Christian Songs, Song LXXXVIII

When I, a sinner, think on death, It yields me great relief, That Christ endur'd the cross, and dy'd For sinners, ev'n the chief.

2 And that he rose, and comes again, Full fraught with life and pow'r, To raise our bodies, that they may Corruption see no more.

3 But I am puzzled still to think, When all our members die, How these our spirits, separate, Can either live or be.

4 Since our souls' life consists in thought; How can we further think, When all our instruments of thought Are utterly extinct?

5 Fear not, saith Jesus, follow me, I past that state before; The glory round me to your souls A clothing shall restore.

6 Your souls departing trust to me, And to my care commend: Death's keys I have; and from it's sting I can your souls defend.

7 When this your house of earth's dissolv'd, You shall not naked be; A house eternal in the heav'ns Shall cover you with me.

8 Abundant entrance I'll give you Into my kingdom bless'd, There present to abide with me, Of heav'nly house possess'd.

9 Think how the moon's opacous globe, And how the planets bright, A being have among the orbs Who minister the light.

10 Do they not shine, by dwelling in The bright, the living rays, Which that refulgent orb, the sun, Thro' all the world displays.

11 So you by me, the fount of light, The sun of righteousness, As lesser lights, with borrow'd rays, Shall shine in holiness.

12 Our body's absence is no loss: For, saith his faithful word, That absence fully is supply'd By presence with the Lord.

13 Our mortal shall be cloath'd upon With immortality; Mortality shall swallowed be Of life eternally.

14 And in due time, when loos'd from death, Our bodies also shall Within these mansions, near the Lord, Reside thro' ages all.

15 While in this house then, let us live Unto the Lord, that when He comes in glory, we with him May ever live.—AMEN.