WAITING FOR OUR CHANGE.

"To die is gain."

The Lord, who made the worlds above, Made this fair world below,

And in it tokens of his love

And power all things show:

And, were it not we also see
Tokens of sin and death,
Here we might almost wish to be
For ever drawing breath:

But, as with each succeeding year
Sorrows and cares increase,

We

pray not to continue here, But die, and be at peace.

Yet not so much this world as we,

Who need a change of state, Nor can we quite restorèd be,

Till we have passed Death's gate.

With bodies changed, with souls renewed,

New creatures we shall rise,

With higher powers by grace endued,
To live in Paradise.

HEAVENLY REST.

“There remaineth a rest for the people of God."

The Heavenly rest! Who would not so be blest?

This world so fair!

What doth it yield but care?
And yet we fear

To think that death is near!

Death is no foe,

'Twas God ordained it so:

When Jesus died,

Jesus was glorified ;

Death sets us free

From earthly misery;

When dead, we are

In God's protecting care;

Our friends may weep,

But we shall calmly sleep:

Hope is not dead,

When this short life has fled : Hope still survives,

And more than ever thrives : Earth is no tomb,

Earth is man's second womb;

We rise again,

When Jesus comes to reign ;

They who are his

Shall have eternal bliss.

Would we be blest,

Seek we the Heavenly rest ;

Gain here is loss,

Our highest gain the Cross;

Faith, hope, and love—

These fit men for above.

This life once o'er,

We rest for evermore.

LIFE IN THE WILDERNESS.

"The Spirit driveth him into the wilderness."

To some wild desert glen
Far from the haunts of men
God bids us go;

Then be it so,

For weal or woe.

What though we have our home,

Where wild beasts love to roam ;
Angels are near

To minister

We will not fear.

When compassed round with pain
We shall not call in vain;

Our Saviour bore

For us before

All this and more.

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