On the Death of Thomas Beard, Hymn 24

Ephesians iv. 8, n, &c.
LET all mankind in Christ rejoice!
The Lord is risen for you, and me,
Ascending with a merry noise,
He captive led captivity.

Our Jesus is gone up on high,
And gifts He hath received for men,
He sends His Spirit to purify
Our souls from every sinful stain.

Teachers He gives our souls to feed,
The word of truth and grace to' impart,
Dispensers of the living bread,
And pastors after His own heart.

He makes them apt to teach, and guide
The flock with wisdom from above,
Till all are wholly sanctified
Through faith, and perfected in love.

The glorious ministry Divine
For this he did on earth ordain,
Nor can He miss of His design,
Or send His messengers in vain.

They, under Him, His church shall build,
And lead His feeblest people on,
Till all our souls with God are fill'd,
For ever sanctified in One.

Believing on our common Lord,
Till we His image here regain,
Experiencing His utmost word,
And brought unto a perfect man.

Till farther still by faith we go,
And nearer view the opening skies,
And more and more like Christ below,
To all His glorious stature rise.

That highest point of love Divine,

all that heaven we here arrive,
And then our parting souls resign,
And cease at once to grow, and live.

This is His acceptable will,
That we on earth should holy be,
The fulness of His Spirit feel,
And live from sin for ever free.

No more in our imperfect state,
Feeble, and babes in Christ no more,
But strong in Him, and truly great,
And fill'd with all His love and power.

Children we lived, alas! too long,
Toss'd to and fro with every wind,
And many a false, deceitful tongue
Subverted our unstable mind.

Carried about from God's own ways,
At every smooth seducer's will,
We left the channels of His grace,
And slothfully at last stood still.

14 -With speeches fair, and glozing lies
They watch'd, and strove to cast us down,
Remove us from our calling's prize,
O'erturn our faith, and take our crown.

But let us now the promise prove,
And perfect holiness below,
Hold fast, and speak the truth in love,
And up to Christ in all things grow.

We all shall gain what we pursue,
Be pure in heart, and saints indeed,
Grafted in Christ, and creatures new;
The members shall be like their Head.

From Him the quickening Spirit flows,
And lo! the social members join,
The well-compacted body grows,
And swells with energy Divine.

By that which every joint supplies
The whole doth still increase, and move,
Till all complete the body rise,
And perfectly built up in love.