Secon Advent

341

He cometh.

1 HARK! the cry, "Behold, He cometh,"

Hark! the cry. "The Bridegroom's near,"

These are accents falling sweetly On the ransom'd sinner's ear.

2 Man may disbelieve the tidings, Or in anger turn away;

'Tis foretold there shall be scoffers Rising in the latter day:

3 But He'll come, the Lord from heaven, Not to suffer or to die; But to take His waiting people To their glorious rest on high.

4 Happy they who stand expecting Christ, the Saviour, to appear:

Sad for those who do not love Him, Those who do not wish Him here.

5 But in mercy still He lingers, Lengthening out the day of grace;

Till He comes, inviting sinners To His welcome, fond embrace.

Albert Midlane, 1864

342 The coming Glory.

1 'MID the splendours of the glory Which we hope ere long to share;

Christ our Head, and we His members, Shall appear divinely fair.

Oh, how glorious! When we meet Him in the air!

2 From the dateless, timeless periods, He has loved us without cause: And for all His blood-bought myriads, His is love that knows no pause.

Matchless Lover!

Changeless as the eternal laws!

3 Oh what gifts' shall yet be granted, Palms, and crowns, and robes of white, When the hope for which we panted Bursts upon our gladden'd sight, And our Saviour Makes us glorious through His might.

4 Bright the prospect soon that greets us Of that longed-for nuptial day, When our heavenly Bridegroom meets us On His kingly, conquering way; In the glory, Bride and Bridegroom reign for aye!

William Reed, 1863

343 The Kingdom of Christ amongst Men

1 LO! what a glorious sight appears To our believing eyes! The earth and seas are pass'd away, And the old rolling skies.

1 From the third heaven, where God resides, That holy, happy place, The new Jerusalem comes down, Adorn'd with shining grace.

3 Attending angels shout for joy, And the bright armies sing, "Mortals, behold the sacred seat Of your descending King.

4 "The God of glory down to men Removes His bless'd abode, Men the dear objects of His grace, And He their loving God.

5 "His own soft hand shall wipe the tears From every weeping eye, And pains, and groans, and griefs, and fears, And death itself shall die."

6 How long, dear Saviour! Oh how long Shall this bright hour delay?

Ply swifter round, ye wheels of time, And bring the welcome day!

Isaac Watts, 1709

344 Glory of the Chosen

1 LORD, in love Thou didst receive us, Ere creation, as "Thine own," And that love will never leave us, But will raise us to Thy throne.

Thou wilt come, and we shall meet Thee;

Then the saints whom Thou wilt raise, Will with those remaining greet Thee, Joining in the song of praise.

2 Then shall we, Thine image bearing, Know Thee, Lord, as we are known; With our blood-wash'd robes, declaring What for us Thy death hath done.

Thus we all our joys expressing, Shall for ever praise Thy name;

"Glory, power, dominion, blessing, Be to God and to the Lamb."

James Kelly's Collection, 1849.

345

Come quickly.

1 COME, Lord, and tarry not;

Bring the long-look'd-for day;

Oh, why these years of waiting here, These ages of delay?

2 Come, for Thy saints still wait;

Daily ascends their sigh; The Spirit and the bride say, Come;

Dost Thou not hear the cry?

3 Come, for creation groans, Impatient of Thy stay, Worn out with these long years of ill, These ages of delay.

4 Come, for the corn is ripe, Put in Thy sickle now, Reap the great harvest of the earth;

Sower and Reaper Thou!

5 Come, in Thy glorious might, Come with the iron rod, Scattering Thy foes before Thy face, Most mighty Son of God.

6 Come, and make all things new, Build up this ruin'd earth, Restore our faded Paradise, Creation's second birth.

7 Come, and begin Thy reign Of everlasting peace;

Come, take the Kingdom to Thyself, Great King of Righteousness.

Horatius Bonar, 1857

346 Signs of the Second Advent

1 WHEN the gospel race is run, When the Gentile day is done, Signs and wonders there shall be In the heaven, and earth, and sea.

2 Jesus, in that awful hour Every soul shall own Thy power, Every eye "the cloud" shall scan, Signal of the Son of man.

3 Lo! mid terror and mid tears, Jesus in the clouds appears, While the trump's tremendous blast Peals, the loudest and the last.

4 East and west, and south and north, Speeds each glorious angel forth, Gathering in with glittering wing Zion's saints to Zion's King.

5 Man nor angel knows that day, Heaven and earth shall pass away;

Still shall stand the Saviour's word, Deathless as its deathless Lord.

William Dickinson, 1846.

347 "Thy Kingdom come."

1 ISLES of the deep, rejoice! rejoice!

Ye ransom'd nations, sing The praises of your Lord and God, The triumphs of your King.

2 He comes, and at His mighty word, The clouds are fleeting past, And o'er the land of promise see, The glory breaks at last.

3 There He, upon His ancient throne, His power and grace displays, While Salem with its echoing hills, Sends forth the voice of praise.

4 Oh, let His praises fill the earth While all the blest above. In strains of loftier triumph still, Speak only of His love.

5 Sing, ye redeem'd! Before the throne, Ye white-robed myriads fall;

Sing—for the Lord of glory reigns, The Christ—the heir of all.

Edward Denny, 1848.

348 Welcome, Son of God

1 WELCOME sight, the Lord descending, Jesus in the clouds appears;

Lo! the Saviour comes intending Now to dry His people's tears.

Lo! the Saviour comes to reign, Welcome to His waiting train.

2 Long they mourn'd their absent Master;

Long they felt like men forlorn;

Bid the seasons fly still faster, While they sigh'd for His return:

Lo! the period comes at last;

All their sorrows now are past.

3 Now from home no longer banish'd, They are going to their rest;

Tho' the heaven and earth are vanish'd, With their Lord they shall be blest;

Blest with Him His saints shall be, Blest through all eternity.

4 Happy people! grace unbounded, Grace alone exalts you thus; Be ashamed, and be confounded, Sing for ever—"Not to us, Not to us be glory given, Glory to the God of heaven!"

Thomas Kelly, 1809.

349 "Behold, He cometh."

1 LIFT your heads, ye friends of Jesus, Partners of His sufferings here;

Christ to all believers precious, Lord of lords shall soon appear:

Mark the tokens Of His heavenly kingdom near!

2 Close behind the tribulation Of the last tremendous days, See the naming revelation!

See the universal blaze!

Earth and heaven Melt before the Judge's face!

3 Sun and moon are both confounded, Darken'd into endless night, When with angel-hosts surrounded, In His Father's glory bright Beams the Saviour;—

Shines the everlasting Light.

4 Lo! 'tis He! our heart's desire, Come for His espoused below!

Come to join us with His choir, Come to make our joys o'erflow;

Palms of victory, Crowns of glory to bestow.

Charles Wesley, 1758

350 "Come, Lord Jesus."

1 WHEN shall Thy lovely face be seen? When shall our eyes behold our God?

What lengths of distance lie between, And hills of guilt!—a heavy load!

2 Our months are ages of delay, And slowly every minute wears:

Fly winged time, and roll away These tedious rounds of sluggish years.

3 Ye heavenly gates, loose all your chains:

Let the eternal pillars bow!

Blest Saviour, cleave the starry plains, And make the crystal mountains flow!

4 Hark how Thy saints unite their cries, And pray and wait the general doom!

Come, Thou, the soul of all our joys!

Thou, the Desire of Nations, come!

5 Put Thy bright robes of triumph on, And bless our eyes, and bless our ears, Thou absent Love, Thou dear unknown, Thou fairest of ten thousand fairs.

Isaac Watts, 1706.

351

Reign of Christ

1 BRIGHT with all His crowns of glory, See the royal Victor's brow;

Once for sinners marr'd and gory, See the Lamb exalted now:

While before Him All His ransom'd brethren bow.

2 Blessed morning! long expected, Lo! they fill the peopled air, Mourners once by man rejected, They with Him, exalted there, Sing His praises, And His throne of glory share.

3 Judah! lo thy royal Lion Reigns on earth, a conquering King:

Come, ye ransom'd tribes of Zion, Love's abundant offerings bring;

There behold Him, And His ceaseless praises sing.

4 King of kings! Let earth adore Him, High on His exalted throne;

Fall, ye nations, fall before Him, And His righteous sceptre own:

All the glory Be to Him, and Him alone!

Edward Denny, 1837

352 The latter-day glory

1 BEHOLD! the mountain of the Lord In latter days shall rise On mountain-tops, above the hills, And draw the wondering eyes.

2 To this the joyful nations round, All tribes and tongues, shall flow;

Up to the hill of God, they'll say, And to His house we'll go.

3 The beam that shines from Zion hill Shall lighten every land; The King that reigns in Salem's towers Shall all the world command.

4 Among the nations He shall judge; His judgments truth shall guide; His sceptre shall protect the just, And quell the sinner's pride.

5 No strife shall vex Messiah's reign, Or mar those peaceful years; To ploughshares men shall beat their swords, To pruning-hooks their spears.

6 No longer hosts encountering hosts, Their millions slain deplore:

They hang the trumpet in the hall, And study war no more.

7 Come, then! oh come from every land, To worship at His shrine, And. walking in the light of God, With holy beauties shine.

Michael Bruce, 1768

353 "His Name shall endure for ever."

1 HAIL to the Lord's Anointed;

Great David's greater Son!

Hail, in the time appointed, His reign on earth begun!

He comes to break oppression, To set the captive free, To take away transgression, And rule in equity.

2 He shall come down like showers Upon the fruitful earth;

Love, joy, and hope, like flowers, Spring in His path to birth:

Before Him, on the mountains Shall peace, the herald, go; And righteousness, in fountains, From hill to valley flow.

3 Arabia's desert ranger To Him shall bow the knee: The Ethiopian stranger His glory come to see: With offerings of devotion, Ships from the isles shall meet, To pour the wealth of ocean In tribute at His feet.

4 Kings shall fall down before Him, And gold and incense bring;

All nations shall adore Him, His praise all people sing: For He shall have dominion O'er river, sea, and shore, Far as the eagle's pinion, Or dove's light wing can soar.

5 For Him shall prayer unceasing And daily vows ascend; His kingdom still increasing, A kingdom without end; The mountain dew shall nourish A seed in weakness sown, Whose fruit shall spread and flourish, And shake like Lebanon.

6 O'er every foe victorious, He on His throne shall rest; From age to age more glorious, All blessing and all blest. The tide of time shall never His covenant remove; His name shall stand for ever. That name to us is—Love.

James Montgomery, 1822

354

Hasten, Lord.

1 SEE the ransom'd millions stand, Palms of conquest in their hand; This before the throne their strain.

"Hell is vanquish'd, death is slain;

Blessing, honour, glory, might, Are the Conqueror's native right;

Thrones and powers before Him fall;

Lamb of God. and Lord of all!"

2 Hasten, Lord! the promised hour;

Come in glory and in power;

Still Thy foes are unsubdued;

Nature sighs to be renew'd.

Time has nearly reached its sum, All Things with Thy bride say "Come;"

Jesus, whom all worlds adore, Come, and reign for evermore!

Josiah Conder, 1836-1856

355 Universal reign of Christ

1 HARK! the song of Jubilee, Loud as mighty thunders roar, Or the fulness of the sea, When it breaks upon the shore;

Hallelujah! for the Lord God omnipotent shall reign;

Hallelujah! let the word Echo round the earth and main.

2 Halleluiah!—hark! the sound, From the centre to the skies, Wakes above, beneath, around, All creation's harmonies:

See Jehovah's banner furl'd, Sheathed His sword! He speaks—'tis done And the kingdoms of this world Are the kingdoms of His Son.

3 He shall reign from pole to pole, With illimitable sway;

He shall reign when like a scroll, Yonder heavens have pass'd away:

Then the end;—beneath His rod, Man's last enemy shall fall;

Hallelujah! Christ in God, God in Christ is all in all.

James Montgomery, 1819, a.

356 "O Lord, how long?"

1 TO Calvary, Lord, in spirit now, Our weary souls repair, To dwell upon Thy dying love, And taste its sweetness there.

2 Sweet resting-place of every heart, That feels the plague of sin, Yet knows that deep mysterious joy, The peace with God, within.

3 There, through Thine hour of deepest woe, Thy suffering spirit pass'd;

Grace there its wondrous victory gain'd, And love endured its last.

4 Dear suffering Lamb! Thy bleeding wounds, With cords of love divine, Have drawn our willing hearts to Thee, And linked our life with Thine.

5 Thy sympathies and hopes are ours:

Dear Lord! we wait to see Creation, all below, above, Redeem'd and blest by Thee.

6 Our longing eyes would fain behold That bright and blessed brow.

Once wrung with bitterest anguish, wear Its crown of glory now.

7 Why linger then? Come, Saviour, come, Responsive to our call;

Come, claim Thine ancient power, and reign The Heir and Lord of all.

Edward Denny, 1839.

357 Triumphs of the Saviour 1 GO forth, ye saints, behold your King With radiant glory crown'd; The wondrous progress of His word Shall spread His fame around.

2 Where'er the sun begins Its race, Or stops its swift career, Both east and west shall own His grace, And Christ be honour'd there.

3 Ten thousand crowns encircling show The victories He has won:

Oh may His conquests ever grow, While time its course shall run.

4 Ride forth, Thou mighty Conqueror, ride, And millions more subdue, Destroy our enmity and pride, And we will crown Thee too.

Benjamin Beddome, 1818.

358 The Lord shall reign for ever 1 ZION'S King shall reign victorious, All the earth shall own His sway, He will make His kingdom glorious, He will reign through endless day.

What though none on earth assist Him, God requires not help from man:

What though all the world resist Him, God will realize His plan.

2 Nations now from God estranged, Then shall see a glorious light, Night to day shall then be changed, Heaven shall triumph in the sight:

See the ancient idols falling!

Worshipp'd once, but now abhorr'd;

Men on Zion's King are calling, Zion's King by all adored.

3 Then shall Israel long dispersed, Mourning, seek the Lord their God, Look on Him whom once they pierced, Own and kiss the chastening rod:

Then all Israel shall be saved, War and tumult then shall cease, While the greater Son of David Rules a conquered world in peace.

Thomas Kelly, 1806.

359 The Jews restored 1 WAKE, harp of Zion, wake again, Upon thine ancient hill, On Jordan's long deserted plain, By Kedron's lowly rill.

2 The hymn shall yet in Zion swell That sounds Messiah's praise, And Thy loved name, Immanuel! As once in ancient days.

3 For Israel yet shall own her King, For her salvation waits, And hill and dale shall sweetly sing With praise in all her gates.

4 Hasten, O Lord, these promised days, When Israel shall rejoice; And Jew and Gentile join in praise, With one united voice.

James Edmeston, 1846

360 The coming One

1 BEHOLD He comest the glorious King Whom once a cross upbore;

Let saints redeem'd His praises sing, And angel hosts adore.

2 The reed, the purple, and the thorn, Are lost in triumph now; His person robes of light adorn, And crowns of gold His brow.

3 Dear Lord, no more despised, disown'd, A victim bound and slain; But in the power of God enthroned, Thou dost return to reign.

4 To Thee the world its treasure brings; To Thee its mighty bow; To Thee the church exulting springs; Her Sovereign, Saviour Thou!

5 Beneath Thy touch, beneath Thy smile, New heavens and earth appear; No sin their beauty to defile, Nor dim them with a tear.

6 Thrice happy hour! and those thrice-blest, That gather round Thy throne!

They share the honours of Thy rest, Who have Thy conflict known.

Joseph Tritton, 1856.

361

Judgment

1 LO! He comes with clouds descending, Once for favoured sinners slain;

Thousand thousand saints attending, Swell the triumph of His train:

Hallelujah!

God appears on earth to reign.

2 Every eye shall now behold Him, Robed in dreadful majesty;

Those who set at nought and sold Him, Pierced and nail'd Him to the tree,

Deeply wailing, Shall the true Messiah see.

3 Every Island, sea, and mountain, Heaven and earth shall flee away:

All who bate Him must, confounded, Hear the trump proclaim the day:

Come to judgment!

Come to judgment, come away!

4 Now redemption, long expected, See in solemn pomp appear!

All His saints, by man rejected, Now shall meet Him in the air

Hallelujah!

See the day of God appear.

6 Answer Thine own bride and Spirit, Hasten, Lord, the general doom; The new heaven and earth t' inherit, Take Thy pining exiles home:

All creation Travails, groans, and bids Thee come!

6 Yea, amen, let all adore Thee, High on Thine eternal throne!

Saviour, take the power and glory;

Claim the kingdom for Thine own:

Oh come quickly!

Everlasting God, come down.

Variation by Martin Madan, 1760 From John Cenniek, 1752;

Charles Wesley, 1768

362 That Great Day

1 DAY of judgment, day of wonders!

Hark, the trumpet's awful sound, Louder than a thousand thunders, Shakes the vast creation round!

How the summons Will the sinner's heart confound!

2 See the Judge our nature wearing, Clothed in majesty divine!

Ye who long for His appearing, Then shall say, "This God is mine!"

Gracious Saviour!

Own me in that day for Thine!

3 At His call the dead awaken, Rise to life from earth and sea;

All the powers of nature shaken By His looks prepare to flee:

Careless sinner!

What will then become of Thee?

4 Horrors, past imagination, Will surprise your trembling heart, When you hear your condemnation, "Hence, accursed wretch, depart!

Thou with Satan And his angels have thy part."

5 Bat to those who have confessed, Loved and served the Lord below, He will say, "Come near, ye blessed!

See the kingdom I bestow!

You for ever Shall My love and glory know."

6 Under sorrows and reproaches. May this thought our courage raise, Swiftly God's great day approaches, Sighs shall then be changed to praise!

We shall triumph, When the world is in a blaze!

John Newton, 1779

363

Lo, He cometh!

1 LO! He cometh! countless trumpets Blow to raise the sleeping dead!

'Mid ten thousand saints and angels, See the great exalted Head!

Hallelujah!

Welcome, welcome, Son of God

2 Now His merit, by the harpers, Through the eternal deep resounds;

Now resplendent shine his nail-prints, Every eye shall see His wounds:

They who pierced Him Shall at His appearance wail.

3 Full of joyful expectation, Saints, behold the Judge appear;

Truth and justice go before Him, Now the joyful sentence hear!

Hallelujah!

Welcome, welcome, Judge divine!

4 "Come, ye blessed of my Father, Enter into life and joy!

Banish all your fears and sorrows, Endless praise be your employ!"

Hallelujah!

Welcome, welcome, to the skies.

5 Now at once they rise to glory, Jesus brings them to the King;

There, with all the hosts of heaven, They eternal anthems sing:

Hallelujah!

Boundless glory to the Lamb.

John Cenniek, 1752;

Caleb Evans' Collection, 1769.

364 The Lord shall come

1 THE Lord shall come! the earth shall quake; The mountains to their centre shake;

And, withering from the vault of night, The stars shall pale their feeble light.

2 The Lord shall come! but not the same As once in lowliness He came; A silent lamb before His foes, A weary man, and full of woes.

3 The Lord shall come! a dreadful form, With rainbow wreath and robes of storm; On cherub wings, and wings of wind, Appointed Judge of all mankind.

4 Can this be He, who wont to stray A pilgrim on the world's highway, Oppress'd by power, and mock'd by pride The Nazarene—the Crucified?

5 While sinners in despair shall call, "Rocks, hide us; mountains, on us fall!' The saints, ascending from the tomb, Shall joyful sing, "The Lord is come!"

Reginald Heber, 1811;

Thomas Cotterhill, 1815

365 An Admonition

1 HOW will my heart endure The terrors of that day; When earth and heaven, before His face, Astonish'd shrink away?

2 But ere that trumpet shakes The mansions of the dead;

Hark, from the gospel's gentle voice, What joyful tidings spread!

3 Ye sinners, seek His grace, Whose wrath ye cannot bear;

Fly to the shelter of His cross, And find salvation there 4 So shall that curse remove, By which the Saviour bled; And the last awful day shall pour His blessings on your head.

Philip Doddridge, 1765

366A Prayer

1 WHEN Thou, my righteous Judge, shalt come To fetch Thy ransom'd people home, Shall I among them stand? Shall such a worthless worm as I, Who sometimes am afraid to die, Be found at Thy right hand!

2 I love to meet among them now, Before Thy gracious feet to bow, Though vilest of them all; But can I bear the piercing thought—

What if my name should be left out, When Thou for them shalt call?

3 Prevent, prevent it by Thy grace; Be Thou, dear Lord, my hiding-place, In this the accepted day;

Thy pardoning voice, oh let me hear! To still my unbelieving fear; Nor let me fall, I pray.

4 Let me among Thy saints be found, Whene'er the archangel's trump shall sound, To see Thy smiling face;

Then loudest of the crowd I'll sing, While heaven's resounding mansions ring With shouts of sovereign grace.

Selina, Countess of Huntingdon, 1774