Henry Charles Beeching, ed. (1859–1919). Lyra Sacra: A Book of Religious Verse. 1903.
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MY 1 soul, go boldly forth, | |
Forsake this sinful earth, | |
What hath it been to thee | |
But pain and sorrow, | |
And think’st thou it will be | 5 |
Better to-morrow? | |
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Why art thou for delay? | |
Thou cam’st not here to stay: | |
What tak’st thou for thy part | |
But heavenly pleasure? | 10 |
Where then should be thy heart | |
But where’s thy treasure? | |
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There I shall know God more, | |
There is the blessed chore, 2 | |
No wickedness comes there, | 15 |
All there is holy: | |
There is no grief or fear, | |
No sin or folly. | |
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Love flames in every breast | |
The greatest and the least, | 20 |
Strangers to this sweet life | |
There are not any. | |
Love leaves no place for strife, | |
Makes one of many. | |
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Each is to other dear; | 25 |
No malice enters there, | |
No siding difference, | |
No hurt, no evil; | |
Because no ignorance, | |
No sin, no devil. | 30 |
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What joy must there needs be | |
Where all God’s glory see, | |
Feeling God’s vital love | |
Which still is burning; | |
And flaming Godward move, | 35 |
Full love returning. | |
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Gladly, my soul, go forth; | |
Is heaven of no more worth | |
Than this curst desert is, | |
This world of trouble? | 40 |
Prefer eternal bliss | |
Before this bubble. | |
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Wish not still for delay; | |
Why would’st thou longer stay | |
From Christ, from home so far, | 45 |
In self-denial: | |
And live in longer war | |
A life of trial? | |
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Cherish not causeless doubt | |
That God will shut thee out: | 50 |
What if He thee assured | |
From heaven by letter? | |
His Son, His Spirit, and Word | |
Have done it better. | |
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Christ who knows all His sheep | 55 |
Will all in safety keep. | |
He will not lose His blood | |
Nor intercession: | |
Nor we the purchased good | |
Of His dear Passion. | 60 |
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I know my God is just, | |
To Him I wholly trust | |
All that I have and am, | |
All that I hope for: | |
All’s sure and seen to Him | 65 |
Which I here grope for. | |
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Lord Jesus, take my spirit, | |
I trust Thy love and merit: | |
Take home this wandering sheep, | |
For Thou hast sought it: | 70 |
This soul in safety keep, | |
For Thou hast bought it. Amen. | |