 | The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley |  |
ON THE DEATH OF MRS. HANNAH BUTTS.
PART I.
Happy, pure, impassive soul!
Ended are thy mournful days;
She hath reach'd the heavenly goal,
She hath won the glorious race;
'Scaped out of the stormy deep,
Angels welcome her to shore:
For ourselves, alas, we weep,—
Not for her, who weeps no more.
Ended are thy mournful days;
She hath reach'd the heavenly goal,
She hath won the glorious race;
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Angels welcome her to shore:
For ourselves, alas, we weep,—
Not for her, who weeps no more.
Early from our vale of tears
Snatch'd by her Redeemer's love,
Ripe for God, she now appears
With the spotless church above;
Mix'd with that triumphant choir,
Still the pitying saint looks down,
Bids us after her aspire,
Win the fight, and claim the crown.
Snatch'd by her Redeemer's love,
Ripe for God, she now appears
With the spotless church above;
Mix'd with that triumphant choir,
Still the pitying saint looks down,
Bids us after her aspire,
Win the fight, and claim the crown.
In the morning of her day,
Call'd to seek a hidden God,
Cheerful she pursued her way,
In the paths of duty trod,
(Guided by parental hands,
Stranger then to Christ her peace,)
Ran the way of His commands,
Follow'd after righteousness.
Call'd to seek a hidden God,
Cheerful she pursued her way,
In the paths of duty trod,
(Guided by parental hands,
Stranger then to Christ her peace,)
Ran the way of His commands,
Follow'd after righteousness.
One of those distinguish'd few
From their childhood sanctified,
Wash'd by Christ, she never knew
When the blood was first applied;
Favour'd of the Lord, and bless'd,
Nothing could His handmaid say,
Only by her life confess'd
He had borne her sins away.
From their childhood sanctified,
Wash'd by Christ, she never knew
When the blood was first applied;
Favour'd of the Lord, and bless'd,
Nothing could His handmaid say,
Only by her life confess'd
He had borne her sins away.
Silent follower of the Lamb,
Him in deed and truth she loved,
Prized the odour of His name,
Never from His statutes roved,
Track'd the footsteps of His flock,
With His poor disciples stay'd,
Follow'd by their Guardian-Rock,
Safe in His almighty shade.
Him in deed and truth she loved,
Prized the odour of His name,
Never from His statutes roved,
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With His poor disciples stay'd,
Follow'd by their Guardian-Rock,
Safe in His almighty shade.
Humble, like her Lord, and meek,
Did she not herself abase?
Swift to hear, and slow to speak,
Still she chose the lowest place,
Glad to be accounted least;
Each she to herself preferr'd,
Far beyond her fellows bless'd,
Always bless'd who always fear'd.
Did she not herself abase?
Swift to hear, and slow to speak,
Still she chose the lowest place,
Glad to be accounted least;
Each she to herself preferr'd,
Far beyond her fellows bless'd,
Always bless'd who always fear'd.
PART II.
Walking in her house with God,
Portion'd with the better part,
She her faith by actions show'd,
Martha's hand and Mary's heart:
Labouring on from morn to night,
Still she offer'd up her care,
Pleasing in her Saviour's sight,
Sanctified by faith and prayer.
Portion'd with the better part,
She her faith by actions show'd,
Martha's hand and Mary's heart:
Labouring on from morn to night,
Still she offer'd up her care,
Pleasing in her Saviour's sight,
Sanctified by faith and prayer.
Taught of God Himself to please,
Daily she fulfill'd His word,
In her meanest services
Ministering unto the Lord;
Happy if her constant smile
Might but ease the sufferer's load,
Soften a companion's toil,
Win her little ones to good.
Daily she fulfill'd His word,
In her meanest services
Ministering unto the Lord;
Happy if her constant smile
Might but ease the sufferer's load,
Soften a companion's toil,
Win her little ones to good.
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Gently she their will inclined,
Diligent her house to build,
Wisely, rationally kind,
With Divine discretion fill'd:
Far removed from each extreme,
Conscious why her babes were given,
Heirs of bliss, she lived for them,
Lived to train them up for heaven.
Diligent her house to build,
Wisely, rationally kind,
With Divine discretion fill'd:
Far removed from each extreme,
Conscious why her babes were given,
Heirs of bliss, she lived for them,
Lived to train them up for heaven.
Principled with faith unfeign'd,
Bless'd with Jesu's quiet mind,
Every part she well sustain'd,
Bright in every function shined:
Simple love, with lowly fear,
Kept possession of her breast,
Made her every act appear
Wisest, virtuousest, best.
Bless'd with Jesu's quiet mind,
Every part she well sustain'd,
Bright in every function shined:
Simple love, with lowly fear,
Kept possession of her breast,
Made her every act appear
Wisest, virtuousest, best.
PART III.
Born that others might rejoice,
Sweetly she their cares beguiled;
Listening to her tuneful voice,
Grief was hush'd, and anguish smiled:
Clouds she scatter'd with her eye,
Welcome as the peaceful dove;
Vanquish'd by her soft reply,
Nabal melted into love.
Sweetly she their cares beguiled;
Listening to her tuneful voice,
Grief was hush'd, and anguish smiled:
Clouds she scatter'd with her eye,
Welcome as the peaceful dove;
Vanquish'd by her soft reply,
Nabal melted into love.
More esteem'd as nearer view'd,
More beloved as longer known,
Good, without pretension good,
Smooth and swift her race she run;
Patiently her soul possess'd,
When His blessings she restored,
God in every stroke confess'd,
Meekly own'd, “It is the Lord!”
More beloved as longer known,
Good, without pretension good,
Smooth and swift her race she run;
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When His blessings she restored,
God in every stroke confess'd,
Meekly own'd, “It is the Lord!”
Witness, her companions here,
How she wail'd her infants dead;
You who saw her tenderest tear,
When her dearest comforts fled!
Did she not the murmurer shame,
Teach the sufferer to submit,
Bless her great Redeemer's name,
Weep in silence at His feet?
How she wail'd her infants dead;
You who saw her tenderest tear,
When her dearest comforts fled!
Did she not the murmurer shame,
Teach the sufferer to submit,
Bless her great Redeemer's name,
Weep in silence at His feet?
Smiling on His mourner there,
Ready all her tears to dry,
Israel's Strength and Comforter
Whisper'd her deliverance nigh:
Messenger of lasting peace,
Pain, immortalizing pain,
Hastens to her soul's release,
Gives her back her babes again.
Ready all her tears to dry,
Israel's Strength and Comforter
Whisper'd her deliverance nigh:
Messenger of lasting peace,
Pain, immortalizing pain,
Hastens to her soul's release,
Gives her back her babes again.
Anguish if her Lord employs,
Shall she not His choice approve?
Mark'd for everlasting joys,
Summon'd to her place above;
Happy in the arms of death,
Lo! the heavenly victim lies;
Rachel gasping out her breath,
Finishing her sacrifice!
Shall she not His choice approve?
Mark'd for everlasting joys,
Summon'd to her place above;
Happy in the arms of death,
Lo! the heavenly victim lies;
Rachel gasping out her breath,
Finishing her sacrifice!
Life is to her rescue come,
In her mortal pangs sustains;
By the Fruit of Mary's womb,
She the full salvation gains:
Every promise is fulfill'd,
Every grace and blessing given;
Now the glorious heir is seal'd,
Ripe for all the joys of heaven.
In her mortal pangs sustains;
By the Fruit of Mary's womb,
She the full salvation gains:
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Every grace and blessing given;
Now the glorious heir is seal'd,
Ripe for all the joys of heaven.
Heaven expanded in her heart,
Love ineffable, Divine,
Makes the soul and body part,
Swells and bursts the earthly shrine:
Wafted by the' angelic powers,
In an ecstasy of praise,
To her Saviour's arms she soars,
Finds His throne, and sees His face!
Love ineffable, Divine,
Makes the soul and body part,
Swells and bursts the earthly shrine:
Wafted by the' angelic powers,
In an ecstasy of praise,
To her Saviour's arms she soars,
Finds His throne, and sees His face!
| The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley | |