Songs 51

¹Soon shall this earthly frame, dissolv’d,

in death and ruins lie;

But better mansions wait the just,

prepar’d above the sky.

²An house eternal, built by God,

shall lodge the holy mind,

When once those prison‐walls have fall’n

by which ’tis now confin’d.

³Hence, burden’d with a weight of clay,

we groan beneath the load,

Waiting the hour which sets us free,

and brings us home to God.

⁴We know, that when the soul, uncloth’d,

shall from this body fly,

’Twill animate a purer frame

with life that cannot die.

⁵Such are the hopes that cheer the just;

these hopes their God hath giv’n;

His Spirit is the earnest now,

and seals their souls for heav’n.

⁶We walk by faith of joys to come,

faith grounded on his word;

But while this body is our home,

we mourn an absent Lord.

⁷What faith rejoices to believe,

we long and pant to see;

We would be absent from the flesh,

and present, Lord! with thee.

⁸But still, or here, or going hence,

to this our labours tend,

That, in his service spent, our life

may in his favour end.

⁹For, lo! before the Son, as judge,

th’ assembled world shall stand,

To take the punishment or prize

from his unerring hand.

¹⁰Impartial retributions then

our diff’rent lives await;

Our present actions, good or bad,

shall fix our future fate.