Death the Destroyer of Earthly and False Hopes, Hymn
Some agreable Lines, moſtly taken out of the Rev. Mr. Simon Browne's Book of Hymns.,
WAke up, my Soul! The awful Day
Is coming ſwiftly on,
When thou muſt leave this Houſe of Clay,
And fly to Worlds unknown.
Oh! do not paſs thy Life in Dreams,
To be ſurpriz'd by Death:
And drop unthinking down to Flames,
When I reſign my Breath.
No: ev'ry day thy Courſe review,
Thy real State to learn:
And with an ardent Zeal purſue
Thy great and chief Concern.
Rouze all the Man: thy Work is great,
And all the Man demands;
Thine head, thine heart, thy br…h, thy ſweat,
Thy ſtrength, and both thine hands.
Oh! let th'important Work be done,
Done whilſt 'tis call'd to Day:
Leſt thou the time of Hope out-run,
And rue the mad Delay.
Repent (my Soul) Believe, and Pray:
Bid ev'ry Luſt Farewel:
To thy Redeemer haſte away,
And 'ſcape from Death and Hell
To whom, dear Jeſus, ſhould I live!
To whom but Thee alone!
Thou didſt at firſt my Being give,
And I am all thine own.
To Thee I'll then my ſelf dovote,
My Life and all my Pow'rs:
Each warm Affection, buſy Thought,
And all my paſſing Hours.
I ſhall be ſafe, and rich, and bleſt,
If I belong to Thee:
Contented here I'll take my Reſt,
Thine let me ever be!
Thus ſhall my heav'nly Hopes begin,
Thus I'll my Hopes maintain:
Nor once expect, in ways of Sin,
Eternal Life to gain.
O! let thoſe glorious Hopes refine,
And elevate my Soul;
To heav'nly Things my Heart incline,
And meaner Joys controul.
May Faith and Hope ſtretch all their Wings,
And bear me up on high;
And as I mount, may Earthly Things,
Below unheeded lie!
JESUS, my Saviour and my God,
My Life and Sacrifice!
My Hopes, deep founded in thy Blood,
Raiſe far above the Skies.
Prepare me, Lord, for thy Right Hand,
Then come the joyful Day:
Come Death, and come Celeſtial Band,
To bear my Soul away.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Foxcroft, Death the Destroyer of Earthly and False Hopes (1726)