 
 Yet still my heart is riven. 
 
 Those buried sins of mine arise : 
 
 Again my heart runs o'er : 
 Once more those deep, repentant sighs- 
 
 Those bitter tears once more ! 
 
 O ! shall these drops of sadness make 
 
 The Light Celestial dim, 
 And Memory's mournful music break 
 
 On Heaven's Eternal Hymn ? 
 
The Golden Chain 
 
 My Saviour's powerful blood I know : 
 My pardoning God I bless : 
 
 But send Thy Spirit down ! bestow 
 Of Thine own holiness. 
 
 Those sins, so bitter to my soul, 
 
 Lord, let me not repeat : 
 So make my Past less sorrowful : 
 
 So make my Heaven more sweet ! 
 
 Shall not this holier soul of mine 
 Enjoy Thy Presence Bright, 
 
 And Memory's happy strains divine 
 The angelic ears delight? 
 
 THE PRODIGALS RETURN. 
 
 "Joy shall be in Heaven ercer one sinner that npcntelh, man 
 than over ninety and nine just persons that need no 
 repentance." 
 
 WHENCE this flaming joy that maketh 
 Still more bright the Angelic Thrones ? 
 
 Golden Harps ! O wherefore breaketh 
 This new sweetness from your tor. 
 
 What glad tidings 
 Make more glad the Blessed Ones ? 
 
 Hath some glorious new world broken 
 
 On those rapt seraphic eyes ? 
 Hath the Lord some secret spoken, 
 
 Bade some heavenlier vision rise ? 
 Hath He brought them 
 
 Saintly souls to help their joys ? 
 
of Praise. r 1 9 
 
 Look ! that kneeling sinner mourneth 
 Smitten with a saving pain ; 
 
 Look ! that trembling wanderer turneth 
 To the Father's house again ; 
 
 Fast it falleth, 
 From those eyes, the blessed rain. 
 
 Therefore grows the angels' gladness \ 
 Therefore swells their song more sweet ; 
 
 That sore shame, that mighty sadness 
 With this sovereign joy they greet : 
 
 More effulgent 
 Watch they those returning feet. 
 
 Shineth now a temple stately 
 
 Where so late a ruin lay ; 
 Where the fiends were dwellers lately, 
 
 Angels there delight to stay : 
 How they welcome 
 
 This new heir of Heaven to-day ! 
 
 Yes, an outcast lone beginneth 
 In the Father's house to dwell : 
 
 Yes, a wounded sinner winneth 
 Of that joy they know full well ; 
 
 Sweetest story 
 Holy Angel-lips may tell ! 
 
77/ e Golden Chain 
 
 I HE PILGRIM'S PRAYER. 
 
 Teach me Thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain 
 path." 
 
 LORD, I am Thine — but scarce a gift 
 
 Of me my Lord hath won ; 
 My heart's best love to Thee I lift, 
 
 Yet service slight have done. 
 
 What service so delights my hands 
 
 As tasks my God hath set ? 
 Yet idle, Lord, Thy servant stands ; 
 
 Thy business lingers yet. 
 
 What journey such full sweetness hath 
 
 As the rough walk with God ? 
 Yet, Lord, Thy pilgrim loitereth 
 
 Along the glorious road. 
 
 I wander, Lord, a stranger here ; 
 
 All hidden lies my path : 
 Wilt Thou not, Heavenly Guide, appear? 
 
 Sore need Thy servant hath. 
 
 Look, Lord, how Thy poor pilgrim burns 
 
 To find some path divine ! 
 Hark ! how Thy praying servant yearns 
 
 To do some work of Thine ! 
 
 Make plain the very path my feet 
 
 Most fitly may pursue ! 
 Show me the very work most meet 
 
 For my poor hands to do ! 
 
of Praise. 
 
 O ! make this glowing love of mine 
 
 A world-inflaming fire ; 
 And let me learn of Grace Divine 
 
 To work and never tire. 
 
 "Increase our faith." 
 
 WHEREFORE, Lord, abides no might 
 In these faltering hands of ours ? 
 
 Wherefore 'neath each burden light 
 Sink our hearts and fail our powers ? 
 
 Wherefore turn our tired feet 
 
 From the road that seemed so sweet ? 
 
 Wherefore do our sorrows cleave ? 
 
 Wherefore do our eyes o'erflow ? 
 Lord ! in Thee we half believe : 
 
 Faith's full life we do not know ; 
 Faith's bright fire burns not in us : 
 Hence we weep and falter thus. 
 
 Doth the world our hearts still win ? 
 
 Doth the Tempter still deceive ? 
 Over each fresh wound of sin 
 
 Doth the tender Spirit grieve ? 
 Lord ! we dwell in unbelief; 
 Hence our sin and hence His grief! 
 
 Wherefore do we yield to fear ? 
 
 Wherefore turn we tremblers back ? 
 With the Heavenly Helper near 
 
 What true soul can courage lack ? 
 Lord ! we scarce believe in Thee ; 
 Hence our lack of valiancy. 
 
The Golden Chain 
 
 Wherefore are no mountains moved ? 
 
 Wherefore are no marvels wrought? 
 Have we not been dearly loved? 
 
 Have we not been dearly bought? 
 Lord ! the power of faith we want ; 
 Therefore is our service scant. 
 
 In Thy mighty men of old 
 
 All the might of Faith appeared ; 
 
 Lord ! they were divinely bold ; 
 Thee and Thee alone they feared. 
 
 Strongly did their hearts believe : 
 
 Greatly did their hands achieve. 
 
 Lord ! more faith we weaklings want ; 
 
 Lord ! for faith we tremblers sigh : 
 Lord ! for faith we mourners pant ; 
 
 Lord ! for faith we sinners cry. 
 With this grace each grace let fall ! 
 Give this gift and give us all ! 
 
 Turn our darkness into light ; 
 
 Give us valiancy for fear, 
 Raise our weakness into might, 
 
 Lift our sadness into cheer ! 
 Make us through the strength of Faith 
 Strong o'er sorrow, sin and death ! 
 
 LXXXIV. 
 
 " Lead us not into temptation." 
 
 LET bolder hearts the strife require, 
 
 And rush upon the foe ; 
 O ! lowlier is our hearts' desire ; 
 
 Our frailty, Lord, we know. 
 
of Praise. 1 23 
 
 We would not ask a sight of sin 
 
 Our steadfastness to prove, 
 Nor let the Tempter audience win, 
 
 To show how strong our love. 
 
 Thy weaklings would not turn from Thee 
 
 To join the roar around, 
 Nor lose the angelic company, 
 
 Nor leave the Holy Ground. 
 
 O closer let Thy covering wing 
 
 Over Thy tremblers fall ! 
 More plenteous to Thy pilgrims bring 
 
 The airs celestial ! 
 
 We leave Thee, Lord, our love to task, 
 Thee, Thee our strength to try j 
 
 Thy trembling servants only ask 
 Their God to glorify. 
 
 O well our yearning hearts may love 
 
 The everlasting Home ; 
 There will our love-set feet ne'er rove, 
 
 There may no Tempter come. 
 
 O Realm all bright, all hallowed ! 
 
 O journey safe and sweet ! 
 On Holy Ground alone we tread, 
 
 And only angels meet. 
 
124 The Golden Chain 
 
 SPIRITUAL UPS AND DOWNS. 
 
 1 The flesh lustcth against the spirit, and the spirit against 
 the flcshr 
 
 ! WHEREFORE hath my spirit leave 
 To come so near my God, 
 
 And yet so soon must gaze and grieve 
 O'er the abandoned road ? 
 
 1 feel my God almost possessed, 
 The Heavenly Land half won, 
 
 The blissful greeting of the Blest, 
 The eternal song begun. 
 
 Ah wings that droop ! ah strains that die ! 
 
 Ah light that fades away ! 
 Ah fleeting People of the Sky ! 
 
 Ah Heaven that will not stay ! 
 
 How boldly now I walk and leap, 
 
 Mine own Almighty nigh ! 
 Anon, poor weakling, low I creep, 
 
 Afraid my wings to try. 
 
 What glory in Thy presence, Lord ! 
 
 What sweetness in Thy smile ! 
 Thine awful voice how quickly heard ! 
 
 Ah ! wherefore but awhile ? 
 
 How faintly sounds each sweet command ! 
 
 Thy Son's dear face how dim ! 
 Yet would I smile at His right hand, 
 
 Yet would I reign with Him ! 
 
of Praise. 125 
 
 Lord ! help this earnest, helpless will ! 
 
 Lay Thine own hand on me ! 
 Shall I not climb Thy holy hill? 
 
 Shall I not dwell with Thee? 
 
 COMPLAINT AND ASPIRATION. 
 
 NOT yet I love my God 
 With undivided heart ; 
 Not yet I tread the Heavenly road 
 With feet that ne'er depart. 
 
 Not yet each darling lust 
 Is altogether slain ; 
 Still, still I cleave unto the dust 
 And Satan strives to reign. 
 
 Not yet, my gracious Lord, 
 Each care on Thee I cast, 
 Nor live on Thy life-giving Word 
 Nor hold each promise fast. 
 
 Not yet is all Thy will 
 
 Sweet to this heart of mine \ 
 Not yet I hasten to fulfil 
 
 Each dear command of Thine. 
 
 Not yet Thy wondrous ways 
 I know as I desire, 
 Nor yet upon those glories gaze 
 To which mine eyes aspire. 
 
126 The Got dm Chain 
 
 Not yet I yearn for Thee 
 As Thou for me dost yearn, 
 Nor yet Thy wondrous love of me, 
 Even as I might, return. 
 
 Not yet Thy tasks divine 
 Alone my hands employ ; 
 Not yet that presence sweet of Thine 
 Maketh mine only joy. 
 
 But shall I not one day, 
 My God, be all Thine own, 
 Rejoicing all Thy will obey 
 And do Thy works alone ? 
 
 Will not my joy and love 
 Be endless and complete, 
 And all my blessedness above 
 
 Flow from Thy presence sweet ? 
 
 11 / am Thine, Save me." 
 
 MY GOD ! who all this happy while 
 Hast brightened my abode, 
 
 wilt Thou not for ever smile, 
 For ever be my God ? 
 
 1 who have harkened for Thy word, 
 And hastened to Thy face ; 
 
 Yes, run to meet Thine angels, Lord, 
 Who bore to me Thy Grace : 
 
of Praise. \ 2 7 
 
 O ! shall I have no eyes to see 
 
 When bright Thou shin est round, 
 Nor ears to hear when comes to me 
 
 Each sweet, celestial sound? 
 
 I, who Thy gracious tasks have done 
 
 And humbly wrought with Thee, 
 Thy holy errands gladly run, 
 
 Yet mourned how sluggishly : 
 
 O ! shall I turn these happy feet 
 
 To run the downward road, 
 And Sin employ these hands once meet 
 
 For Thy dear tasks, my God ? 
 
 May not this light, so glorious now, 
 
 An endless gift be given, 
 And this sweet Heaven begun below 
 
 Be an Eternal Heaven ? 
 
 Behold Thy trembler ! at Thy feet 
 
 O suffer me to stay ! 
 Let not Thy lowly intimate 
 
 Become Thy castaway ! 
 
 Yes ! richer make my soul's poor store, 
 
 More high her humble height ! 
 Sweet Holy Spirit, help me more ! 
 
 Bright Presence, come more bright ! 
 
1 2 5 The Golden Chain 
 
 THE HALTING ASPIRANT. 
 
 • / have inclined my heart to perfor?n Thy statute^ 
 re en unto the end." 
 
 WOULD I not, Lord, for evermore 
 
 Thy gladsome servant be ? 
 Is it not sweet to travel o'er 
 
 All the rough way with Thee ? 
 
 O meaneth not this soul of mine 
 
 Its all on Thee to spend, 
 To keep the Covenant Divine 
 
 Unbroken to the end ? 
 
 Methinks my feet can never tire, 
 
 My love can never fail ; 
 O what can stay such strong desire ? 
 
 Thy pilgrim must prevail. 
 
 My glowing vows Thou soon dost win. 
 
 But will the passion stay ? 
 How sweet the journey to begin ! 
 
 How hard to keep the way ! 
 
 Alas ! my feet already tire, 
 
 Mine eyes already rove ; 
 They miss the Heaven of my desire ; 
 
 They lose the path I love. 
 
 Walk with me, Lord, through all the road ; 
 
 Thy fiery pillar lend ! 
 Close on Thy shining steps, my God, 
 
 I needs must reach the end. 
 
of Praise. 129 
 
 DIVINE DISCONTENT. 
 
 " I see that all things come to an end; but Thy commandment 
 is exceeding broad" 
 
 HOW eagerly my heart hath sought 
 
 And spurned each foolish gain ! 
 Each thing I longed for hath been brought 
 • And brought to me in vain. 
 
 Alas ! this heart too well hath learned 
 
 The bitter in each sweet, 
 The imperfect excellence hath mourned, 
 
 The glory incomplete. 
 
 Doth glory still my soul invite ? 
 
 For greatness do I pine ? 
 Lord, make the ambition infinite, 
 
 The discontent divine ! 
 
 Yes, Lord, to glory measureless 
 
 Thou bidd'st my soul arise, 
 And settest Thine own perfectness 
 
 Before my longing eyes. 
 
 These halting feet Thou beckonest 
 
 To climb each height divine, 
 And to uphold me offerest 
 
 That strong right hand of Thine. 
 
 I, who have travelled far and found 
 
 Small cheer upon the road, 
 May o'er a boundless Holy Ground 
 
 Walk sweetly with my God. 
 
 K 
 
130 7 he Golden Chain 
 
 What ! weep I, Lord, because no more 
 
 Unto my soul is given, 
 I. who may take of Thine own store 
 
 And dwell in Thine own Heaven ? 
 
 I'll mourn no more that still from me 
 
 Perfection doth remove, 
 J>ut seek my \ perfect rest in Thee 
 
 And trust Thy perfect love. 
 
 We pray Thee therefore help Thy scn-atits whom Thou 
 hast redeemed with Thy precious Bloody 
 
 LORD ! didst Thou not forsake Thy Heaven? 
 
 Hath not Thy precious blood been shed ? 
 Hath not Thine uttermost been given, 
 
 Thy people richly ransomed ? 
 
 Yet, Lord, Thine own Redeemed yearn ; 
 
 Yet still for help Thy servants cry ; 
 Ah ! wherefore do these tears return ? 
 
 Why riseth heavenward each sad sigh ? 
 
 The world still lures their hearts and eyes ; 
 
 The Tempter still assails their peace ; 
 Their lusts rebel, their sins arise, 
 
 Nor cares, nor fears, nor sorrows cease. 
 
 In bosoms once with Thee on fire 
 
 The heavenly flame soon burneth low ; 
 
 Thy pilgrims faint, Thy servants tire 
 
 And fain their burdens down would throw. 
 
of Praise. 131 
 
 Thine own redeemed are feebly set 
 
 Thy will to work, Thy face to see ; 
 And oft their borrowed robes forget, 
 
 And half remember Calvary. 
 
 Not always here those Palms Divine 
 
 These wounded, drooping hands outspread ; 
 
 Not yet, not here all stainless shine 
 The white robes of Thy Ransomed. 
 
 Thou lover from eternity, 
 
 Thou Lover who Thyself wouldst spend, 
 O now, O here, our Helper be ! 
 
 Abide our Helper to the end ! 
 
 To our cold bosoms, Lord, restore 
 
 The glory of their early glow, 
 Make Thy slack servants strong once more 
 
 To do the work, to foil the foe ! 
 
 Still o'er Thine own bright garments watch, 
 Each spot they take from us remove, 
 
 Until the unstained glow they catch 
 Of Thy White-Robed Host above. 
 
 " .Forsake not the works of Thy own hands." 
 
 HAST Thou not wrought Thy best on me, 
 
 Mine own Almighty God, 
 On me Thy choicest husbandry, 
 
 Thy dearest pains bestowed ? 
 
i \2 The Goldai Chaiti 
 
 Hast Thou not on this sinner set 
 That wondrous love of Thine, 
 
 And strongly drawn and sweetly met 
 This wayward heart of mine ? 
 
 Hath not Thy Son my ransom brought, 
 
 My chastisement endured, 
 This glorious robe obedient wrought, 
 
 This peace through pain procured ? 
 
 Hath not Thy Spirit lent my heart 
 
 His all-revealing light, 
 On me put forth His hallowing art, 
 
 On me His quickening might? 
 
 Doth not this pilgrim still enjoy 
 Thy watchful guardian love ? 
 
 Doth not this wanderer still employ 
 The Advocate above ? 
 
 Hast Thou not oft these lusts laid low 
 That still would reign o'er me ? 
 
 Each earthly, each infernal foe 
 Hast Thou not made to flee? 
 
 Hast Thou not helped each prayer to rise, 
 And taught each song to soar ; 
 
 Yes, hallowed each poor sacrifice 
 I to Thine altar bore ? 
 
 Hast Thou not still with quickening breath 
 My fainting strength renewed. 
 
 And still upheld my faltering faith, 
 And still Thy work pursued ? 
 
of Praise. 133 
 
 Thou, who thus mightily hast wrought, 
 
 Wilt Thou Thy work forsake ? 
 The temple Thou thus far hast brought 
 
 Wilt Thou not perfect make ? 
 
 Leave not, dear Lord, Thy work half done, 
 
 Thy glory incomplete ! 
 Hast Thou not graciously begun ? 
 
 Will not the end be sweet ? 
 
 O God of grace, my God still be ! 
 
 On me Thy pains still spend ; 
 Fulfil Thy gracious work in me ; 
 
 Fulfil Thy glorious end ! 
 
 O grant this longing soul of mine 
 
 Thy glory here to raise : 
 And in mine endless joy divine 
 
 Fulfil Thine endless praise ! 
 
 "Return unto thy rest, O my soul.'" 
 
 UNTO thy rest return, 
 
 Thou wandering soul of mine ; 
 O weary soul and worn, 
 Regain the Arms Divine ! 
 Unto thy God 
 
 Make haste again ! 
 Lay down thy load 
 And lose thy pain ! 
 
1 3 \ The Golden Chain 
 
 Oft has thy heart been torn ? 
 
 Oft have thine eyes run o'er? 
 Still dost thou weep and mourn ? 
 Go home and weep no more ! 
 Go home and near 
 
 Thy Father bloom : 
 Regain thy cheer ; 
 Thy song resume ! 
 
 Has toil thy strength o'erwrought ? 
 
 Has strife thy peace o'ercome ? 
 Has the world weakness brought ? 
 Go, rest thyself at home ! 
 Take with thy Lord 
 
 New heart, new might ; 
 Regain the sword ! 
 Renew the fight ! 
 
 Have creatures wrung thy breast 
 
 And wronged that love of thine ? 
 Back to the Heavenly Rest, — 
 Back to the Arms Divine ! 
 There take delight ! 
 
 There sweetly prove 
 
 Each depth, each height 
 
 Of sovereign Love ! 
 
 Alas this slow return ! 
 
 Alas this brief abode ! 
 Still vainly must I yearn 
 
 To stay with Thee, my God ? 
 Thine arms of love 
 
 Thou openest wide : 
 Still must I rove, 
 And ne'er abide ? 
 
of Praise. 135 
 
 Thou sweetly dost compel ; 
 
 I bring Thee, Lord, my heart ; 
 I come with Thee to dwell, 
 No more from Thee to part ; 
 No more to roam, 
 
 Of Thee possessed, 
 The Eternal Home, 
 The Eternal Rest ! 
 
 " For I shall yet praise Him'' 
 
 SAD soul ! doth fear confound Thee ? 
 
 Soul ! dost thou faint and fail ? 
 Do angry waves surround thee ? 
 
 Do stormy winds assail ? 
 These waves thou shalt walk over : 
 
 This storm thou shalt forget \ 
 Still clasp the Heavenly Lover 
 
 And thou shalt praise Him yet. 
 
 Doth the deep darkness thicken ? 
 
 Do the hot tears down roll ? 
 Take comfort, heart sore-stricken ! 
 
 Rise, heavy-laden soul ! 
 The stroke will leave no sadness, 
 
 The burden no regret ; 
 The gloom will end in gladness 
 
 And I shall praise Him yet. 
 
i3^ The Golden Chain 
 
 Ah Satan ! thou may'st bruise me ; 
 
 My peace thou may'st assail ; 
 May'st wrong and then accuse me, 
 
 But thou shalt not prevail. 
 I know thou can'st not take me, 
 
 My Lord will break thy net ; 
 My God will not forsake me 
 
 And I shall praise Him yet. 
 
 Lord ! do I seem forsaken ? 
 
 Lord ! do I miss Thy smile ? 
 Dimness these eyes hath taken ; 
 
 Thou shinest all the while. 
 Though earth-born mists may veil Thee, 
 
 Sweet Sun, Thou hast not set : 
 Again these eyes shall hail Thee 
 
 And I shall praise Thee yet. 
 
 Oft hath the foe oppressed me ; 
 
 Oft have I cried to Thee ; 
 Still hath Thy presence blessed me, 
 
 Thine arm still set me free. 
 The grace that failed never 
 
 How, Lord, can I forget ? 
 Again Thou wilt deliver 
 
 And I shall praise Thee yet. 
 
 With Thee I oft have talked 
 
 In gladsome prayer and song ; 
 With Thee I oft have walked 
 
 The shining way along. 
 Again will come the glory : 
 
 Again the way will shine : 
 Joy yet shall crown my story ; 
 
 My song shall yet be Thine. 
 
of Praise. 137 
 
 Here oft my day declineth, 
 
 My Sun doth set and rise : 
 But There He ever shineth 
 
 On ever gladsome eyes : 
 O never There, O never 
 
 One cloud will dim my gaze : 
 For ever and for ever 
 
 I yet my God shall praise. 
 
 " Put Jiot your trust in princes, nor in the son of man in 
 whom there is no help." 
 
 LORD ! hath our work depended 
 
 On strongest mortal might ? 
 Lord ! hath our path been splendid 
 
 With clearest earthly light ? 
 Ah broken reed that woundeth ! 
 
 Ah labour all in vain ! 
 Ah counsel that confoundeth ! 
 
 Ah pathway ne'er made plain ! 
 
 Have we too fondly gazed 
 
 On creatures fair and bright ? 
 Hath mortal beauty raised 
 
 Our hearts to wild delight ? 
 Ah rapture without reason ! 
 
 Ah brief uncertain smile ! 
 Ah light but for a season ! 
 
 Ah joy but for a while ! 
 
i (8 The Golden Chain 
 
 Hath Hope its glory golden 
 
 Laid on some thing of dust ? 
 By child of Earth is holden 
 
 Our boundless store of trust ? 
 Ah swift departing splendour! 
 
 Ah Hope ashamed that makes ! 
 Ah sore-bewailed surrender ! 
 
 Ah trust that trial breaks ! 
 
 Have we our hearts made over 
 
 To spirits sweetly blent ? 
 Yes ! here on our best lover 
 
 Have we entirely leant ? 
 Ah bosom vainly tender ! 
 
 Ah shelter sweet in vain ! 
 In Earth's least sullied splendour 
 
 Still lingereth the stain ! 
 
 O changeless Heavenly Lover ! 
 
 O ever Fair and Bright ! 
 Only Thy wings can cover ; 
 
 Only Thy smile delight. 
 O might that never waneth ! 
 
 O Helper ever near ! 
 Only Thine own sustaineth j 
 
 Only with Thee is cheer. 
 
 xcv. 
 •' Lord! in Thee have I trusted ; let me no. 1 cr be confounded" 
 
 LORD ! in each weak endeavour 
 
 Have we Thy glory sought ? 
 To Thee, true Counsel-Giver 
 
 Have we each business brought ? 
 
of Praise. 139 
 
 Have we with Thee conferred — 
 Of Thee inquired the right ? 
 
 Hath prayer our courage stirred 
 And armed us for the fight ? 
 
 O light withholden never ! 
 
 O waiting ne'er in vain ! 
 O prayer prevailing ever ! 
 
 O hidden path made plain ! 
 O seekers ne'er confounded ! 
 
 Weaklings ne'er left alone ! 
 O warriors oft sore wounded 
 
 But never overthrown ! 
 
 Lord ! have we loved Thee mainly ? 
 
 Lord ! have we loved Thee first ? 
 Not sadly then, not vainly 
 
 May earthly love be nursed. 
 We weep no idols broken, 
 
 No vanished raptures mourn ; 
 The Eternal Word hath spoken ; 
 
 The unchanging Lover sworn. 
 
 His love their love doth heighten 
 
 In whom our hearts delight : 
 His smile their smiles doth brighten 
 
 Who make our dwelling bright. 
 Ah lovers ! must ye leave us ? 
 
 In His strong arms we sink : 
 Ah darlings ! do ye grieve us ? 
 
 Of His sweet grace we drink. 
 
 Have we, dear Lord, expended 
 On Thee our store of trust ? 
 
 Hath humble Hope attended 
 Upon each child of dust ? 
 
140 The Golden Chain 
 
 Hath golden Expectation 
 
 From Thee its splendour drawn, - 
 
 Yes, built each fair creation 
 Thy truth and grace upon ? 
 
 O fabrics built for ever ! 
 
 O splendour still the same ! 
 O Hope that bringeth never 
 
 One heart, one face to shame ! 
 O Trust, whose holy treasure 
 
 Grows as it runneth o'er ! 
 O bliss in over-measure ! 
 
 O bliss for evermore ! 
 
 ' Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith.'' 
 
 SAVIOUR ! who from Death didst take 
 Crown and sceptre, strength and sting, 
 
 Can Thy people bow and quake 
 As before a crowned king? 
 
 Can Thy vanquished, captive foe 
 
 Bring the hearts that love Thee low ? 
 
 To the bright land where Thou art 
 Bidd'st Thou not Thy lovers come ? 
 
 Hast Thou not made sure their part 
 In Thy joy and in Thy home, 
 
 Wrought for them those robes so white 
 
 Set for them those thrones so bright ? 
 
of Praise. 141 
 
 Conqueror and King of death ! 
 
 Captor of captivity ! 
 Ah we tremblers have no faith 
 
 In Thy finished victory ; 
 Still for us that sting he bears ; 
 Still for us that crown he wears. 
 
 Our poor land we would not leave 
 
 For the glory of Thy home ; 
 To the Vale of Tears we cleave : 
 
 To Thy joy we would not come. 
 We, who shrink to dwell with Thee, 
 How can we Thy lovers be ? 
 
 Stir in us the might of faith, 
 
 Light in us the fire of Love ! 
 Then will smile Thine angel Death, 
 
 Opener of the gate above ; 
 Sweet Thy summons then will come ; 
 Gladsome then shall we go home. 
 
 THE BROKEN AND RENEWED COVENANT. 
 
 TOO dearly, Lord, hast Thou redeemed 
 
 Not somewhat to be loved ; 
 Thy grace hath too divinely streamed 
 
 To leave my soul unmoved. 
 
 Yes, more than once my lips have said, 
 
 " I will Thy servant be ; " 
 Yes, more than once my soul hath made 
 
 A holy league with Thee. 
 
i \ 2 The Golden Chain 
 
 < ) conference sublime and sweet 
 
 That scaled the League Divine, 
 Wherein Thy love my soul did greet, 
 Wherein I gave Thee mine ! 
 
 Did not I offer all my heart 
 And all my powers to Thee? 
 
 Was there not promised on Thy part. 
 All grace, all help to me? 
 
 For ever stand Thy promises ; 
 
 Eternal is Thy love ; 
 Thine everlasting faithfulness 
 
 Doth my weak vows reprove. 
 
 How often o'er my broken word 
 These shamed eyes have wept ! 
 
 How oft has this sad heart deplored 
 The covenant ill-kept! 
 
 Yet, Lord, what can Thy wanderer do 
 
 But still Thy seeker be ! 
 ( ) endless Lover ! I renew 
 
 My covenant with Thee. 
 
 Again my service I engage : 
 I pledge my love once more ; 
 
 Again Thy warfare would I v 
 But better than before. 
 
 Lord ! for Thy faithfulness I yearn ; 
 
 For Thy true love I pant ; 
 Of Thee, of Thee I fain would learn 
 
 To keep the covenant. 
 
of Praise. 143 
 
 XCVIII. 
 
 THE WORTH OF TIME. 
 
 O TIME ! ne'er resteth thy swift wing ; 
 
 Thy minutes make no stay : 
 Yet what vast treasure do they bring, 
 
 What treasure bear away ! 
 
 The wonder of their pace so swift 
 More wondrous makes their dower ; 
 
 What woe, what joy lies in the gift 
 Of every little hour ! 
 
 O richly laden hours, ye fly 
 
 Yet ye lay down your load : 
 O minutes freighted awfully, 
 
 Your freight is all bestowed, 
 
 All blessed store within you lies ; 
 
 With a dire load ye swell ; 
 Ye bring the heavenly merchandise ; 
 
 Ye bring the wares of hell. 
 
 Ye bring the world's consuming care ; 
 
 Ye bring the Tempter's wile : 
 Ye bring the glorious strife of prayer ; 
 
 Ye bring the Father's smile. 
 
 Ye find the soul in Satan's grasp, 
 
 Close to the gates of death : 
 Ye leave it in the Saviour's clasp, 
 
 'Neath the sweet Spirit's breath. 
 
i \ \ The Golden Chain 
 
 Yes, Lord, our days may be divine : 
 
 Our hours may golden be ; 
 The brightness of their light may shine 
 
 Through all eternity. 
 
 We mourn not, Hours, the wings ye take, 
 If your blest dower be given : 
 
 Fly on, bright Minutes, if ye make 
 Our souls more meet for Heaven ! 
 
 Yes, parted Years, still sweetly breathe I 
 
 Still blessedly appear ! 
 And glory and delight bequeath 
 
 To the Eternal Year ! 
 
 NEW YEAR HYMN. 
 
 BREAK, New-born Year, on glad eyes break ! 
 
 Melodious voices move ! 
 On, rolling Time ! thou can'st not make 
 
 The Father cease to love. 
 
 The parted year had wing&d feet ; 
 
 The Saviour still doth stay : 
 The Xew Year comes ; but, Spirit sweet, 
 
 Thou goest not away. 
 
 Our hearts in tears may oft run o'er ; 
 
 But, Lord, Thy smile still beams ; 
 Our sins are swelling evermore ; 
 
 But pardoning grace still streams. 
 
of Praise. 145 
 
 Lord ! from this year more service win, 
 
 More glory, more delight ! 
 O make its hours less sad with sin, 
 
 Its days with Thee more bright ! 
 
 Then we may bless its precious things 
 If earthly cheer should come, 
 
 Or gladsome mount on angel wings 
 If Thou wouldst take us home. 
 
 O ! golden then the hours must be \ 
 The year must needs be sweet : 
 
 Yes, Lord, with happy melody 
 Thine opening grace we greet. 
 
 MORNING HYMN. 
 Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin." 
 
 DEAR Lord ! Thou bringest back the morn ; 
 
 Thy children wake ; Thy children pray : 
 O ! make our souls divinely yearn ! 
 
 Pour Thy best beauty on the day ! 
 
 Yes, make our best desire most strong ! 
 
 O let not sin one hour oppress \ 
 But spread each shining hour along 
 
 The beauty of Thy holiness. 
 
 In myriad gifts streams forth Thy love ; 
 
 What countless joys each minute brings! 
 But, O ! the cleaving sin remove 
 
 That darkens all these precious things. 
 
146 The Golden Chain 
 
 The thoughts, that in our hearts keep place, 
 Lord, make a holy, heavenly throng ; 
 
 And steep in innocence and grace 
 The issue of each guarded tongue. 
 
 Lend our slow feet that speed of Thine ; 
 
 Our busy hands from evil stay : 
 Lord ! help us still to tasks divine — 
 
 Still keep us in the heavenly way. 
 
 The weaklings plead ; the sinners pray ; 
 
 But, Lord, Thy grace exceeds our sin : 
 We cannot ask too bright a day ; 
 
 Too much of Thee we cannot win. 
 
 EVENING HYMN. 
 
 LORD ! have I walked with Thee to-day 
 As Thine own pilgrims walk ? 
 
 Lord ! hast Thou gladdened all my way, 
 And mingled with my talk ? 
 
 Have I some darling sin defied, 
 Some mighty lust o'erthrown ? 
 
 Hast Thou, dear Lord, Thy servant tried 
 And found me more Thine own ? 
 
 Hath my weak, yearning spirit sought 
 
 The holy home al 
 Have I for my dear Saviour wrought 
 
 Some work of lowly love ? 
 
of Praise. 147 
 
 Hath each sweet visit of Thy grace 
 
 More grateful found my soul ? 
 Have the bright shinings of Thy face 
 
 Beamed on a heart less dull ? 
 
 More steadfast have I sought the right ? 
 
 More faithful kept Thy way? 
 Yes ! shine the hours with holier light 
 
 Than beamed from yesterday ? 
 
 Oh faithless heart ! oh faltering hands ! 
 
 Oh feet so slow to move ! 
 When shall I run in Thy commands 
 
 And serve the Lord I love ? 
 
 When shall each shining day transcend 
 
 The days that went before, 
 And to the day that hath no end 
 
 Bequeath a holier store ? 
 
 THE HYMN OF YOUTH. 
 
 IS Earth too fair, is youth too bright 
 To need the smile of Heaven ? 
 
 Have I no deadly foes to fight, 
 No sins to be forgiven ? 
 
 Am I too young to seek that Lord 
 Who left His heaven for me ; 
 
 Too young to hold those sins abhorred 
 He bore upon the tree ? 
 
1 48 The Golden Chain 
 
 My Father ! may not this glad heart 
 Feel Thee its sovereign good, 
 
 And bless, my Saviour, its dear part 
 In Thine atoning blood? 
 
 This heart, so swiftly won to love, 
 Shall it not burn for Thee ? 
 
 Shall not the Heavenly Lover move 
 Its sweetest ecstasy? 
 
 Shall not redeeming grace inspire 
 
 This glowing soul of mine, 
 This soul so ready to admire, 
 
 With wonder most divine ? 
 
 I, who of glorious guests would boast, 
 
 Shall I not feel most blest 
 To entertain the Holy Ghost 
 
 Who fain would be my guest ? 
 
 Hath not Thy Word a promise sweet 
 
 For spirits young as mine ? 
 May not my soul have leave to greet 
 
 Some vision all divine?* 
 
 When will the Everlasting Hills 
 
 Look more divinely near, 
 Or my Redeemer's chariot-wheels 
 
 More sweetly rouse mine ear? 
 
 Enamoured, Lord, I seek Thy face ; 
 
 Sweet smiling haste I make ; 
 Thy longing, loving child embrace, 
 
 Thy young, glad servant take ! 
 
 * M Thy young men shall see visions." (Joel ii. 2S.) 
 
of Praise. 149 
 
 May not I noblest pleasure win 
 And still Thy servant be ? 
 
 May not I drink Thy beauty in 
 Nor miss Thy purity ? 
 
 May not I through each golden hour 
 Wait duteous on my God, 
 
 Yes, gather many a fadeless flower 
 Along the heavenly road ? 
 
 O awful God of holiness ! 
 I would be all Thine own ; 
 
 God of joy ! O God of grace ! 
 I smile before Thy throne. 
 
 1 pray Thee not to keep from me 
 All sorrow and all smart ; 
 
 But now I bring my joy to Thee ; 
 Accept this glowing heart ! 
 
 cm. 
 
 ETERNAL YOUTH. 
 
 1 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young 
 men shall utterly fail. But they who wait on the Lord 
 shall renew their strength." 
 
 AH tremblers fainting and forlorn ! 
 
 Ye once were young and glad ; 
 Ah weary souls ! ah weaklings worn ! 
 
 Ye once in might were clad. 
 
150 TJic Golden Chain 
 
 Ah drooping hearts, wherein once glowed 
 Hope's fire so bright and strong ! 
 
 Ah dull cold lips, whose joy o'erflowed 
 Of old in many a song! 
 
 Young hearts, with hope and love on fire r 
 Would ye still sweetly burn ? 
 
 Young souls to glory that aspire, 
 Would ye still nobly yearn ? 
 
 Young souls so strong the race to run 
 And win each height sublime, 
 
 Unweary still would ye march on 
 And still exulting climb ? 
 
 Walk with the Lord ! along the road 
 Your strength He will renew; 
 
 Wait on the Everlasting God 
 And He will wait on you. 
 
 Burn with His love ! your fading fire 
 An endless flame will glow ; 
 
 Life from the Well of Life require ! 
 The stream will ever flow. 
 
 Ye shall not faint, ye shall not fail, 
 
 Still in the Spirit strong : 
 Each task divine ye still shall hail 
 
 And blend the exulting song. 
 
 Aspiring eyes ye still shall raise 
 And heights sublime explore : 
 
 Like eagles, ye shall sunward gaze, 
 Like eagles heavenward soar. 
 
of Praise. 151 
 
 Your wondrous portion shall be this, 
 
 Your life below, above, 
 Eternal youth, eternal bliss 
 
 And everlasting love. 
 
 THE HYMN OF THE HEART. 
 
 MAY one who oft all earthward yearns, 
 With Thee, great God, have part ? 
 
 This heart that craves, and pants, and burns, 
 Wilt Thou accept this heart ? 
 
 These mighty passions must I slay 
 
 Ere I can pant for Thee ? 
 Yes, wish my very heart away 
 
 Thy lover, Lord, to be ? 
 
 O ! must these wings aside be thrown 
 
 That Heavenward I may soar ? 
 Lord ! ne'er shall I become Thine own 
 
 Until I love no more ? 
 
 Take not away these eager wings ! 
 
 Teach them a heavenly flight ! 
 This joy in Earth's delightful things 
 
 Raise to divine delight. 
 
 Unmake not this poor heart, — still, still 
 
 A lover let me be ; 
 Its longings with Thy fulness fill ; 
 
 Lord, lift my love to Thee ! 
 
152 The Golden Chain 
 
 Sweet to my yearning heart appear ; 
 
 Its Brightest Presence be ! 
 When most it loveth, he Thou dear ; 
 
 Take its full strength to Thee ! 
 
 O ! can I then too much desire 
 When still for Thee I yearn ? 
 
 This glowing heart, this holy fire, — 
 Too strongly can it burn ? 
 
 Love on, enamoured heart, love on ! 
 
 Thy Lord will not reprove ; 
 O ! if I love the Holy One, 
 
 May not I be all love ? 
 
 LORD, I LOVE THEE. 
 
 LORD, I love Thee ! Sin and Sorrow 
 Cannot that dear joy remove ; 
 
 Lord, I love Thee ! still I borrow 
 From my weakness strength to love ; 
 
 Dim my vision ; 
 Yet how sweet the light above ! 
 
 On Thy errands have I halted, 
 Faintness in Thy service shown, 
 
 Feebly Thy dear name exalted, 
 Poorly made Thy glory known : 
 
 Yet I love Thee, 
 Yet I linger near Thy throne. 
 
of Praise. 153 
 
 Foolish heart ! yet still it yearneth 
 
 For that waiting grace of Thine ; 
 Trembling flame — yet still it burnetii, 
 
 This undying love of mine ; 
 Lord, I love Thee ! 
 
 I may speak these words divine. 
 
 I would speak them when Thou takest 
 
 Each dear gift of Thine away ; 
 I would speak them when Thou makest 
 
 Darkness in mine earthly day ; 
 Lord, I love Thee ! 
 
 Still with me Thyself doth stay. 
 
 Hath not creature-love been sweeter 
 
 For the love that burns for Thee ? 
 Are not earthly joys completer 
 
 For each heavenly ecstasy ? 
 In all brightness 
 
 Shinest Thou not full on me ? 
 
 Sometimes hath the Heavenly Beauty 
 
 Beamed too bright for me to sin ; 
 Sometimes to stern-voiced duty 
 
 Cheerful listening couldst Thou win : 
 King of Glory ! 
 
 Sometimes have I let Thee in. 
 
 When wilt Thou take full possession ? 
 
 When shall all my love appear ? 
 When shall the sublime profession 
 
 With full truth delight Thine ear ? 
 Lord, I love Thee ! 
 
 When wilt Thou indeed be dear ? 
 
154 The Golden Chain 
 
 O ! for the divine completeness 
 Of this soul on Thee half-bent ! 
 
 O this love's celestial sweetness 
 All upon Thy glory spent ! 
 
 Lord, I love Thee ! 
 Endless be the ravishment ! 
 
 cvi. 
 
 EARLY LOVE. 
 
 "How good it is to close with Christ betimes!" 
 
 OLIVER CROMWELL. 
 
 WITH sin I would not make abode 
 While shines each Golden Hour ; 
 
 Nor keep away from Thee, my God, 
 Till falls my Blissful Bower. 
 
 I would not give the world my heart. 
 
 And then profess Thy love ; 
 I would not feel my strength depart 
 
 And then Thy service prove. 
 
 I would not with swift winged zeal 
 
 On the world's errands go ; 
 And labour up the Heavenly Hill 
 
 With weary feet and slow. 
 
 Why should I lend the world's poor song 
 
 These glowing lips of mine, 
 And keep my dull, untuned tongue 
 
 To sing Thy songs divine ? 
 
of Praise. 155 
 
 O ! not for Thee my weak desires, 
 
 My poorer, baser part ! 
 O ! not for Thee my fading fires, 
 
 The ashes of my heart ! 
 
 Lord ! in the fulness of my might 
 I would for Thee be strong ; 
 
 While runneth o'er each dear delight, 
 To Thee should soar my song. 
 
 choose me in my golden time ! 
 In my dear joys have part ! 
 
 For Thee the glory of my prime — 
 The fulness of my heart ! 
 
 1 cannot, Lord, too early take 
 The covenant divine ; 
 
 O ! ne'er the happy heart may break 
 Whose earliest love was Thine. 
 
 TRUE LOVE. 
 
 TO love Thee, Lord, we fain would learn ; 
 
 How should our God be meetly loved ? 
 O ! Heavenward, Heavenward would we turn j 
 
 How should our souls be sweetly moved ? 
 
 'Twere nought in us to hold Thee dear 
 Because Thy love doth sweetness bring ; 
 
 We would not to Thy Throne draw near 
 For the full bliss that thence doth spring. 
 
156 The Golden Chain 
 
 Our hearts would swift surrender make 
 
 Because these hearts our Lord would have ; 
 
 Yes ! all our love, sweet Saviour, take, 
 Since Thou so poor a gift dost crave. 
 
 Our God doth call us ; we would come 
 Nor think what welcome we shall meet ; 
 
 Lord ! we would make with Thee our home 
 Xor ask Thee if the home be sweet. 
 
 Our feeble love Thy Grace doth crave 
 
 Its glorious gifts on us to pour, 
 And we those glorious gifts would have 
 
 Because they make us love Thee more. 
 
 FULL LOVE. 
 
 " La mesure par laquclle nous drcons Dieu aimer, est 
 
 aimer le sans mesure." 
 
 " The measure whereby we should love God, is to love 
 
 Him without measure." 
 
 LOUIS IX. 
 
 FAIX would I well employ my heart's poor treasure; 
 
 Fain would I spend its sum of love aright : 
 How should my Lord be loved? how large a measure 
 
 Shall I bestow upon the Infinite ? 
 
 Must I needs make division of my store, 
 Yes, save for the Divine One half my heart ? 
 
 Or shall I dare to spare a little more, 
 
 Yes, spend upon my Lord the larger part ? 
 
of Praise. 157 
 
 O ! shall no full embrace my Lord enfold ? 
 
 On wings half-eager shall I mount to Heaven ? 
 Some store of love and joy from Him withhold 
 
 For all the sweet things that His grace hath given ? 
 
 What ! shall His gracious gifts be loved the more 
 Because I love my God of grace the less ? 
 
 Here shall my heart a mightier stream outpour 
 For dropping there a stinted tenderness ? 
 
 Seize my whole heart, dear Lord ! take all its treasure ! 
 
 I give Thee nought unless I give Thee all : 
 O only loved aright in over-measure ! 
 
 Each tender soul a holy prodigal. 
 
 Be lavish, trembling heart ! how canst Thou spend 
 
 Excess of love upon the Infinite ? 
 Would'st Thou more largely to His creatures lend ? 
 
 More dearly in the gracious Lord delight ! 
 
 Spare not to love Him ! take in Him all pleasure ! 
 
 With all dear reverence, blend all holy sweetness ! 
 O love Him without stint or bound or measure ! 
 
 How canst thou help but love His own in meetness ? 
 
 No longer, Lord, I reckon up my store ; 
 
 No more I ask how much shouldst Thou possess ; 
 Take all I have ! Lord, make that little more ! 
 
 When shall my love be meet and measureless ? 
 
158 The Golden Chain 
 
 LOVE AND PRAISE. 
 
 LORD ! we would praise Thee gloriously; 
 
 The power of Love impart ; 
 O ! full of praise the mouth must be 
 
 When Love doth fill the heart. 
 
 Our feeble strains grow sweet and strong 
 When Thy dear Love doth move ; 
 
 O weak the praise, O dull the song 
 That is not born of Love ! 
 
 Thou winnest cheerful strains from us ; 
 
 'Tis happy Love that sings, 
 'Tis Love assured and rapturous, 
 
 'Tis Love with Angel-wings. 
 
 Our strains by sin are mournful made ; 
 
 'Tis stricken Love doth mourn ; 
 'Tis Love in tears that it hath strayed ; 
 
 'Tis Love that would return. 
 
 Our lowly strains ascend to Thee \ 
 
 'Tis Love that trembling soars, 
 That faints beneath Thy majesty, 
 
 And blent with awe adores. 
 
 The Love that smiles, that weeps, that fears, 
 Must needs unloose the tongue ; 
 
 And still the Heavenly Helper hears 
 If Love be in the song, 
 
of Praise. 159 
 
 Faint faltering praise ! how far beneath 
 
 The harmonies above ! 
 Those strains divine the Angels breathe 
 
 Because the Angels love. 
 
 Lord ! let Thy Love o'erflow my heart, 
 
 Then shall it seize my tongue ; 
 Then may I bear melodious part 
 
 In Heaven's eternal song. 
 
 GRACE AND GRATITUDE. 
 
 LORD ! come too many gifts from Thee 
 
 For us to mark each gift ? 
 Down streams Thy grace too plenteously 
 
 Our spirits up to lift ? 
 
 Thy light would glorify our lot 
 
 Thy love besets our way ; 
 And yet Thine ingrates feel Thee not, 
 
 And yet Thy Pilgrims stray. 
 
 Still sometimes glorious grows the road 
 And grateful raptures come ; 
 
 All close and tender feels our God, — 
 All near appears our home. 
 
 Some sweet surprise our souls doth take 
 Straight to the heavenly throne : — 
 
 Some sudden blaze of bliss doth make 
 The Lord's bright presence known. 
 
160 The Golden Chain 
 
 Or in some mighty woe awhile 
 Our gracious God appears, 
 
 And strangely beams the Eternal Smile 
 Amidst the mortal tears. 
 
 Alas these visits rare and rude 
 Unto Thy Holy Place !— 
 
 Our weak wild bursts of gratitude — 
 Thy calm, clear deeps of grace ! 
 
 O never shall Thy mercy make 
 Our souls to rest in Thine, 
 
 Nor mortal gratitude partake 
 The flow of Grace Divine ? 
 
 When shall our grateful raptures rise 
 Fast as Thy grace descends, 
 
 And link to endless harmonies 
 The love that never ends ? 
 
 LOWLY AMBITION. 
 
 LORD ! when I all things would possess 
 
 I crave but to be Thine ; 
 O ! lowly is the loftiness 
 
 Of these desires divine. 
 
 What would my panting heart, but drink 
 Some drops of Thy dear grace ? 
 
 What would my mounting soul, but sink 
 Into her Lord's embrace ? 
 
of Praise. 1 6 1 
 
 Each gift but helps my soul to learn 
 
 How boundless is Thy store ; 
 I go from strength to strength and yearn 
 
 For Thee, my Helper, more. 
 
 The heavenly journey I begin — 
 
 More glorious shines the road ; 
 Some visit of Thy grace I win — 
 
 More wondrous grows my God. 
 
 How can my soul divinely soar, 
 
 How keep the shining way, — 
 And not more tremblingly adore, 
 
 And not more humbly pray ? 
 
 The more I triumph in Thy gifts, 
 
 The more I wait on Thee ; 
 The grace that mightily uplifts 
 
 Most sweetly humbleth me. 
 
 I fain would ask, I fain would know — 
 
 Still of my Lord I learn ; 
 O ! if my soul do holier grow, 
 
 The more for Thee I yearn. 
 
 The Heaven where I would stand complete 
 
 My lowly love shall see ; 
 And stronger grow the yearning sweet, 
 
 My Holy One, for Thee. 
 
1 6a The Golden Chain 
 
 SWEET SUBJECTION. 
 
 DEAR Lord and Master mine, 
 Thy happy servant see ! 
 My Conqueror! with what joy divine 
 Thy captive clings to Thee ! 
 
 I love Thy yoke to wear, 
 To feel Thy gracious bands, 
 Sweetly restrained by Thy care 
 And happy in Thy hands. 
 
 No bar would I remove j 
 No bond would I unbind ; 
 Within the limits of Thy love 
 Full liberty I find 
 
 I would not walk alone 
 
 But still with Thee, my God, 
 At every step my blindness own 
 And ask of Thee the road. 
 
 The weakness I enjoy 
 
 That casts me on Thy breast ; 
 The conflicts that Thy strength employ. 
 Make me divinely blest. 
 
 Dear Lord and Master mine, 
 Still keep Thy servant true ! 
 My Guardian and my Guide Divine, 
 Bring, bring Thy pilgrim through ! 
 
of F raise. 1 63 
 
 My Conqueror and my King, 
 Still keep me in Thy train 
 And with Thee Thy glad captive bring 
 When Thou return'st to reign ! 
 
 THE GLORY OF INFIRMITY. 
 
 " When I am weak then am I strong." 
 
 EACH gift, dear Lord, by Thee bestowed 
 
 Should lift a heart to Thee ; 
 The souls Thou richly hast endowed, 
 
 May they not gladsome be ? 
 
 Beauty may lift to Thee, First Fair, 
 The eye Thou makest bright ; 
 
 Well may Thy mighty men declare 
 Their Lord's inspiring might. 
 
 How can Thy sages of Thee learn 
 
 And not enjoy Thy lore?. 
 How can Thy prophets with Thee burn 
 
 Nor forth their raptures pour ? 
 
 How meetly their melodious breath 
 
 Thy happy angels bring ! 
 But Lord, this weakling triumpheth ; 
 
 Thy stricken servants sing. 
 
 Dost Thou afflict them with some thorn ? 
 
 Thy grace the smart commends ; 
 Is theirs some lack that men do mourn ? 
 
 Thy fulness makes amends. 
 
164 The Golden Chain 
 
 Blest weakness that becometh might! 
 
 Kind stroke that sweet doth fall ! 
 O glory of Thy Soul most bright ! 
 
 O gladness of Thy Paul ! 
 
 Lord ! doth some thorn with us abide ? 
 
 Are we in weakness clad? 
 Hast Thou some precious thing denied 
 
 That makes our brethren glad ? 
 
 How can we wish the thorn away 
 Thou steepest in Thy grace, 
 
 That winneth us Thy sweetest stay, 
 Thy most divine embrace ? 
 
 The stroke, for tears that meetest seemed, 
 Takes from Thy smile delight ; 
 
 The weakness that a woe we deemed 
 Becomes the Lord's own might. 
 
 Thy stricken ones how rapturous ! 
 
 Thy weaklings, Lord, how strong ! 
 To Him, who strikes and strengthens us, 
 
 We raise our gladdest song. 
 
 cxiv. 
 u Not My will but Thine be done." 
 
 METHOUGHT my soul had learned to love 
 
 Thy gracious sharpness, Lord ; 
 Methought the glory from above 
 
 O'er all my lot was poured. 
 
of Praise. 1 65 
 
 Methought Thine Angels, Lord, were sweet, 
 
 Whate'er the news they bore ; 
 Methought Thy pleasure I could greet 
 
 Nor wait for grace in store. 
 
 Have I not seen the desert drear 
 
 Bloom into Holy Ground, 
 And close beside the sepulchre 
 
 Thy brightest angels found ? 
 
 faithless soul that would not take 
 Thy sad-robed Angels in, 
 
 Whom the bright raiment glad must make. 
 Ere access they may win ! 
 
 At once Thy bidding to fulfil 
 
 My stricken soul was loth ; 
 With the first sharpness of Thy will 
 
 My rebel will was wroth. 
 
 1 waited till the sweetness came, 
 
 Till clear the glory shone ; 
 Ah ! then I glorified Thy name ; 
 Ah ! then my God was known. 
 
 When in Thy paths shall I delight, 
 
 Ere flowers make glad my feet ? 
 When shall Thy stroke upon me light 
 
 And still my song be sweet ? 
 
1 66 The Golden Chain 
 
 ALONE WITH THE FATHER. 
 
 * / am not alone, because the Father is with me." 
 
 ROCKINGHAM. 
 
 O AWFUL hour, when all alone 
 My soul unto her foes is given ; 
 
 When not a smile my path cloth own, 
 And not a star shines in my Heaven ! 
 
 O trembling soul ! thou back would'st turn, 
 Wouldst from the lonely terror shrink. 
 
 This awful lore I need not learn ; — 
 This bitter cup — O must I drink ? 
 
 Must I, my God ? — But wherefore shine 
 The depths of my dark loneliness? 
 
 O ! what can make this hour divine — 
 This shuddering soul so strangely bless ? 
 
 That vision bright ! it fills mine eye, — 
 The same my Saviour saw of old ! 
 
 O Father mine ! Thou standest by, 
 And Thy dear hand the cup doth hold. 
 
 O vision bright ! no more my soul 
 The loneliness doth lonely think ; 
 
 Thou givest me the bitter bowl — 
 
 It must be sweet, — I smile and drink ! 
 
of Praise. 167 
 
 THE WORLD OVERCOME. 
 
 ' In the world ye shall have tribulation ; but be of %ood 
 cheer, I have overcome the world." 
 
 AH ! wherefore fall my tears so fast ? 
 Why, Saviour, is my soul o'ercast ? 
 Why should the world my conqueror be ? 
 The world was overcome by Thee ! 
 
 What sorrows can possess with fear 
 The soul Thou biddest be of cheer? 
 O ! vanquished can that trembler be 
 Thou tellest of Thy victory ? 
 
 Thou for whom the strife was strong, 
 Thou who hast sung the conqueror's song ; 
 Uphold me through the holy war ! 
 
 Make me a smiling conqueror. 
 
 Thy bidding is not vainly sweet ; 
 Thy cheerful soul my 'soul doth greet ; 
 Thou vanquishest — my foes are down, 
 For me the cross, for me the crown ! 
 
 1 fight upon Thy battle field, 
 
 Thy holy arms are mine to wield ; — 
 Against me comes each foe of Thine — 
 Repeat Thy victory in mine ! 
 
 Weak world ! in vain thy powers uprise ; 
 Thy sorrows vainly melt mine eyes ; 
 This bitter life my Master led — 
 This world my Saviour vanquished ! 
 
i6.S The Golden Chain 
 
 Dear Conqueror ! Thy sweet words I hear. 
 Mine, mine the fulness of their cheer! 
 I too the world may overcome — 
 I too may win the Heavenly Home. 
 
 "/ know that my Redeemer liveth." 
 
 WHAT though a pilgrim faint and worn 
 
 This vale of tears I tread ; 
 What though o'er vanished joys I mourn. 
 
 O'er friends and lovers fled ; 
 I know He lives, I know He loves, 
 
 Mine own Redeemer dear ! 
 His tender voice each doubt reprove^ ; 
 
 He smiles away each tear. 
 
 What though these rebel lusts would fain 
 
 Regain this roving heart ; 
 What though these cleaving sins again 
 
 Put me to shame and smart; 
 Mine own Redeemer lives, who bore 
 
 My sins upon the tree, 
 To plead for me His travail sore, 
 
 His precious death for me. 
 
 What though I sadly seek the Lord, 
 
 What though I faintly pray, 
 And feebly grasp the Spirit's sword, 
 
 And falter 'midst the fray ; 
 
of Praise. 1 69 
 
 He liveth, my Redeemer dear, 
 
 His breath with mine to blend ; 
 My living Saviour draweth near 
 
 Of His own might to lend. 
 
 What though the Tempter for this heart 
 
 Contrive his subtlest snare; 
 What though the Foe no fiery dart, 
 
 No blinding terror spare ; 
 He lives who overcame that Foe, 
 
 Who made that Tempter flee ; 
 He lives again to bring him low, 
 
 To vanquish him in me. 
 
 What though across my way doth flow 
 
 That river dark and deep ; 
 What though 'midst those cold waves the foe 
 
 Watch 'gainst this trembler keep : 
 My living Lord doth beckoning stand 
 
 There on the heavenly shore \ 
 And sweetly reaches forth His hand 
 
 To help His trembler o'er. 
 
 He shows me my prepared place : 
 
 Unto His joy I come : 
 For me the brightness of His face, 
 
 The sweetness of His home ! 
 With eyes enamoured I adore 
 
 The Lord who died for me, 
 And face to face for evermore 
 
 Mine own Redeemer see. 
 
7 he Golden Chain 
 
 GODLY SORROW. 
 
 SORE the burdens, Lord, we bear, 
 Bitter, Lord, the tears we weep ; 
 
 Once Thy happy ones we were — 
 Faithful now Thy mourners keep ; 
 
 Meekly be each burden borne — 
 
 Help us holily to mourn. 
 
 No sweet gifts do we receive ? 
 
 Nay, behold Thy bitter cup ! 
 Have we nothing left to give ? 
 
 Lord ! our tears we offer up ! 
 No bright garland do we wear ? 
 Nay j Thy burdens, Lord, we bear. 
 
 Humbly clasp we each dread gift — 
 Lo ! the burden groweth light : 
 
 Heavenward our sad eyes we lift — 
 In our tears what strange delight ! 
 
 Joy of grief Thy love will make, 
 
 If in love our grief we take. 
 
 From our want flows precious store; 
 
 In our grief Thy grace appears ; 
 Heavenly wings, those burdens sore, 
 
 Dews divine, those bitter tears ! 
 Stricken faith hath glory given. 
 Sorrow lets us into Heaven. 
 
of Praise. 1 7 1 
 
 " Pray without Ceasing." 
 
 HOW can I, Lord, abide with Thee 
 
 Unless with Thee I speak ? 
 How can I love Thee verily 
 
 And not Thy converse seek ? 
 
 How can I glow beneath Thy smile 
 
 Nor tell Thee I am glad ? 
 How can I lose Thy face awhile ' 
 
 Nor tell Thee I am sad ? 
 
 How can I mourn my darkened way 
 Nor light from Thee implore ? 
 
 How can I feel my strength decay 
 Nor ask my God for more ? 
 
 How can I weep by sin o'erthrown 
 
 Nor ask Thy help to rise ? 
 How yearn to be once more Thine own, 
 
 Nor send to Thee my sighs ? 
 
 How can I live unless I pray? 
 
 How breathe the heavenly air 
 Unless I boldly soar away 
 
 On the strong wings of prayer ? 
 
 Doth not my soul, dear Lord, decline 
 
 Whene'er I faintly pray, — 
 When on that outstretched hand of Thine 
 
 A weak cold clasp I lay ? 
 
i 7 ^ The Golden Chain 
 
 My life were Stopped if Prayer should fail ; 
 • ' oul of mine pray on ! 
 
 . weakling, till thou dost prevail — 
 are gone ! 
 
 Pray till thy Lord's own strength is Thine ! 
 
 Still sweetly, strongly pray ! 
 For ever breathe the air divine! 
 
 Clasp thy dear Lord alway ! 
 
 THE WALK WITH GOD. 
 "■Order my footsteps by Thy lam* 
 
 ( ) ! NOT alone in saddest plight 
 
 My Lord do I require; 
 Not only in the thickest fight 
 
 And in the sevenfold fire : 
 
 Not only when the world invites, 
 
 In all its pomp arrayed : 
 Not only when the Tempter fights, 
 
 In all his terrors clad. 
 
 I would not for some sorest smart 
 
 Keep Thy dear grace in store, 
 Nor for my deeply darkened heart 
 erve Thy Word's blest lore. 
 
 When forth I go, not then alone 
 Lord, would I walk with Thee; 
 
 Not only when the sun goes down 
 I crave Thy company. 
 
of Praise. 173 
 
 Not only for some task sublime 
 
 Thy succour I implore ; 
 Not only on some solemn time 
 
 Thy Holy Spirit pour ! 
 
 ne'er can I my Helper spare ; 
 I want Thee all the way ; 
 
 1 want my Saviour everywhere ; 
 
 I want Thee every day. 
 
 Lord ! for each daily task of mine 
 
 I want Thy quickening power, 
 I want Thy smile away to shine 
 
 The trouble of each hour. 
 
 I want each joy from Thee to spring, 
 
 Each joy for Thee more bright ; 
 Each footstep of Thine ordering, 
 
 All light seen in Thy light. 
 
 I want Thee through the Vale of Tears, 
 
 All up the Heavenly road ; 
 Each moment of the Eternal years 
 
 Shall I possess my God. 
 
 THE TRUE SERVANT. 
 " O Lord truly I am Thy servant." 
 
 O ! NOT to fill the mouth of fame 
 
 My longing soul is stirred ; 
 O give me a diviner name : 
 
 Call me Thy servant, Lord ! 
 
174 Tki Golden Chain 
 
 Sweet title that delighteth me — 
 
 Rank earnestly implored ; 
 ( ) ! what can reach die dignity 
 
 Of Thy true servants, Lord? 
 
 No longer would my soul be known 
 
 As self-sustained and free ; 
 ( ) ! not mine own, O ! not mine own. 
 
 Lord ! I belong to Thee ! 
 
 In each aspiring burst of prayer 
 Sweet leave my soul would ask 
 
 Thine every burden, Lord, to bear, 
 To do Thine every task. 
 
 For ever, Lord, Thy servant choose, — 
 
 Nought of Thy claim abate ! 
 The glorious name I would not lose. 
 
 Nor change the sweet estate. 
 
 In life, in death, on Earth, in Heaven 
 
 No other name for me ! 
 The same sweet style and title given 
 
 Through all eternity. 
 
 CXXII, 
 
 THE GREAT TASKMASTER. 
 "As r<'cr in my great Taskmaster* 
 
 MILTON. 
 
 ALAS this travail sore ! 
 Alas this weary road ! 
 Fain would I give the labour o'er 
 And drop the heavy load. 
 
of Praise. 175 
 
 How soon this toil doth tire ! 
 How slack these hands of mine ! 
 Great Taskmaster, Thine own require ! 
 Is not the work divine ? 
 
 Thy bidding finds me slack ; 
 Thy business I delay : 
 Upon Thine errands I turn back : 
 I loiter on Thy way. 
 
 'Tis thou the call dost send ; 
 'Tis Thou the task dost set : 
 Thou wilt bring forth the happy end ; 
 Thou wilt the glory get. 
 
 Thy weakling clothe with might, 
 Thy sluggard, Lord, up stir ! 
 Thy trembler furnish for the fight ; 
 Constrain Thy loiterer ! 
 
 I faint ; but Thou art nigh : 
 I fail ; but Thou art true : 
 I hail my great Taskmaster's eye 
 And straight Thy work pursue. 
 
 The work to Thee I bring 
 
 Bowed down with shame and fear ; 
 Thou smilest on mine offering : 
 
 Thou sendest down Thy cheer. 
 
 Still let Thy strength be given ! 
 Still let Thy smile be won ! 
 Then in the hearing of all Heaven 
 Thy voice will cry, "Well done." 
 
176 The Gdden Chain 
 
 There, there Thou wilt be still 
 My Taskmaster Divine, 
 And smile as gladsome I fulfil 
 
 K.h h sweet behest of Thine. 
 
 ABIDING WORK. 
 
 "Establish Thou the work of our hands upon us ; yea the 
 rk of our hands establish Thou it." 
 
 AH mortals who so soon decay ! 
 
 Ah mourners who such sorrow know ! 
 Ah beauty only for a day ! 
 
 Ah strength that cometh but to go ! 
 
 Ah weaklings from whom all things glide, 
 
 In whose faint grasp abideth nought ! 
 Yet, Lord, Thou makest to abide 
 
 Some work these very hands have wrought. 
 
 These very weaklings not in vain 
 
 May spend their strength, may bring their best ; 
 Of these poor earthlings may remain 
 
 Some lowly toil, some witness blest. 
 
 These mortals may some work bequeath 
 
 Too fair and too divine to die, 
 That blessedness o'er earth will breathe 
 
 And glory bring to Thee, Most High. 
 
 Dear Lord ! we would no longer mourn 
 
 Our life so short, our joys so fleet : 
 ( ) ! may Thy sen-ants only yearn 
 
 To lay some labour at Thy feet ! 
 
of Praise. 177 
 
 No stinted tasks would we implore ; 
 
 But leave us not to toil in vain ! 
 Spare us, dear Lord, no travail sore, 
 
 But grant our labour to remain. 
 
 Thy beauty with our business blend ! 
 
 Thy wisdom mingle with our lore ! 
 Yes, our mean work the glory lend 
 
 To bring Thee glory evermore. 
 
 M I love God or rather am loved of God." 
 
 OLIVER CROMWELL. 
 
 METHINKS the glory of my God 
 
 Mine inmost soul doth move : 
 Methinks my heart is His abode ; 
 
 Methinks my Lord I love. 
 
 Sometimes this dull, cold bosom burns, 
 
 Of the true fire possessed ; 
 Sometimes this faithless heart returns 
 
 To its Eternal Rest. 
 
 Sometimes for Thee my hands are strong, 
 
 For Thee my feet are swift ; 
 Sometimes my love-inspired tongue 
 
 To Thee a song doth lift. 
 
 Is this cold heart with Thee on fire ? 
 
 Dost Thou this laggard move ? 
 Lord ! doth this grovelling worm aspire ? 
 
 Lord ! doth this ingrate love ? 
 
 N 
 
i 78 The Golden Chain 
 
 I dare not, Lord, my love profess ; 
 
 I dare not boast my heart : 
 But I have known Thy faithfulness; 
 
 But Thou my lover art. 
 
 I faint amidst the heavenward flight ; 
 
 But Thou hast stooped to me : 
 I weary of Thy Presence Bright , 
 
 But Thou my guest wilt be. 
 
 Thou still hast loved me, Father mine ; 
 
 Thou still Thy child hast sought ; 
 O Saviour sweet, O Son Divine ! 
 
 My ransom Thou hast brought. 
 
 O Comforter ! from this mean heart 
 Thou fain wouldst ne'er remove ; 
 
 O Lover mine, Thyself impart 
 And teach me how to love ! 
 
 1 Let your light so shine before men that they may n 
 good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven''' 
 
 DEAR Lord ! Thy light Thou dost not hide: 
 
 Thy glory will not stay at home : 
 With us Thy glory may abide ; 
 
 Thy precious things to us may come. 
 
 But they are given us not to hoard ; 
 
 Thy light may not be all our own ; 
 Thou meanest not Thy glory, Lord, 
 
 To cheer one dwelling-place alone. 
 
of Praise. 179 
 
 Thou lightest souls to beam around ; 
 
 Thou settest them to shine on high ; 
 Thy children in Thy work abound 
 
 And still their Father glorify. 
 
 O sweet the Father's smile to win ! 
 
 What joy, dear Lord, to shine with Thee, 
 Thy precious things to welcome in 
 
 And entertain Thy radiancy ! 
 
 But O more sweet for Thee to shine, 
 To pass Thy smile, Thy blessing on, 
 
 To bear about the light divine, 
 
 And shine as the dear Saviour shone ! 
 
 In us Thy beauty may be seen ; 
 
 By us may be proclaimed Thy love; 
 Thy light in us may wanderers win : 
 
 Thy grace to us may rebels move. 
 
 Lord ! Thou hast given, and yet we hoard ; 
 
 Thy glory half in vain has come ; 
 Thy light so lovingly outpoured 
 
 We loveless niggards keep at home. 
 
 Father ! still shine on us from Heaven 
 
 And make us for Thy glory shine ; 
 We would not keep one gift ungiven, 
 
 We would not hide one beam of Thine. 
 
i8o The Golden Chain 
 
 WE ARE SEEKING THE LORD. 
 
 O SAINTS of old ! not yours alone 
 These words most high shall be : 
 
 We take the glory for our own ; 
 Lord ! we are seeking Thee. 
 
 Not only when ascends the song, 
 And soundeth sweet the Word ; 
 
 Not only 'midst the Sabbath throng 
 Our souls would seek the Lord. 
 
 We mingle with another throng 
 
 And other words we speak : 
 To other business we belong : 
 
 But still our Lord we seek. 
 
 We would not to our daily task 
 
 Without our God repair, 
 But in the world Thy presence ask, 
 
 And seek Thy glory there. 
 
 Would we against some wrong be bold 
 And break some yoke abhorred? 
 
 Amidst the strife and stir behold 
 The seekers of the Lord ! 
 
 Yes, we who every yoke would break, 
 
 Who every soul would free ; 
 The world our calling doth mistake : 
 
 Lord ! we are seeking Thee. 
 
of Praise. 
 
 O ! mean may seem the work we do ; 
 
 O ! vile the name we earn : 
 But Thou hast eyes to look us through : 
 
 Thy seekers, Lord, discern ! 
 
 We lose, we lack that men may gain : 
 
 We suffer and we smile ; 
 But why this joy amidst the pain? 
 
 We seek our Lord the while. 
 
 When on Thy glorious works we gaze, 
 We fain would seek Thee there : 
 
 Our gladness in their beauty raise 
 To joy in Thee, First Fair ! 
 
 O everywhere, O every day, 
 Thy grace is still outpoured ; 
 
 We work, we watch, we strive, we pray : 
 Behold Thy Seekers, Lord ! 
 
 " Ye are a Royal Priesthood." 
 
 YE people of the Lord, draw near 
 
 In all your dignity divine ; 
 Before your Father ye appear : 
 
 Beneath your Saviour's smile ye shine. 
 
 He made you priests, He made you kings : 
 
 These robes He wrought, these crowns He wove 
 
 He gave you all these glorious things, 
 Himself, the great High Priest above. 
 
The Golden Chain 
 
 For all, the ban of brass He rent, 
 For all He opes the shining doors, 
 
 Foi all, the spotless robes He meant; 
 On all. the holy oil He pours. 
 
 gladsome in the robes He wrought! 
 Come glorious with the crowns He wove ! 
 Ne'er from your high estate be brought — 
 Ne'er from His full embrace remove ! 
 
 Vield up to no usurping priest 
 
 One gift that cost the Lord so dear : 
 
 Knjoy the fulness of His feast ! 
 Make at His table gladsome cheer. 
 
 In all your dignity appear 
 
 While ye show forth its awful price : 
 priests of God, draw near, draw near! 
 
 Make of yourselves sweet sacrifice ! 
 
 Your bodies yield, your store present, 
 Your souls bestow, your spirits bring. 
 
 All odorous with the incense lent 
 By the High Priest's one offering ! 
 
 " More than Conquerors through Him that loved us'' 
 
 LORD : in this awful fight with Sin 
 
 I would not just prevail ; 
 Against each lust so strong within 
 
 I would not almost fail. 
 
of Praise. 1 83 
 
 Full, gladsome, glorious victory- 
 Should crown the Holy War; 
 
 Lord ! I would triumph well — would be 
 A more than conqueror. 
 
 I would not just the world o'ercome, 
 
 Prevail, then weary lie, 
 Nor helplessly regain my home 
 
 Half slain by victory. 
 I would o'ercome and still be strong j 
 
 Would still have strength to spare, 
 Yes, raise my shout Thy host among, 
 
 A more than conqueror. 
 
 From sorrow's stroke I would not rise 
 
 And mournfully pass on, 
 Not lone my heart, not sad mine eyes, 
 
 As though my God were gone : 
 His pilgrim would be glad and strong 
 
 All through the Vale of Tears ; 
 Yes ! set each sorrow to a song 
 
 Meet for glad angel-ears. 
 
 Shall this divinely urged heart 
 
 Half towards its glory move ? 
 What ! shall I love in part, in part 
 
 Yield to the Lord of Love ? 
 
 sweetest freedom, Lord, to be 
 Thy love's full prisoner ! 
 
 Take me all captive — make of me 
 A more than conqueror ! 
 
 1 would not just to Heaven rise up, 
 
 Nor scarce to glory come; 
 I would not half a stranger droop 
 In the sweet Heavenly Home : 
 
The Golden Chains 
 
 I would not eyes half-shut and dim 
 
 Unto the glory bring, 
 Nor feebly help the Seraphim 
 
 The Eternal Song to sing. 
 
 Who would be nearer, Lord, to Thee 
 
 Of all the Heavenly Host ? 
 What Shining One more lowlily 
 
 Would in Thy light be lost ? 
 What angel-wing more swift would bear 
 
 Each message sweet of Thine ? 
 Whose palm would be more green and fair ? 
 
 Whose robe more white would shine ? 
 
 My joy would make more rapturous 
 
 The People of the Skies ; 
 For my poor voice more glorious 
 
 The Eternal Song should rise. 
 My heart would with its humble glow 
 
 Inflame their burning love ; 
 O more than conqueror below ! 
 
 O gladdest saint above ! 
 
 THE PEOPLE OF GOD. 
 
 ' Lord, Thou hast been our dwell 'nig place in all generations' 
 
 WE come unto our fathers' God : 
 
 Their Rock is our Salvation : 
 The Eternal Arms, their dear abode, 
 
 We make our habitation : 
 We bring Thee, Lord, the praise they brought ; 
 We seek Thee as Thy saints have sought 
 
 In every generation. 
 
of Praise. 185 
 
 Unto Thy people we belong, 
 
 Elect, redeemed, renewed ; 
 We join the blessed pilgrim throng 
 
 With Thine own strength endued : 
 Our hands their tasks divine essay : 
 Our feet pursue the heavenly way 
 
 Their steadfast feet pursued. 
 
 The Fire Divine, their steps that led, 
 
 Still goeth bright before us ; 
 The Heavenly Shield, around them spread, 
 
 Is still high holden o'er us : 
 The grace those sinners that subdued, 
 The strength those weaklings that renewed, 
 
 Doth vanquish, doth restore us. 
 
 The cleaving sins that brought them low 
 
 Are still our souls oppressing ; 
 The tears that from their eyes did flow 
 
 Fall fast, our shame confessing ; 
 As with Thee, Lord, prevailed their cry, 
 So our strong prayer ascends on high 
 
 And bringeth down Thy blessing. 
 
 Their precious things on us bestowed 
 
 The same dear Lord discover ; 
 The joy wherewith their souls o'erflowed 
 
 Makes our glad hearts run over : 
 Their fire of love in us doth burn : 
 As yearned their hearts, our hearts do yearn 
 
 After the Heavenly Lover. 
 
1 86 The Golden Chain 
 
 Their joy unto their Lord we bring ; 
 
 Their song to us descended) : 
 The Spirit who in them did sing 
 
 To us His music lendeth. 
 His song in them, in us, is one ; 
 We raise it high, we send it on — 
 
 The song that never endeth ! 
 
 Ye saints to come, take up the strain— 
 The same sweet theme endeavour ! 
 
 Unbroken be the Golden Chain ! 
 Keep on the song for ever ! 
 
 Safe in the same dear dwelling place, 
 
 Rich with the same eternal grace, 
 Bless the same boundless Giver ! 
 
 " Of the household of God." 
 
 WHAT guerdon hast Thou, Lord, for those 
 
 Who spend their all on Thee ? 
 What grace, what glory should compose 
 
 Thy servants' dignity ? 
 
 They find their glory in their task, 
 
 Their gladness in their care ; 
 What grace, what guerdon need they ask 
 
 Who of Thy household are ? 
 
 Thy voice their daily task commands ; 
 
 Thy works their hands employ : 
 How sweetly toil their happy hands ! 
 
 What labour and what joy ! 
 
of Praise. 187 
 
 No weariness o'ercomes their feet ; 
 
 For Thee they go and come : 
 Their painful pilgrimage how sweet ! 
 
 Still, still, they are at home. 
 
 With mingled joy and shame oppressed 
 
 Their work to Thee they bring ; 
 How full their welcome ! what sweet rest 
 
 Falls on them 'neath Thy wing ! 
 
 Lord ! may I call this bliss my own, 
 
 This nearness sweet to Thee ? 
 May I, poor weakling, wanderer lone, 
 
 Of Thine own household be ? 
 
 O ! all my tasks wilt Thou assign ? 
 
 Thou all my journeys guide ? 
 Near me may sound those strains divine, 
 
 That fiery pillar glide ? 
 
 For Thee my hands would toil ; for Thee 
 
 My feet would go and come ; 
 Still of Thy household I would be, 
 
 On Earth, in Heaven — at home. 
 
 " Partakers of His Holiness" 
 
 WHAT glory of the All Glorious God 
 Lifts our adoring thoughts most high ? 
 
 When feel our souls most sweetly bowed 
 Beneath the Heavenly Majesty? 
 
The Golden Chain 
 
 Lord ! Thy most glorious name we speak 
 When to the Holy One we try: 
 
 Most glorious on our eyes doth break 
 The vision of Thy purity. 
 
 Yet will the Holy Ghost descend 
 And dwell in every contrite heart : 
 
 This very name the Lord will lend, 
 This very majesty impart. 
 
 We, we may with the glory shine 
 
 That makes the Awful One most bright ; 
 
 His robe of holiness divine 
 
 May be our very raiment white. 
 
 His saints their Lord's own name do bear ; 
 
 His saints their Lord's own glory show : 
 The People with the Monarch share 
 
 But still in dust and ashes bow. 
 
 Yes, as we more our Lord express, 
 With lowlier yearnings we adore : 
 
 More glorious grows His holiness 
 As our glad souls partake the more. 
 
 " The glorious liberty of the children of God." 
 
 THOU biddest, Lord, Thy sons be bold : 
 
 Thy First Born set us free ; 
 The dear adoption fast we hold, 
 
 The glorious liberty. 
 
of Praise. 189 
 
 Thou Majesty Divine ! we cling 
 
 To Thine eternal throne ; 
 Almighty Taskmaster ! we bring 
 
 Our work to Thee alone. 
 
 Before our Father we appear, 
 
 No mortal priest between; 
 Our Great High Priest hath brought us near, 
 
 And cast away each screen. 
 Thy Spirit's fulness we embrace ; 
 
 Away with man's poor dole ! 
 The sweetest visit of Thy grace 
 
 Asks but an open soul. 
 
 Full feels this seeking company 
 
 The sweet celestial air ; 
 In humble joy we lay on Thee 
 
 The loving clasp of prayer. 
 We mingle now our inmost fires, 
 
 A glowing, yearning throng : 
 All free and strong of wing aspires 
 
 The gladness of our song. 
 
 Men's statutes do not wake our fear ; 
 
 Men frown ; yet smile we still ; 
 For us the Holy Spirit's cheer ! 
 
 For us the Eternal Will ! 
 Thine own we are, Almighty One, 
 
 Thine own would ever be : 
 Endless Thy dear dominion, 
 
 Our glorions liberty ! 
 
[<jo The Golden Chain 
 
 THE EXCHANGE OF GIFTS. 
 
 SPEAKS not the heart of friend to friend 
 icious gifts expressed? 
 
 Yes, sweetly earthlings fond contend 
 Whose gift shall be the best. 
 
 Full gladsome of their best they bring, 
 A deal exchange would make ; 
 
 Yes, each would give some precious thing, 
 Some precious thing would take. 
 
 O Heavenly Lover ! with Thy grace 
 
 What contest can there be? 
 O boundless Giver ! is there place 
 
 For gifts 'twixt us and Thee ? 
 
 Thou who hast given each precious thing. 
 
 What gift to Thee can fall ? 
 WTiat can the mortal weaklings bring 
 
 Unto the Lord of all ? 
 
 Thou who hast given Thyself away 
 
 To save our souls from hell, 
 What have we sinners to repay 
 
 The gift unspeakable ? 
 
 Yet with the sinners an exchange 
 
 The Holy One would make ; 
 The Lord of all (O sweetness strange !) 
 
 A gift of us would take. 
 
of Praise. 191 
 
 Of me Thou earnest, Lord, in quest ; 
 
 With me Thou ne'er wouldst part ; 
 Thyself, Thyself thou offerest 
 
 For this unworthy heart. 
 
 Unworthy heart ! dost thou delay 
 
 To make this glory thine, 
 To give thy stained self away 
 
 For Him, the Lord Divine ? 
 
 O clasp the outstretched hand of Heaven ! 
 
 Haste thy poor self to give ! 
 Already hath the Saviour given ; 
 
 He waiteth to receive. 
 
 Lord ! ne'er this gift of gifts recall, 
 
 Thy Spirit ne'er reclaim : 
 O ne'er give back this ransomed thrall 
 
 To his own sin and shame. 
 
 For ever Thine own self bestow, 
 
 This soul for ever keep ! 
 For ever all my want and woe 
 
 In Thine own glory steep ! 
 
 " Son thou art ever with Me and all that 1 have is thine." 
 
 THRICE blessed soul, who still hath made 
 
 The Father's house his own ; 
 Nor far from that dear home hath strayed, 
 
 Nor" parted portion known; 
 
192 The Golden Chain 
 
 Who in no land far off hath sought 
 
 A bower of bliss more fair, 
 But near Thee, Lord, hath humbly wrought 
 
 And found all gladness there ! 
 
 Thy tender voice his work commands ; 
 
 Thy tasks are his delight \ 
 For Thee, for Thee those toiling hands ! 
 
 For him that Presence Bright ! 
 
 He still Thy biddings sweet doth find j 
 With Thee his work hath praise ; 
 
 He knoweth all His Father's mind : 
 Thou guidest all his ways. 
 
 In all Thou hast he hath a share, 
 Thy glory makes him bright ; 
 
 Nought of Thy treasure wilt Thou spare, 
 Thy treasure infinite ! 
 
 Freely he taketh of Thy store, 
 The peace that passeth thought, 
 
 The joy that stayeth evermore, 
 The love that changeth not. 
 
 Thrice blessed, best beloved he 
 Who wins these words divine : 
 
 " Son, thou dost ever dwell with me : 
 All that I have is Thine." 
 
of Praise. 193 
 
 " O God, Thou art my God." 
 
 ST. DAVID'S. 
 
 MY God ! my Majesty Divine ! 
 
 My very Presence Bright ! 
 Thou life, Thou light, Thou joy of mine ! 
 
 My Lover Infinite ! 
 
 Didst Thou not choose me in Thy Son 
 
 Before the worlds were made ? 
 Have not His pangs my pardon won ? 
 
 His blood my ransom paid ? 
 
 Didst Thou not send Thy Spirit down 
 
 To make abode with me, 
 To fit me for my heavenly crown, 
 
 For endless life with Thee ? 
 
 Art Thou not grieved to depart 
 
 From this sin-stained home ? 
 Do not my tears and broken heart 
 
 Move Thee again to come ? 
 
 And when I sorely strive with sin 
 
 Art Thou not strong for me ? 
 Dost Thou not fight my fight, yes, win 
 
 Mine every victory ? 
 
 Waits not my soul for Thee to show 
 
 The work it must fulfil ? 
 Art Thou not hidden in my woe ? 
 
 And there how gracious still ! 
 o 
 
194 The Golden Chain 
 
 When fulness of delight is mine, 
 Stands not Thy glory by, 
 
 And helps each happy hour to shine 
 With wondrous radiancy ? 
 
 Thou God of mine, eternal be 
 This fulness of Thy grace ! 
 
 Still, still be pleased to shine in me ! 
 Keep, keep Thy dwelling-place ! 
 
 11 By the grace of God I am what I am." 
 
 SWEET, sweet these joys that throng me so — 
 Bright, bright this dwelling place ; 
 
 But sweeter, Lord, these joys may grow — 
 These visits of Thy Grace ! 
 
 ! sweet each gracious soul that lends 
 My soul its dear embrace ; 
 
 But Lord, what heights the love ascends 
 That feels itself Thy Grace ! 
 
 This glowing heart must sorrow learn, — 
 
 Tears these glad smiles replace ; 
 But O ! these tears to smiles may turn, 
 
 And grief may end in Grace. 
 
 My Father! each delightful hour 
 Unveils Thy smiling Face ; 
 
 1 gather every glorious flower 
 
 And thank my God of Grace. 
 
of Praise. 195 
 
 At home I breathe the quiet air — 
 
 I cast my soul abroad — 
 I do the work — I lift the prayer — 
 
 Still, still my Gracious God ! 
 
 Each step, each look, each thought of mine 
 
 My gracious God lets in ; 
 All, all my joys are Gifts Divine — 
 
 All, all is Grace I win ! 
 
 No other glory I possess, 
 
 No other joy I own ; 
 On earth, in Heaven I still will bless 
 
 Thy Grace, Thy Grace alone. 
 
 " The peace that passeth all understanding." 
 
 LORD ! shall this weak world sore wound us, 
 When such balm Thy grace doth pour ? 
 
 Lord ! shall want and woe confound us, 
 When Thou givest of Thy store, 
 When Thou offerest 
 Perfect Peace for evermore ? 
 
 In Thy secret place it hideth, 
 
 Yet each soul may come and take ; 
 
 With Thy glory it abideth, 
 
 Yet bright visits here will make : 
 
 On our sadness 
 Sweet the heavenly peace will break. 
 
The Golden Chain 
 
 Yet the foolish world pretendeth 
 
 God's own glory to bestow; 
 On its own, brave gifts it spendeth, 
 
 Perfect peace they sure must know: 
 Wherefore grieve they ? 
 
 Wherefore droop its darlings so? 
 
 Thou alone Thine own grace lendest ; 
 
 Lord ! from Thee this peace of Thine : 
 Secretly Thy peace Thou sendest 
 
 Softly seekest some meet shrine, 
 Sweetly makest 
 
 Some sad, striving soul divine. 
 
 Of the raging world they hear not 
 Whom Thy sweet peace singeth to ; 
 
 Warfare with the world they fear not 
 Whom Thy strong peace doth renew : 
 
 Mighty meek ones ! 
 Perfect peace exalteth you. 
 
 Highest thought this Peace transcendeth ; 
 
 Sages here have nought to tell ; 
 Yea, the awful glory blend eth 
 
 With the things ineffable : 
 
 Seraphs speak not 
 
 The deep peace they know full well. 
 
 Yet this Peace that thought confoundeth 
 Is of simplest souls possessed ; 
 
 Yet this glorious grace aboundeth 
 With Thy least and lowliest : 
 Meanest mansion 
 Boasteth oft the Heavenly Guest. 
 
of Praise. 197 
 
 O this sweet and sure possession ! 
 
 O this thought-o'erwhelming deep ! 
 Seraphs hail the widening vision ; 
 
 Feeble saints the comfort keep : 
 Lord ! we crave it : 
 
 In Thy Peace our spirits steep ! 
 
 THE EVERLASTING ARMS. 
 
 l As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so is the 
 Lord round about His people from henceforth ei'en for 
 ever" 
 
 (WRITTEN IN SWITZERLAND.) 
 
 YE tower, majestic hills, ye tower 
 
 Eternal, unremoved : 
 Full many a land your guardian power 
 
 In peril sore hath proved : 
 It safe abides, each hill-girt land ; 
 Even so the Lord Himself doth stand 
 
 Around His own beloved. 
 
 O yes ! with bands more strong, more fast 
 
 Eternal Love hath bound them j 
 More closely, tenderly are cast 
 
 The Heavenly Arms around them ; 
 Within those arms secure they dwell : 
 Nor sin, nor death, nor earth, nor hell 
 
 Are mighty to confound them. 
 
io3 The Golden Chain 
 
 Behind their hills they joy to think 
 Thou dost more surely cover ; 
 
 de their streams of Thee they drink, 
 The Well that runneth over. 
 Still to the Heavenly Hills they turn 
 Whereon to dwell with Thee they yearn, 
 Their Everlasting Lover. 
 
 ETERNAL LOVE. 
 
 " / have hned thee with everlasting love; with loving kind- 
 ness hare I drawn Thee." 
 
 FATHER ! hast Thou not on me 
 
 Set Thy love eternal ? 
 Mean'st Thou not my place to be 
 
 'Midst the throng supernal ? 
 Dost Thou not my lot ordain ? 
 Wilt Thou not within me reign 
 And Thy right to me maintain 
 
 'Gainst the foe infernal ? 
 
 Saviour ! from Thy throne above 
 
 Camest Thou not for me ? 
 To the eternal arms of love 
 
 Wouldst Thou not restore me ? 
 In the desert, with the Foe, 
 Through all want and through all woe, 
 'Neath the scourge, the scoff, the blow, 
 
 Yearned'st Thou not o'er me ? 
 
of Praise. 1 99 
 
 Hanging on the accursed tree, 
 Ah ! my shame Thou wearest ; 
 
 In the load that lay on Thee, 
 Ah ! my sin Thou bearest ; 
 
 Hark ! Thou criest my bitter cry, 
 
 In my very room wilt die, 
 
 In my darksome bed wilt lie, 
 Holiest, Mightiest, Fairest! 
 
 Hast Thou not, death's Vanquisher, 
 
 Vanquished mine oppressor ? 
 Dost Thou not in Heaven still bear 
 
 Love to this transgressor ? 
 Dost Thou not my prayers present, 
 Sweet with fragrance by Thee lent, 
 With Thy breath prevailing blent, 
 Heavenly Intercessor? 
 
 Mighty Quickener, Spirit Blest, 
 Who to life didst wake me ! 
 
 Wilt Thou not become my guest, 
 For Thy dwelling take me, 
 
 Strong and sweet in me abide, 
 
 To all truth become my guide, 
 
 And for spirits glorified 
 Meet companion make me ? 
 
 Lord ! along this earthly way 
 Thou Thy pilgrim greetest ; 
 To Thy thankful child each day 
 
 Thou Thy love repeatest ; 
 Thou dost bid me weep no more, 
 Thou dost teach this song to soar, 
 Thou dost all the sweetness pour 
 When my life is sweetest. 
 
The Golden Chain 
 
 Here while yet my race I run, 
 Thou wilt never leave me : 
 
 Of my Shield and of my Sun 
 What can e'er bereave me ? 
 
 There with all the heirs of grace, 
 
 Shall not I behold Thy face? 
 
 To the bliss of Thine embrace 
 Wilt Thou not receive me ? 
 
 FREE GRACE. 
 
 I hair had plentiful wages beforehand, and I am sure 
 I shall never earn the least mite." 
 
 OLIVER CROMWELL. 
 
 LORD ! dost Thou ne'er Thy servants bless 
 
 Until their work is done ? 
 Dost Thou withhold Thy tenderness 
 
 Till they the meed have won ? 
 
 Lord ! dost Thou reckon with Thine own 
 
 Like taskmasters below ? 
 First must the handiwork be shown ? 
 
 Wilt Thou the wages owe ? 
 
 Nay Lord ! to Thy dear servants fall 
 
 The wages long before : 
 The Task-master Celestial 
 
 Hath paid them o'er and o'er. 
 
of Praise. 
 
 How can they reckon up the grace 
 Each hour, each minute brings ? 
 
 How store Thy gifts ? how find a place 
 For all their precious things ? 
 
 Hath not the Son their ransom paid, 
 And brought them near to God ? 
 
 Yes ! hath not the sweet Spirit made 
 Their souls His dear abode ? 
 
 O boundless treasure all unearned ! 
 
 O wages given for nought 1 
 Bestowed ere once their hearts have yearned. 
 
 Ere once their hands have wrought. 
 
 With eager love these souls may burn, 
 These hands their utmost strain • 
 
 Still, Lord, one mite they cannot earn ; 
 Thy love doth grace remain. 
 
 O ! mourn Thy servants that there fall 
 
 No earnings to their lot ? 
 Because Thy grace hath given them all, 
 
 Lord, can they give Thee nought ? 
 
 Thine own no heavenly burden spare ! 
 
 Withhold no task divine, 
 And let our eager love declare 
 
 The unbought grace of Thine. 
 
D2 Hie Golden Chain 
 
 CXLI. 
 
 ELECTING LOVE. 
 1 Knowing^ brethren beloved of the Lord, your election.'' 
 
 YE souls for whom the Son did die, 
 
 In whom the Spirit dwells, 
 Your sweet amazement riseth high 
 
 And strong your rapture swells. 
 
 Yet the revealing Spirit keeps 
 More truth, more grace in store : 
 
 Sublimer heights, diviner deeps 
 He biddeth you explore. 
 
 Ye bless the love that did redeem, 
 
 The love that did renew : 
 But farther on the heavenly stream 
 
 Of love ye still pursue. 
 
 In sweet amazement still ye mount ; 
 
 The stream divine ye trace 
 High up unto its very fount, 
 
 The Father's endless grace. 
 
 Who spared not that Son Divine ? 
 
 Who sent that Spirit sweet ? 
 Father ! the work of love is Thine, 
 
 The wonder is complete ! 
 
 The Father willed you His to be, 
 
 He chose you in His Son ; 
 He loved you from eternity, 
 
 And still He loveth on. 
 
of Praise. 203 
 
 Nor will He through eternity 
 
 To love His own give o'er : 
 And ye now love again, and ye 
 
 Shall love Him evermore. 
 
 Thrice blessed souls, by Heavenly Love 
 
 Elect, redeemed, renewed ; 
 Through endless years, below, above, 
 
 By Heavenly Love pursued ! 
 
 Lord ! wouldst Thou set Thy love on me 
 
 And choose me in Thy Son ? 
 Lord ! hath my heart been given to Thee ? 
 
 Hath love in me begun ? 
 
 Ne'er let Thy smile from me depart, 
 
 My heart from Thee remove ! 
 Eternal Lover ! teach my heart 
 
 Thine own eternal love. 
 
 As on the endless ages roll 
 
 Let my glad song still be : 
 " For ever hast Thou loved my soul ; 
 
 Lord ! Thou hast chosen me." 
 
 CXLII. 
 
 HOLY DILIGENCE. 
 
 ' Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure.' 
 
 YE souls, the Father's very own, 
 
 Ye people of His choice, 
 Not only wonder, not alone 
 
 In His dear love rejoice. 
 
204 The Golden Chain 
 
 He calleth, but He bids you still 
 Make the high calling sure: 
 
 He chooscth you to work His will 
 And thus the crown secure. 
 
 He means for you a glorious part 
 
 In conflict as in grace : 
 He wills you to be pure in heart 
 
 And thus to see His face. 
 
 He calls you to His work on earth 
 
 As to His bliss above, 
 Alike to show His glory forth 
 
 And to enjoy His love. 
 
 Your portion, souls elect, possess ! 
 
 His gracious choice approve ; 
 With your abiding faithfulness 
 
 Meet His eternal love ! 
 
 Requite the pains He spent on you ! 
 
 Spend on Him and be spent ! 
 His work fulfil, His ways pursue, 
 
 Divinely diligent. 
 
 Choose the front battle, chosen race ! 
 
 His foremost foes engage ! 
 Approve yourselves, ye heirs of grace, 
 
 Meet for the heritage ! 
 
 Ascend from height to height divine ; 
 
 Grace after grace put on, 
 And brighter with the beauty shine 
 
 That in the Saviour shone ! 
 
of Praise. 205 
 
 Thus richly ye shall enter in 
 
 The long prepared home ; 
 Thus surely ye the crown shall win 
 
 And to the glory come. 
 
 "Make Thy chosen people joyful" 
 
 LORD, who Thy people hast pursued 
 With endless, overflowing love, 
 
 Chosen and ransomed and renewed, 
 And ready made their home above ! 
 
 With this sweet fulness of Thy grace 
 Hast Thou not joy in fulness given ? 
 
 What cheer befits the chosen race ! 
 
 They meetly sing, those heirs of Heaven ! 
 
 Thou sparest, Lord, Thy people here 
 No mortal care, no mortal woe : 
 
 Their bruised hearts Thou holdest dear 
 Nor frownest when their eyes o'erflow. 
 
 But mortal woes and mortal cares 
 May not o'erwhelm their joy divine : 
 
 They needs must smile, for Thou art theirs : 
 They needs must sing, for they are Thine. 
 
 Yes, Lord, in Thine Elect inspire 
 
 Joy that becomes their heavenly birth ; 
 
 Bid the mirth-loving world admire 
 Gladness that shameth its poor mirth. 
 
206 The Golden Chain 
 
 What visions bright their eyes do greet 
 Who with the Guide Celestial walk ! 
 
 What glorious things their lips repeat 
 Who with the Lord of Glory talk ! 
 
 What gladness in their smile beams forth 
 In whom their Lord's own light doth shine ! 
 
 What mirth is like their heaven-born mirth ! 
 What songs are like their songs divine ! 
 
 Thus while they evermore rejoice, 
 
 They bear sweet witness to Thy grace, 
 
 The witness of a cheerful voice, 
 The witness of a smiling face. 
 
 To the dear Master they allure 
 
 Who gladdens and uplifts them so : 
 
 Of the bright kingdom they assure 
 
 Whence such full streams of gladness flow. 
 
 Still joyful, Lord, Thy people make, 
 Their mirth thus blessedly employ, 
 
 Till Thou shalt call them to partake 
 The eternal fulness of Thy joy ! 
 
 " Rejoice Evermore." 
 
 LORD ! comes this bidding strange to us ? 
 
 How may this wonder be ? 
 What ! ever glad and rapturous, 
 
 These weary pilgrims, we ! 
 
of Praise. 207 
 
 May we with joy be ever filled 
 
 Whom sorrows never fail ? 
 Yes, here a Bower of Bliss up-build, 
 
 Here in the weeping Vale ? 
 
 Lord ! in each stricken, bleeding heart 
 
 May endless joy arise, 
 And none but tears of gladness start 
 
 From these oft drowned eyes ? 
 
 Our eyes may rain ; yet shineth clear 
 The brightness of Thy Face ; 
 
 Our hearts may faint ! yet still is near 
 Our mighty God of Grace. 
 
 O then the bitter tears may flow 
 And still the weeper smile ; 
 
 The heart may heavy be with woe 
 And yet be glad the while. 
 
 Yes, close beside the Fount of Tears 
 The Fount of Joy doth spring ; 
 
 Our very pains, our very fears 
 The Helper near do bring. 
 
 O mighty joy of sorrow born ! 
 
 Grief's holy, happy store ! 
 O blessed tears to smiles that turn ! 
 
 O gladness evermore ! 
 
 But Lord ! not always must we mourn 
 
 Ere joy divine be given ; 
 Not hardly won, not sorrow-born 
 
 The dear delights of Heaven. 
 
208 The Golden Chain 
 
 There bliss doth all the region fill, 
 Tli ere joy from joy doth rise : 
 
 The Vision Beatific still ! 
 The happy harmonies! 
 
 There each delight our own may be ; 
 
 No joy we there may miss : 
 We cannot help the ecstacy ; 
 
 We cannot lose the bliss. 
 
 There glory is to glory knit ; 
 
 From joy to joy we soar ; 
 Life Everlasting — what is it 
 
 But Gladness Evermore? 
 
 THE DIVINE GLADDENER. 
 " let the saints be joyful in glory. 11 
 
 DO we only give Thee heed, 
 
 Lord, when other help hath gone ? 
 
 Doth the soreness of our need 
 Send us to the Heavenly Throne ? 
 
 Wherefore should our souls repair 
 
 Only to the Comforter? 
 
 Mu^t not Thy glad creatures yearn 
 Of their best their Lord to bring ? 
 
 Must not happy spirits burn 
 To their Gladdener to spring? 
 
 Hath our joy for Thee no place? 
 
 Art Thou not our God of Grace ? 
 
of Praise. 209 
 
 Should not each bright, golden hour 
 
 Lay its lustre at Thy feet ? 
 May not, Lord, our blissful bower 
 
 Rise beneath Thy mercy-seat ? 
 Who like happy souls may call 
 For the wings celestial ? 
 
 Maketh not Thy presence cheer ? 
 
 May Thy lovers, Lord, be sad ? 
 Who are like the angels near ? 
 
 Who are like the angels glad ? 
 Fullest joy our hearts doth stir 
 When we feel the Gladdener. 
 
 When our life is all delight 
 
 On the Happy, Heavenly Hill, 
 'Tis because Thy presence bright 
 
 All the Heavenly Life doth fill. 
 Heaven our Land of Joy we call, 
 For the Lord is all in all. 
 
 There our very Bower of Bliss 
 
 Is Thine awful Holy Place ; 
 There our only Paradise 
 
 Is the shining of Thy Face. 
 Still on us Thy face doth shine ; 
 Still streams on our joy divine. 
 
 CXLVI. 
 
 JOY UNDER THE EYE OE GOD. 
 
 THY happy ones a strain begin ; 
 
 Dost Thou not, Lord, glad souls possess ? 
 Thy cheerful Spirit reigns within : 
 
 We feel Thee in our joyfulness. 
 
The Goldc?i Chain 
 
 To Thee each precious thing we owe : 
 To Thee we bring the due delight : 
 
 We play before our God : we show 
 Our gladness in the Gladdener's sight. 
 
 Thou wilt not, Lord, our smiles deny ; 
 
 The Spirit loves the mirth He makes ; 
 O sweet to the Taskmaster's eye 
 
 The cheer that each true servant takes ! 
 
 We turn to Thee a smiling face : 
 Thou sendest us the smile again : 
 
 Our joy, the fulness of Thy grace : 
 Thine own, the cheer of this glad strain. 
 
 Thou God of joy ! our souls do well 
 
 The life hereafter to forestall ; 
 We go with Happy Ones to dwell, 
 
 To help the Joy Celestial ! 
 
 "/ will play before the Lord." 
 
 I WILL be glad before Thee, 
 
 Thou Lord of my delight ! 
 My God ! I will adore Thee 
 
 With all my heart and might ; 
 Each member Thou didst fashion, 
 
 Each organ Thou didst frame, 
 Mine every power and passion 
 
 Shall glorify Thy name. 
 
of Praise. 
 
 My rapture runneth over, 
 
 My flesh is glad in Thee ; 
 Look down Thou Heavenly Lover ! 
 
 Thy mirthful seeker see ! 
 Aglow with holy pleasure, 
 
 I leap, I shout, I sing ; 
 I triumph without measure ; 
 
 I play before the King. 
 
 Amidst Thine earth's full beauty 
 
 I send my raptures forth ; 
 I teach the birds their duty ; 
 
 My mirth exceeds their mirth. 
 Amidst Thy new-creation 
 
 I glow, I sing, I soar ; 
 The joy of Thy salvation 
 
 Uplifts me more and more. 
 
 My joy I will not cover, 
 
 I will not hide my love ; 
 Mine own Eternal Lover ! 
 
 Thou, Thou wilt not reprove. 
 The foolish world may ponder 
 
 My mirth in dull amaze ; 
 May speak its scornful wonder, 
 
 May fix its scornful gaze. 
 
 Not to its scoff I hearken ; 
 
 Its frown I do not fear ; 
 My light it cannot darken ; 
 
 It shall not stint my cheer. 
 My thanks I will not mutter, 
 
 Nor keep my gladness low ; 
 But loud Thy love will utter, 
 
 But full my joy will show. 
 
7 he Golden Chain 
 
 O ! happy angels yonder 
 
 These transports will approve, 
 Will share this thankful wonder, 
 
 Will help this yearning love. 
 With me the Throng Supernal 
 
 Before the Lord will play : 
 And He the mirth eternal 
 
 With smiling eye survey. 
 
 THE ENDLESS STREAM OF PRAISE. 
 
 ' 1 will sing praises unto my God, 7vhile I have any being.' 
 
 WHAT stream but Love Divine is won 
 
 To flow through all our days ? 
 And what beside that Love should run 
 
 But the sweet stream of Praise ? 
 
 O ! not together from the first 
 
 The two bright rivers ran : 
 Yet soon the lower stream forth burst ; 
 
 Soon, Lord, Thy praise began. 
 
 O ! sweet our earliest days along 
 
 The streamlet pure did glide ; 
 With swelling years it waxed more strong, 
 
 With broadening life, more wide. 
 
 It murmured now o'er golden sands 
 
 Glad music to God's ears ; 
 Anon it shrank midst parched lands ; 
 
 It swelled with tender tears. 
 
of Praise. 213 
 
 O'er flats of shame and wastes of sin 
 
 Now mean it ran and low ; 
 Black, beetling rocks would shut it in, 
 
 Yet ne'er it ceased to flow. 
 
 'Midst fruitful fields, by blissful bowers, 
 
 Full flowed the gladsome stream ; 
 From smiling skies and banks of flowers 
 
 It caught a glorious gleam. 
 
 It murmurs more melodiously, 
 
 It runs more deep, more strong, 
 Until it mingleth with the sea 
 
 Of rapt, angelic song. 
 
 As still the heavenly bliss ascends, 
 
 The waves melodious move ; 
 And Everlasting Praise attends 
 
 On Everlasting Love. 
 
 THE GOLDEN CHAIN OF PRAISE. 
 
 "Every day will I bless Thee; and I will praise Thy name 
 for ever and ever." 
 
 O DAYS that low'r, O days that beam, 
 
 How may ye linked be ? 
 How from this jarring life may stream 
 
 One clear full harmony ? 
 
 Those years alone together cleave 
 
 Through which Thou, Lord, art praised ; 
 
 Where every morn, where every eve 
 Its voice hath Heavenward raised. 
 
2 1 4 The Golden Chain 
 
 Thrice blest those lips, Thy praise to frame 
 
 Whose earliest utterance strove ; 
 They stammered forth Thine awful name ; 
 
 They lisped Thy dear love. 
 
 Our sports were sweet, but ne'er forbade 
 
 The morning prayer to rise ; 
 We did our tasks, nor left unpaid 
 
 The evening sacrifice. 
 
 Our eager youth for glory burned, 
 
 Yet dear we held Thy grace ; 
 Towards Thy bright creatures, Lord, we yearned, 
 
 Yet still we sought Thy face. 
 
 Full many a day would sorrow bring, 
 Yet still Thy praise was brought ; 
 
 And sin oft clogged the spirit's wing, 
 Yet still Thy Heaven we sought. 
 
 We came in tears, we knelt in shame, 
 
 We feared the Awful Eye — 
 We blushed to name the Holy Name — 
 
 Yet upward went the cry. 
 
 The glory of each golden hour 
 
 Ne'er quenched the light of prayer ; 
 
 W T e lingered in our Blissful Bower 
 But made Thee welcome there. 
 
 O ! gladsome days for us have been, 
 
 And days of gloom and care, 
 And days of peace and days of sin ; 
 
 But all were days of prayer. 
 
of Praise. 2 1 5 
 
 Lord ! shall not all our days in store 
 
 Thus sweetly linked be ? 
 Shall not each morning Heavenward soar, 
 
 Each evening sing to Thee ? 
 
 O yes ! the bond of Thy dear praise 
 
 Shall ne'er for us be riven ; 
 'Twill stretch through all these mortal days, 
 
 All those bright years of Heaven. 
 
 O song sublime of Seraphim 
 
 Linked unto lisped lays ! 
 O sweet, undying, deepening hymn ! 
 
 O Golden Chain of Praise ! 
 
 CL. 
 
 THE FAMIL Y IN HE A VEN AND EARTH. 
 " All live in Him." 
 
 LORD ! if our dwelling place Thou art, 
 
 With all Thine own we dwell ; 
 O never may those lovers part 
 
 Who love the Lord full well. 
 
 Death has no bidding to divide 
 
 The souls that dwell in Thee : 
 Yes, all who in the Lord abide 
 
 Are of one family. 
 
 They mingle still their songs, their prayers ; 
 
 Thy people, Lord, are one, 
 Thy people in the Vale of Tears, 
 
 Thy people near the Throne. 
 
216 The Golden Chain 
 
 The souls most precious to us here 
 May from this home have fled ; 
 
 But still we make one household dear ; 
 One Lord is still our head. 
 
 Midst cherubim and seraphim 
 They mind their Lord's affairs ; 
 
 O ! if we bring our work to Him, 
 Our work is one with theirs. 
 
 O ! if we love the Lord they love, 
 Our hearts to theirs are knit ; 
 
 The home below, the home above 
 By the same light is lit. 
 
 Yet here their rapture may not burn, 
 Their peaee may not prevail ; 
 
 Thy household here doth sometimes mourn, 
 Doth sometimes faint and fail. 
 
 O unmixed sweetness of their song ! 
 
 O fulness of their love ! 
 Lord ! hallow us to join ere long 
 
 Thy family above ! 
 
 CLI. 
 
 THANKS FOR THE DEPARTED. 
 
 We bless Thy holy Name for all Thy servants departed 
 this life in Thy faith and fear" 
 
 MAY we not, Father, meetly moum 
 
 O'er our best lovers gone ? 
 Yes, sometimes for Thy servants yearn 
 
 From some great work withdrawn ? 
 
of Praise. 217 
 
 O mournful memory of love ! 
 
 O grief not undivine ! 
 O tears the Lord will not reprove, 
 
 Whereon the Lord may shine ! 
 
 But O ! not sighs and tears alone 
 
 The loving heart express : 
 Not theirs, who make perpetual moan, 
 
 The crown of faithfulness. 
 
 Ah Love that dares not be divine ! 
 
 Ah Grief that meanly grieves ! 
 Ah Hope that feareth full to shine ! 
 
 Ah Faith that half believes ! 
 
 We would not dare their bliss to mourn 
 
 Who in the Lord have died, — 
 To wail, as over souls forlorn, 
 
 O'er spirits glorified. 
 
 Lord ! they have parted in Thy fear : 
 
 Lord ! they abide in Thee : 
 Lord ! grant us grace, their followers here, 
 
 Their fellows there to be. 
 
 To Thee our thanks melodious soar 
 
 For every work they wrought ; 
 Thee, Thee most sweetly we adore 
 
 For all the joy they brought. 
 
 Their heavenly glory makes us bright ; 
 
 Their cheer our cheer doth move ; 
 We take a dear, divine delight 
 
 In their full bliss above. 
 
The Golden Chain 
 
 Soft, solemn be the strains that tell 
 Of lovers from us gone ; 
 
 But O ! let sweetest raptures swell 
 O'er spirits Thou hast won. 
 
 "Make us to be numbered with Thy saints in glory 
 everlasting" 
 
 GLADSOME moves the mighty muster 
 Of the heavenly dwellers bright : 
 
 How those Shining Ones bring lustre 
 Lord, to Thine own land of light ! 
 
 Strange the glory 
 Of that stainless raiment white ! 
 
 Yet on earth their cheer oft failed ; 
 
 Yet their faith oft faintly strove ; 
 Yet too oft the world prevailed 
 
 O'er the weakness of their love ; 
 Yet they stained 
 
 Those white robes the Saviour wove. 
 
 Then on us may break the glory; 
 
 Us who mourn and falter most ; 
 We may tell our sad, sweet story 
 
 'Midst Thine own white-robed host : 
 Our deep darkness 
 
 In Thy lustre may be lost. 
 
of Praise. 
 
 Lord ! we would not miss the sweetness 
 Of the eyes Thy face that see ; 
 
 Grant our souls the fair completeness 
 Of the saints that dwell with Thee : 
 
 Make us ever 
 Of their shining company ! 
 
 " Our Citizenship is in Ueave?i." 
 
 WE triumph in the glorious grace 
 
 That set us in this English land, 
 And welcome the high earthly place 
 
 Wherein our God hath made us stand. a 
 
 While service to our land we bring, 
 The Lord's own glory we would show \ 
 
 And wait upon our Heavenly King 
 In this our Commonwealth below. 
 
 But O ! to us a grace more great, 
 
 A dignity more dear is given : 
 He links us to a nobler State ; 
 
 He makes us citizens of Heaven. 
 
 Yes, mightily our hearts are bound 
 
 This goodly Father Land to love ; 
 But more our own Emmanuel's ground, 
 
 That better, dearer land above. 
 
 11 I mean the English land on both sides of the Alantic, New 
 England as well as Old England. This strain includes the citizens 
 of the great Republic as well as the subjects of the mighty 
 Monarchy. 
 
The Golden Chain 
 
 Our land's good laws we proudly praise, 
 Our land's great tale with triumph tell ; 
 
 But O ! what majesty arrays 
 The People of Emmanuel ! 
 
 Their glorious freedom how complete ! 
 
 How absolute His holy will ! 
 What tasks divine, what tribute sweet 
 
 Their spirits bring, their hands fulfil ! 
 
 Dear fellow-citizens they greet 
 
 Of every age, of every clime ; 
 Far dwellers in one City meet ; 
 
 Strange voices raise one song sublime. 
 
 Do our fond, faithful hearts partake 
 
 The Father Land's sore wounds and woe ? 
 
 Ah ! mourn we for the storms that break 
 Upon our Commonwealth below ? 
 
 Those storms, our peace they may not whelm ; 
 
 They cannot reach our true abode. 
 O sweetness of that Upper Realm ! 
 
 O peaceful City of our God ! 
 
 Ah ! seemeth it so sad to leave 
 
 Our Commonwealth and Country dear ? 
 
 Poor sojourners — we wrongly grieve ; 
 Our Father-Land — it lies not here. 
 
 O City where God's People dwell ! 
 
 O Home where no sweet bonds are riven ! 
 O Country of Emmanuel ! 
 
 The only Father-Land is Heaven. 
 
of Praise. 
 
 Joy ! Joy ! our King doth never die ; 
 
 Our City doth for ever stand ; 
 We serve the Eternal Majesty 
 
 And hold the Heavenly Father-Land. 
 
 " To him that overcometh." 
 
 WHO, Lord of Glory, will partake 
 
 Most largely of Thy bliss ? 
 To whom, sweet Saviour, dost Thou make 
 
 Thy sweetest promises ? 
 To him who overcomes Thy voice 
 
 With sevenfold grace doth sound : 
 He who overcometh shall rejoice, 
 
 With sevenfold glory crowned. 
 
 Soul ! wouldst thou from the battle shrink 
 
 And flee before the foe ? 
 Dost thou beneath the burden sink 
 
 And in the dust lie low ? 
 O ! waste not there vain tears and sighs ! 
 
 The trumpet soundeth clear ; 
 O'ercome, and to my glory rise ! 
 
 O'ercome, and triumph here ! 
 
 Wouldst Thou a fairer lot require 
 
 And lighter tasks essay ? 
 Dost thou a brighter sun desire 
 
 And wish a smoother way ? 
 
The Golden Chain 
 
 What saith the Master ? Overcome, 
 
 And thou shalt feast with Me, 
 In Paradise shalt make Thy home 
 
 And eat of life's fair tree. 
 
 Does earth withhold from thee her smile ? 
 
 Hast thou no glory here? 
 Do men reject thee and revile ? 
 
 What saith thy Saviour dear? 
 O'ercome, and I will name thy name 
 
 Before my Father's throne ; 
 Heaven from my mouth shall hear thy fame 
 
 And my true servant own. 
 
 Renewed soul ! dost thou aspire 
 
 To the glad life above ? 
 The Holy Land dost thou desire, 
 
 The Realm of Rest and Love ? 
 For thee it sounds — that Voice Divine 
 
 Tells thee the self-same road ; 
 O'ercome, and thou in white shalt shine 
 
 And make with Me abode. 
 
 Thou yearnest for thy Saviour's breast : 
 
 Unto the end o'ercome ! 
 Then on His bosom shalt thou rest ; 
 
 Then shalt thou smile at home. 
 The glory will be all thine own : 
 
 To thee He speaks, to thee ! 
 O'ercome, and sit upon my throne ! 
 
 O'ercome, and reign with Me ! 
 
of Praise. 223 
 
 CLV. 
 
 THE EVERLASTING REST 
 
 " There remaineth a rest for the people of God" 
 
 PATIENT art Thou, Lord, and gracious 
 
 With Thy servants in their woe ; 
 In Thy sight the tears are precious 
 
 From Heaven-turned eyes that flow : 
 Yet why sorrow 
 
 Heirs of rest eternal so ? 
 
 Hast Thou nought for them that love Thee, 
 
 No sweet guerdon for their pains ? 
 Lacks their love the power to move Thee, 
 
 Want and woe their only gains ? 
 Boundless Giver! 
 
 For Thine own a rest remains. 
 
 Would they for some treasure tarry, 
 
 Of more sweetness be possessed ? 
 Would they lighter burdens carry, 
 
 With more pleasant tasks be blessed ? 
 Bootless yearning ! 
 
 Theirs the everlasting rest. 
 
 Spare them, Lord, no task diurnal ! 
 
 Spare Thine own no burden sore ! 
 They can wait the Year Eternal, 
 
 They can wait the heavenly shore ; 
 Calm they tarry, 
 
 Heirs of rest for evermore. 
 
224 The Golden Chain 
 
 Here below a glorious gladness 
 
 Maketh sweet their toils and pains ; 
 
 Here they drop the song of sadness 
 For the glad immortal strains ; 
 Thou hast spoken ! 
 For Thine own a rest remains. 
 
 THE MOURNERS HEAVEN. 
 
 " Make us glad according to the days wherein Thou hast 
 afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil." 
 
 st. mary's 
 
 HOW bright they bloom, those Heavenly Bowers, 
 
 For all Thy people, Lord ! 
 What sweetness from the unfading flowers 
 
 O'er all their path is poured ! 
 
 That Heavenly Home — what joy is there 
 
 For hearts with love that beat ! 
 That Better Land, that Holy Air, 
 
 For seeking souls how sweet ! 
 
 But brightest, Lord, on weeping eyes 
 
 The Happy Fields do break ; 
 Those golden gates, those smiling skies 
 
 Thy mourners gladdest make. 
 
of Praise. 225 
 
 O eager to the Realm of Rest 
 
 The weary pilgrims come ; 
 What hearts, like hearts forlorn, are blest 
 
 In the sweet Heavenly Home ! 
 
 Who wave those palms so passing green ? 
 
 Who wear those robes so white ? 
 Whose forms doth the celestial sheen 
 
 Make most divinely bright ? 
 
 Thy martyrs, Lord, who welcome made 
 
 All sorrow and all shame, 
 On whom Thine own dear cross was laid, 
 
 Who hailed Thee through the flame. 
 
 O Vision Beatific ! shine 
 
 Full on the sages sad ; 
 The spirits mournfully divine 
 
 Lord, make divinely glad ! 
 
 These tears, these pains — what bliss they wake 
 
 The Happy Fields among ! 
 How sweet, how rapturous they make 
 
 The everlasting song ! 
 
 The memory of these mournful years 
 
 The heavenly joy fulfils ; 
 More sad and lone the Vale of Tears, 
 
 More bright the Eternal Hills. 
 
226 The Golden Chain 
 
 HEAVEN OUR HOLY LAND. 
 
 "There to fulfil Thy sweet commands 
 Our speedy feet shall move, 
 Nor Sin shall clog our winged zeal 
 Nor cool our burning love." 
 
 watts. 
 
 THE Happy Fields, the Heavenly Host, 
 
 The Realm of Rest above, 
 Do make us gladsome, Lord ; but most 
 
 The Holy Land we love. 
 
 O ! bright those golden gates must shine 
 
 That let no evil in ! 
 That boundless region how divine 
 
 That hath no room for sin ! 
 
 Sweet Holy Land ! sweet with the throng 
 
 Of souls divinely pure — 
 Where Holy, Happy Ones among 
 
 Thy pilgrims smile secure : 
 
 No more to weep o'er lustre lent, 
 O'er grace outpoured in vain ; 
 
 No more in anguish to repent 
 And then offend again ! 
 
 But gloriously to spend that grace 
 
 They boundlessly receive, 
 Nor once Thine image to deface 
 
 Nor once Thy Spirit grieve ! 
 
of Praise. 227 
 
 Oh ! here Thy servants soon give o'er, 
 
 But half Thy work fulfil : 
 How faint their zeal ! their strife how sore 
 
 To climb the Heavenly Hill ! 
 
 But there upon Thine errands sweet 
 
 With what glad speed they run ! 
 What smiling service ! how complete 
 
 The work divinely done ! 
 
 No Tempter there our souls shall stop 
 
 • Upon the sacred road, 
 Nor win our weak desires to drop 
 From glory and from God. 
 
 But angels kind their raptures blend, 
 
 As our rapt souls aspire ; 
 Our winged zeal their wings they lend, 
 
 Our burning love their fire. 
 
 Still, Lord, with Sorrow and with Sin 
 
 Wars here Thy Pilgrim Band ; 
 Yet blest the warfare that shall win 
 
 Thy Heaven, our Holy Land. 
 
 CLVIII. 
 
 THE DEBT OF HEAVEN TO EARTH. 
 
 LORD ! leadeth not this desert land 
 
 To our bright home with Thee ? 
 Dost Thou not mean Thy pilgrim band 
 
 The Golden Gates to see ? 
 
The Golden Chain 
 
 Yet may we carry to our home 
 
 Gifts in the desert given ; 
 Thou would'st not have Thy pilgrims come 
 
 All empty to Thy heaven. 
 
 Bright Angels ! on your store alone 
 
 We shall not need to live : 
 We bring you something of our own, 
 
 Our God's dear gifts we give. 
 
 We bring the strength by Him conferred 
 
 Unto the Heavenly Host; 
 We bring the shame for Him incurred 
 
 To be our endless boast. 
 
 We bring the wounds on earth that bled 
 
 To have sweet healing given ; 
 We bring the tears on earth we shed 
 
 To find them smiles in Heaven. 
 
 Your burning love the flame we lend 
 
 That here so humbly burned ; 
 And with your awful lore we blend 
 
 The lore on earth we learned. 
 
 We bring you each endeavour fair 
 That made earth's darkness shine ; 
 
 Each triumph o'er the foe ye share, 
 Each victory divine. 
 
 Each precious, pure delight that made 
 
 The Vale of Tears less sad, 
 Doth help the joys that never fade, 
 
 Doth make the angels glad. 
 
of Praise. 229 
 
 O happy Golden Hours below ! 
 Your glory hath not gone : 
 
 The grateful years eternal flow- 
 More bright because ye shone. 
 
 On earth we sing our heavenly songs, 
 
 With holy fire we burn ; 
 O Golden Harps ! O angel tongues ! 
 
 Our strains ye too may learn. 
 
 Dear Lord ! whose grace on earth we taste, 
 
 Whose glory down doth come, 
 Thou meanest not these gifts for waste ; 
 
 May we not bear them home ? 
 
 May we not, richly-laden, make 
 
 The wealth of Heaven the more, 
 And bringing gifts divine, partake 
 
 The sweet celestial store ? 
 
 CLIX. 
 
 THE WITNESS OF EARTH TO HE A VEN. 
 
 WHAT sweetness on Thine Earth doth dwell ! 
 
 How precious, Lord, these gifts of Thine ! 
 Yet sweeter messages they tell, 
 
 These earnests of delights divine. 
 
 Yes ! glory out of glory breaks, 
 
 More than the gift itself is given : 
 Each gift a glorious promise makes ; 
 
 Thine Earth doth prophesy of Heaven. 
 
230 The Golden Chain 
 
 These mighty hills we joy to climb, 
 These happy streams we wander by, 
 
 Reveal the Eternal Hills sublime, — 
 Of God's own river prophesy. 
 
 These odours blest, these gracious flowers, 
 These sweet sounds that around us rise, 
 
 Give tidings of the Heavenly Bowers, 
 Prelude the Angelic Harmonies. 
 
 These vernal hours — what news they bring ! 
 
 What tidings these bright summers tell ! 
 They fore-announce the Eternal Spring, 
 
 Foreshow the Light Ineffable. 
 
 And in these gracious ones so dear, 
 
 These just souls that our souls make strong, 
 
 We feel the holy angels near, 
 
 We mingle with the Blissful Throng. 
 
 O mercies kindly incomplete ! 
 
 Dear joys our hearts that may not fill ! 
 Strange grace ! that in Thy gifts most sweet 
 
 We read of gifts diviner still. 
 
 Lord ! from Thy gifts to Thee we rise ; 
 
 But with more strength we soar above 
 Upon these glorious prophecies, 
 
 These earnests of Thy dearer love. 
 
of Praise. 231 
 
 CHRIST OUR HEAVEN. 
 
 " // doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know 
 that when He doth appear we shall be like Him ; for 
 we shall set Him as He is." 
 
 OH ! beams there, Lord, upon Thine own 
 Of that bright Heaven no vision clear? 
 
 Oh ! stays the glory all unknown 
 
 Thou keepest for Thy children dear ? 
 
 Ah ! mourn we that no tidings come, 
 That no foretelling gleam is given — 
 
 And faintly hail that distant home 
 And vainly woo that veiled Heaven ? 
 
 Lord ! Thou hast shown that Son of Thine ; 
 
 No more we seek, no more we sigh : 
 On earth hath beamed His Face Divine, 
 
 'Twill make our blessedness on high. 
 
 Ye heavenly joys, remain unknown ! 
 
 Ye splendours, cease not to be dim ! 
 Our Brother shines amidst the throne : 
 
 Our Brother sways the Seraphim. 
 
 We ask not what the joy will be, 
 
 Secure to find our Saviour there ; 
 O Heaven of Heavens His face to see ! 
 
 O bliss past thought His smile to share ! 
 
232 The Golden Chain 
 
 We tread His Heaven, our earth Who trod ; 
 
 We wear His robes, our flesh Who wore : 
 O Son of Man ! O Son of God, 
 
 Thou art our own : we ask no more. 
 
 OUR EVERLASTING PORTION. 
 
 Whom have I in Heaven but Thee, and whom on earth do 
 I desire in comparison with Thee ? 
 
 I HAIL you not, Mansions Divine 
 
 Because ye are peaceful and fair ; 
 Your Builder, your Master is mine ; 
 
 My Father, my Saviour is there. 
 I cleave not to you, angels bright, 
 
 But to Him who filleth the throne ; 
 In Thee, Lord, in Thee I delight, 
 
 Thou, Thou art mine All, art mine own ! 
 
 Yes, Lover Divine, Thou art loved, 
 
 Yes, Lord of my heart, Thou art dear ; 
 Even now this cold bosom is moved ; 
 
 Thy presence is sweet even here ; 
 Still, still through the long mortal years 
 
 Thou makest with me Thine abode, 
 And still this dark Valley of Tears 
 
 Is bright with the smile of my God. 
 
 My friends true and tender have been, 
 
 But only in Thee am I blest : 
 'Tis sweet on their bosoms to lean, 
 
 'Tis sweetest to lean on Thy breast 
 
of Praise. 233 
 
 From creatures most gracious and bright 
 To the Lord of my heart still I turn ; 
 
 In fulness of earthly delight 
 
 For the Heavenly Lover I yearn. 
 
 My God ! art Thou dear even now ? 
 
 My Sun ! dost Thou shine even here ? 
 Then how will my joy in Thee grow 
 
 When Thou dost in glory appear ; 
 When close to Thy brightness I come, 
 
 And set my rapt gaze on Thy face 
 And sweetly enjoy Thee at home 
 
 And glow in Thine endless embrace ! 
 
 For ever that Presence of Thine 
 
 Makes blissful the Heavenly Abode ; 
 Thy saints and Thy seraphim shine, 
 
 But only with light from my God. 
 Thy beauty in them will be sweet ; 
 
 Thy glory will link them to me : 
 And still my glad soul will repeat 
 
 " Whom have I in Heaven but Thee ? " 
 
 " In my Father's house are many mansions' 
 
 O ! WHEN did lips such grace declare ? 
 
 The Father's house hath room ; 
 Yes, many are the mansion fair ; 
 
 Thy people all may come. 
 
»34 The Golden Chain 
 
 The heavenly glory may not part 
 
 Thy lovers, Lord, from Thee : 
 O Saviour sweet, where'er Thou art 
 
 There all Thine own shall be. 
 
 Full welcome to the heavenly land 
 
 Thy lowly lovers win ; 
 The golden gates all open stand 
 
 To let Thy mourners in. 
 
 Thou bringest home Thy shining ones 
 
 In Thine own light to shine : 
 Thou settest high on glorious thrones 
 
 Those hidden ones of Thine. 
 
 Room for Thy weaklings Thou dost make 
 
 Among Thy men of might ; 
 Those fadeless palms Thy martyrs take 
 
 .And wear that raiment white. 
 
 For each Thou hast a portion meet ; 
 
 On all doth wait Thy love ; 
 Thy brethren dear make yet more sweet 
 
 The Father's house above. 
 
 Dear Lord ! hast Thou my white robe wrought? 
 
 Wilt Thou my place prepare ? 
 Hast Thou for me a tender thought, 
 
 For me a mansion fair ? 
 
 Yes, in the Father's house divine 
 
 Find room, dear Lord, for me, 
 And grant this longing soul of mine 
 
 An endless home with Thee. 
 
of Praise. 235 
 
 ; The city hath no need of the sun neither of the moon to 
 shine i?i it : for the glory of God did lighten it." 
 
 BRIGHT sun ! thou dost blessedly shine ; 
 
 Fair earth doth rejoice in thy light ; 
 She draweth her beauty from thine : 
 
 Thou makest her gladsome and bright. 
 We bless thy strong splendour at noon, 
 
 We bless thy sweet radiance at even, 
 And welcome the soft-shining moon 
 
 When earth to her bright sway is given. 
 
 But fairer, but fuller the light 
 
 Through the Heavenly City that streams ; 
 Jerusalem shineth all bright 
 
 But not with the sun's golden beams : 
 Your smile, sun and moon, she can spare ; 
 
 Ye bear in her glory no part : 
 Thou only, dear Lord, beamest there, 
 
 Her glory, her sunshine Thou art. 
 
 Her smile from Thy beams she doth take ; 
 
 Her light in Thy light she doth see ; 
 Her music and mirth Thou dost make ; 
 
 Her beauty she borrows from Thee. 
 All bathed in the Glory Divine 
 
 Still, still she abides in Thy light ; 
 Her Sun never ceaseth to shine, 
 
 Her day never yieldeth to night. 
 
236 The Golden Chain 
 
 Here bright are the beams of Thy sun : 
 
 Here sweet are the rays of Thy grace : 
 But there both the glories are one, 
 
 Are one in the light of Thy face. 
 The Sun in their souls that did glow 
 
 Now bright on Thy saints doth arise ; 
 The joy of their hearts here below 
 
 Becomes the delight of their eyes. 
 
 They look on the Lord of their love, 
 
 The Lamb that was slain they behold ; 
 He maketh the glory above ; 
 
 He lighteth the city of gold. 
 They gaze on their Sun and grow bright ; 
 
 His beauty, His splendour they wear; 
 They see the ineffable sight : 
 
 The unspeakable glory they share. 
 
 Lord ! here in my heart dost Thou shine ? 
 
 Art Thou my soul's sunlight below ? 
 O then in that City Divine 
 
 Full, full on mine eyes Thou wilt glow. 
 For me as for all the glad throng 
 
 Thou makest Jerusalem bright ; 
 And still the glad stream of our song 
 
 Flows on midst the bliss of Thy light. 
 
of Praise. 237 
 
 CLXIV. 
 
 THE BETTER LAND. 
 " They shall behold the land that is very far off." 
 
 THE vale of tears your footsteps press, 
 
 Ye pilgrims worn and weak ; 
 Ye journey through the wilderness 
 
 The heavenly land who seek. 
 
 What mountains tower ! what foes assail ! 
 
 How long, how drear the road ! 
 What clouds forbid your eyes to hail 
 
 The City of your God ! 
 
 Ye look, ye listen eagerly 
 
 Of the far land to learn, 
 And dimly from some mountain high 
 
 The glory ye discern. 
 
 Yet will ye find the vision true 
 
 And reach the far off land ; 
 The Heavenly City will for you 
 
 Its pearly gates expand. 
 
 The Golden City ye shall tread 
 
 That faintly ye discerned, 
 And up the Eternal Hills be led 
 
 Whose distance dim ye mourned. 
 
 Amidst the glory ye shall walk 
 
 With glad, familiar feet; 
 With saints and angels shall ye talk 
 
 And each forerunner greet. 
 
238 The Golden Chain 
 
 The Great Forerunner's smile divine 
 
 Your gladness will fulfil ; 
 Before your eyes He full will shine 
 
 And lead His people still. 
 
 Lord ! shall I tread that far off land 
 And reach that bright abode? 
 
 Unite me to Thy pilgrim-band ! 
 Uphold me on the road ! 
 
 Help me each terror to defy, 
 Each hindrance to o'ercome ; 
 
 Through thickest clouds on mountains high 
 Fix, fix my gaze on home ! 
 
 Then shall I with familiar feet 
 
 The land far off explore, 
 And there the Great Forerunner greet, 
 
 The Heavenly King adore. 
 
 THE VISION BEATIFIC. 
 
 " Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty.' 
 
 NOT yet, ye people of His grace, 
 Ye see your Saviour face to face ; 
 Not yet enamoured eyes ye bring 
 Unto the glory of your King. 
 
 Ye follow in His steps below, 
 Along His thorny way ye go, 
 Ye stand His bitter cross beside, 
 Ye cling to Him, the Crucified. 
 
of Praise. 239 
 
 Upon His grace ye banquet here : 
 Ye know Him true, ye feel Him near; 
 The balm of His dear blood ye bless ; 
 Ye wear His robe of righteousness. 
 
 His might and mercy well ye know ; 
 His power and glory forth ye show ; 
 On His dear love ye wondering dwell ; 
 Of His dear love ye gladsome tell. 
 
 But greater shall the wonder grow, 
 But mightier shall the joy o'erflow; 
 Upon your Lord ye yet shall gaze 
 And look your love and sweet amaze. 
 
 The King on your enamoured eyes 
 In all His beauty will arise, 
 And make the people of His grace 
 Glad with the glory of His face. 
 
 Still will He grant you the delight 
 Of that eternal vision bright, 
 And still your mounting bliss advance 
 With beamings from His countenance. 
 
 As glory from His face doth stream, 
 Beneath the splendour ye shall gleam, 
 And gazing on for evermore 
 Glow with the beauty ye adore. 
 
 Lord ! with Thy people shall I raise 
 To Thee mine own enamoured gaze ? 
 Lord ! shall Thy loveliness divine 
 Break sweetly on these eyes of mine ? 
 
240 7 he Golden Chain of Praise. 
 
 O make me meet for joy like this ! 
 ! grant me grace to bear the bliss, 
 To set my heart on Thee below, 
 Nor other lord or love to know. 
 
 Then shall I set mine eyes on Thee, 
 The King in all His beauty see,' 
 And gazing on for evermore 
 Glow with the beauty I adore. 
 
Alphabetical Table of First Lines. 
 
 Ah mightily we weaklings crave - - - 41 
 
 Ah mortals who so soon decay - - - - 176 
 
 Ah tremblers fainting and forlorn - - - 149 
 
 Ah ! wherefore fall my tears so fast ? - - - 167 
 
 Alas, dear Lord, this cleaving sin - - - - 115 
 
 Alas these pilgrims faint and worn - - - 107 
 
 Alas this travail sore - - - - - 174 
 
 Alas with troubled tenderness .... 42 
 
 Alone with Thee, with Thee alone 26 
 
 And didst Thou, Lord, our sorrows take - - 45 
 
 Angels bright, in strength excelling 38 
 
 Behold the Everlasting Son .... 47 
 
 Break new-born year, on glad eyes break - - - 144 
 
 Bright Presence ! may my soul have part - - 100 
 
 Bright Sun, thou dost blessedly shine - - - 235 
 
 Bright the eye of Israel beamed - - - - 71 
 
 Bright Thy Presence when it breaketh - - - 27 
 
 Day divine ! when sudden streaming - - - 97 
 
 Dear Lord and Master mine - - - - - 162 
 
 Dear Lord ! Thou art not sorry - - - - 58 
 
 Dear Lord I Thou bringest back the morn - - - 145 
 
 Dear Lord ! Thy light Thou dost not hide - - 178 
 
 Dear Saviour ! how completely 32 
 
 Do we only give Thee heed .... 208 
 
 Doth the Heavenly country seem - - - - 61 
 
24a Alphabetical Table 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Each gift, dear Lord, by Thee bestowed - - 163 
 
 Everlasting, changing never ----- 81 
 
 Fain would I well employ my heart's poor treasure - 156 
 
 Faint not along the heavenly road 1 
 
 Farewell, delightful day .... 29 
 
 Father glorious with all splendour ... - 6 
 
 Father! hast Thou not on me - - - - 198 
 
 Full many a smile, full many a song - - - 13 
 
 Gladsome moves the mighty muster - - - 218 
 
 (brieves it, Lord, Thy longing lovers 77 
 
 IIa>t Thou not wrought Thy best on me - - 131 
 
 Holy Spirit dwell with me - - - - - 99 
 
 How bitter, Lord, these tears I shed ... S5 
 
 I low bright they bloom, those heavenly bowers - - 224 
 
 How can I, Lord, abide with Thee - - - 171 
 
 How eagerly my heart hath sought - - - - 129 
 
 How, Lord, shall vows of ours be sweet ? 3 
 
 How Thy saints rejoice before Thee - - - 171 
 
 I hail you not, mansions divine - - - 232 
 
 I will be glad before Thee - - - - - 210 
 
 Is earth too fair, is youth too bright - - - 147 
 
 Is not my spirit filled with Thine - - - - 23 
 
 Let bolder hearts the strife require - - - 122 
 
 Lift thy song among the nations - - - - 83 
 
 Lord ! am I precious in Thy sight ? - - 103 
 
 Lord ! come too many gifts from Thee - - 159 
 
 Lord ! comes this bidding strange to us - - - 206 
 
 Lord! didst Thou not forsake Thy heaven - - - 130 
 
 Lord ! dost Thou ne'er Thy servants bless - - 200 
 
 Lord, from these trembling souls of ours ... 4 
 
 Lord God of old who wentest ... - 30 
 
of First Lines. 243 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Lord God ! one blessing ever 88 
 
 Lord ! hath our work depended - - - 137 
 
 Lord ! have I walked with Thee to day - - - 146 
 
 Lord ! I am Thine — but scarce a gift - - - 120 
 
 Lord, I love Thee ! sin and sorrow - - - 152 
 
 Lord, if our dwelling place Thou art - - - 215 
 
 Lord ! in each weak endeavour - - - 138 
 
 Lord ! in this awful fight with sin - - - 182 
 
 Lord ! in Thy people dost Thou dwell - - - 55 
 
 Lord ! leadeth not this desert land - - - 227 
 
 Lord ! may not wrath within me rise - - - 116 
 
 Lord ! shall this weak world sore wound us - - 195 
 
 Lord ! Thou delightest meetly - - - 14 
 
 Lord ! Thou hast been our dwelling place - - 86 
 
 Lord ! Thou hast made this sinner whole 49 
 
 Lord ! Thy gracious voice hath spoken ... 79 
 
 Lord ! Thy presence dear delighteth - - - 18 
 
 Lord ! to Thy works so grand so fair - - - 22 
 
 Lord ! we would praise Thee gloriously - - 158 
 
 Lord ! what harmonious praise doth break - - 16 
 
 Lord ! when I all things would possess - - - 160 
 
 Lord ! when we come at Thy dear call - - - 106 
 
 Lord ! who Thy people hast pursued - - - 205 
 
 May we not, Father, meetly mourn - - - 216 
 
 May one who oft all earthward yearns - - - 151 
 
 Methinks the glory of my God - - - - 177 
 
 Methought my soul had learned to love - - 164 
 
 My God, I do not flee from Thee - - - 15 
 
 My God, my majesty Divine - - - 193 
 
 My God who all this happy while - - - 126 
 
 My Saviour ! art Thou not mine own ? - - 48 
 
 Not, Lord, its own dear joys alone - - - 11 
 
 Not ours to breathe that early air - - 60 
 
244 Alphabetical 7 able 
 
 PAGR 
 
 I love my God - - - - - 125 
 
 jret, ye people of His grace .... 238 
 
 Now to the One Almighty King ... g- 
 
 O awful hour when all alone - - - - 166 
 
 beaming tun 1 solemn stars 1 ... 24 
 
 <) dajS that low'r, O days that beam - - - 213 
 
 O Height that (loth all height excel ... 2 o 
 
 O !!• .ly Ghost who down dost come - - - 109 
 
 I tivine that passeth thought ... 46 
 
 ( ) mean may seem this house of clay 52 
 
 cry of Love Divine .... 54 
 
 O not alone in saddest plight - - - 172 
 
 O not to fill the mouth of fame - - 173 
 
 O not upon our waiting eyes . . . . 44 
 
 O saints of old ! not yours alone - - - 180 
 
 O smitten soul that cares and conflicts wring - - no 
 
 O Spirit sweet and pure - - - - - 113 
 
 O Thou, the Father's only Son 68 
 
 O Time ! ne'er resteth Thy swift wing - - - 143 
 
 ! when did lips such grace declare - - - 233 
 
 O wherefore hath my spirit leave - - 124 
 
 wherefore, Lord, doth Thy dear praise - - - 37 
 O'er fulness of grace blest Britain, rejoice - - 90 
 Offerer of the one oblation ..... 70 
 Oh ! beams there, Lord, upon Thine own - - 231 
 
 1 )ur God ! our God, Thou shinest here 80 
 
 Patient art Thou, Lord, and gracious - - - 223 
 
 Sad soul ! doth fear confound Thee - - 135 
 
 Saviour in grace complete .... -4 
 
 Saviour ! needs the world no longer - - - 50 
 
 Saviour ! what a glorious yearning ... 76 
 
 Saviour who from death didst take ... - 140 
 
of First Lines. 245 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Sore the burdens, Lord, we bear - - - 170 
 
 Speak to me, Lord, and I will speak 33 
 
 Speaks not the heart of friend to friend - - 190 
 
 Sweet Spirit ! would Thy breath divine - - - 105 
 
 Sweet, sweet these joys that throng me so - - 194 
 
 Tell of your Redeemer's passion ... 65 
 
 The glory of the spring how sweet - - - - 112 
 
 The Happy Fields, the Heavenly Host - - 226 
 
 The Lord sends forth His dooming voice - - - 92 
 
 The Vale of Tears your footsteps press - - - 237 
 
 They sought Thy tomb Thou Saviour sweet - - 62 
 
 Thou biddest, Lord, Thy sons be bold - 188 
 
 Thou tarriest with the Father 72 
 
 Thou who didst suffer and didst save - - - 57 
 
 Thou workest on, Eternal God 10 
 
 Thrice blessed soul, who still hath made - - 191 
 Thy happy ones a strain begin .... 209 
 
 To glory back Thou goest .... 64 
 
 To love Thee, Lord, we fain would learn - - - 155 
 
 Too dearly, Lord, hast Thou redeemed - - 141 
 
 Unto thy rest return • - - - - 133 
 
 Was't not enough to die for me ... 66 
 
 We come unto our Father's God - - - - 184 
 
 We triumph in the glorious grace - - - 219 
 
 What glory of the All Glorious God - . - 187 
 
 What guerdon hast Thou, Lord, for those - - 186 
 
 What stream but Love Divine is won - - - 212 
 
 What sweetness on Thine earth doth dwell - - 229 
 
 What though a pilgrim faint and worn - - 168 
 
 When shall I, Lord, a journey take - - - 117 
 
 Whence this flaming joy that maketh - - - 118 
 
 Wherefore, Lord, abides no might - - - 121 
 
j +(> Alphabetical Table of First Lines. 
 
 Who, Lord of Glory, will partake - - - 221 
 
 Why hasteth on this pilgrim throng - - - 102 
 
 With sin I would not make abode - - - 1 54 
 
 Would I not, Lord, for evermore - • - 128 
 
 Would not Thy people, Lord 36 
 
 Would the Spirit more completely ... 98 
 
 Ye children of the Father ----- 34 
 
 Ye of the Father loved .... - 8 
 
 Ye people of the Lord draw near - - - - 181 
 
 Ye souls for whom the Son did die - - - 202 
 Ye souls, the Father's very own .... 203 
 
 Ye tower, majestic hills, ye tower - 197 
 
 fjnukm : William Hunt and Company.