They tell me, dear lov'd brother, that this world of ours is fair—
The hand of the Creator bears its impress everywhere;
That, clothed in all the beauty of midsummer's em'rald green,
When skies are bright and cloudless, 'tis a fair and beauteous scene.
But, ah! its charms and beauties all before my eyes must fade;
A vision far, far brighter has a transformation made:
The Man that's in the glory—the Man upon the throne—
The glorified Lord Jesus—He now fills my gaze alone.
They tell me, dear lov'd brother, that the Alpine peaks are high—
That they seem like domes of marble upreaching to the sky;
Their summits all resplendent with the purest, whitest snow,
Where the daring foot of mortal can never hope to go.
But higher, higher, higher those mountains far above
Are the heights of Christ's eternal, unmeasured, boundless love;
For He left the circling glories of th' eternal throne on high
To come right down to Calvary for you, for me, to die.
They tell me, dear lov'd brother, that unnumbered fathoms deep
Are beneath the waves of ocean where the storms oft wildly sweep;
That there are depths unmeasured to which no line has gone,
Far 'neath the dancing wavelets, with their crests of snowy foam.
But deeper, deeper, deeper than the deepest, deepest sea
Is the mighty love of Jesus-His love to you and me:
For 'neath our degradation His love led Him to go
When He died amid the darkness of Calvary's shame and woe.
They tell me, dear lov'd brother, that rich scented breezes blow
O'er the lovely isle of Ceylon, where the spicy forests grow,
Where the richest odors mingle from its fragrant shrubs and trees,
And with o'erpowering sweetness are wafted on the breeze.
But, ah! those fragrant odors, though rich they are and rare,
With the precious love of Jesus they never can compare:
For beyond all things created in earth or heaven above
Is the rich, the untold sweetness of His precious, precious love.
They tell me, dear lov'd brother, that the power of death is strong—
That t'will seize the lov'd and dearest, and claim them as its own;
That though with all affection we love them from the heart,
Yet the power of death will sever, and make fondest friends to part.
But though all unresistless thus the power of death may be,
Yet stronger, yea, far stronger was the love of Christ to me,
When beneath the waves and billows of judgment and of death
Upon the cross of Calvary He yielded up His breath.
They tell me, dear lov'd brother, that the grave its hold will keep
Of those who in its embrace their last long slumber sleep;
That with a power unyielding it holdeth fast its prey—
“Twill not release its victim though entreated night and day.
But, ah! far more unyielding than the cruel, heedless grave
Is the quenchless love of Jesus, who died my soul to save;
For never, oh! no, never would His love be satisfied
Until for me at Calvary He bowed His head and died.
But here, my dear lov'd brother, comparisons must end—
The love of Christ, my Savior, doth all my thoughts transcend.
All vain is the endeavor His love thus to declare;
My heart, my pen is baffled—tis far beyond compare.
Beyond all things created, in earth or heaven above,
Is the vast unmeasured fullness of His eternal love
It brought Him from the glory to die on Calvary's tree:
Oh, the mighty love of Jesus, it could no greater be.
From off the throne eternal He came to earth below—
From off the throne eternal He came to bear our woe.
He came to scorn and hatred, He came to shame and loss,
He came to be a victim, to die at Calvary's cross—
To die alone in darkness, with none His grief to share
(And though He looked for sympathy, no sympathy was there)!
Alone amid the darkness He died for you and me:
Oh, the mighty love of Jesus, it could no greater be.
Tell me of earth no longer: tell me of earth no more—
The mighty love of Jesus has made my heart run o'er
Oh, it is all so wondrous, it doth my thoughts confound—
I can but bow and worship with reverence profound—
That He should leave the glories of that bright home on high,
For me to come to suffer, for me, for me, to die,
Is love beyond all measure, unbounded, full, and free:
Oh, the wondrous love of Jesus, it could no greater be.
They tell me, dear lov'd brother, that the heart's constructed so
That it must have some object where its love it can bestow;
But, ah! I've found an object that doth my heart command—
The Christ of God in glory, enthroned at His right hand:
For He, the One who suffered—the One who for me died—
Is now the Lord of glory, the Christ, the glorified
His paths of suffering ended, His work, His travail o'er:
He lives amid the glory to die again no more.
My heart and my affections how can I now detain;
Oh! how can I but love Him, who once for me was slain.
Ah, no! I could not, would not, my love for Him deny—
For Him who came to suffer-for me, for me to die.
'Tis love I cannot measure-'tis love that has no end—
'Tis love that all things earthly it completely doth transcend;
Eternal, untreated, unmeasured, full, and free:
Oh, the mighty love of Jesus, it could no greater be.
Now dim are earth's attractions, now dark are sunlit skies;
All earthly charms and beauties must fade before mine eyes.
The mighty love of Jesus the ties of earth have riven,
And leads my heart right upward to Him enthroned in heaven
Farewell to all earth's pleasures, farewell to all its joys;
What are they now but trifles, what are they now but toys,
Compared to the vast treasures that in that love are found:
The love of Christ, my Savior, doth all my thoughts confound.
A never-failing fountain is the precious love of Christ—
Its overflowing fullness hath my yearning heart sufficed;
A depth without a bottom, a sea without a shore
Where my thirst has all been quenched, to wake again no more;
Or, if it wakes, 'tis only to drink again more deep
From that never-failing fountain of His precious love so sweet;
So great, so vast, so mighty, unmeasured, full and free:
Oh, the deep, sweet love of Jesus has satisfied me.
All fair is the horizon, all gloom has passed away;
There's nothing now before me but cloudless, endless day.
On earth a while to sojourn o'er earth a while to roam;
And then, forever with Him in that bright eternal home.
My soul is all contented, my happy heart is blest;
I will not seek a portion here; for why? I am at rest.
Thy precious love, Lord Jesus, my life-long joy shall be,
And shall, I know, forever—to all eternity.
Belov'd and loving brother, may this love of Christ divine
Engage thy heart's affections—engage thy heart and mine.
We want no other object on which to set our love—
Enough is our blest Jesus, enthroned in heaven above.
Away with every rival, however dear or fair;
No one but Christ in glory my heart, my love shall share.
He loved, He loves, will love me to all eternity:
Oh, the mighty love of Jesus shall ever, ever be.
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