Funeral

Representative Text

1 The spirits of the just,
Confined in bodies, groan,
Till death consigns the corpse to dust,
And then the conflict’s done.

2 Jesus, who came to save,
The Lamb for sinners slain,
Perfumed the chambers of the grave,
And made e’en death our gain.

3 Why fear we, then, to trust
The place where Jesus lay?
In quiet rests our brother’s dust,
And thus it seems to say:

4 “Forbear, my friends, to weep,
Since death has lost its sting;
Those Christians that in Jesus sleep,
Our God will with him bring.”

5 This message, then, receive,
And grief indulge no more;
Return to pray awhile; believe,
And wait the welcome hour.

Source: A Selection of Hymns for Public Worship. In four parts (10th ed.) (Gadsby's Hymns) #842

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Author: J. Hart

Hart, Joseph, was born in London in 1712. His early life is involved in obscurity. His education was fairly good; and from the testimony of his brother-in-law, and successor in the ministry in Jewin Street, the Rev. John Hughes, "his civil calling was" for some time "that of a teacher of the learned languages." His early life, according to his own Experience which he prefaced to his Hymns, was a curious mixture of loose conduct, serious conviction of sin, and endeavours after amendment of life, and not until Whitsuntide, 1757, did he realize a permanent change, which was brought about mainly through his attending divine service at the Moravian Chapel, in Fetter Lane, London, and hearing a sermon on Rev. iii. 10. During the next two years ma… Go to person page >

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