Chapter XIII: Introduction: And Close of Worship (6)

4 O, let us feel thy power,
And find thy sweet relief,
To brighten every gloomy hour
And soften every grief.

409. C. M. Tate & Brady.

The Righteous and the Wicked.

1 How blest is he, who ne'er consents
By ill advice to walk;
Nor stands in sinners' ways, nor sits
Where men profanely talk:

2 But makes the perfect law of God
His business and delight;
Devoutly reads therein by day,
And meditates by night.

3 Like some fair tree, which, fed by streams,
With timely fruit does bend,
He still shall flourish, and success
All his designs attend.

4 Ungodly men, and their attempts,
No lasting root shall find;
Untimely blasted, and dispersed
Like chaff before the wind.

410. C. M. Exeter Coll.

The Influence of Habitual Piety.

1 Blest is the man who fears the Lord!
His well established mind,
In every varying scene of life,
Shall true composure find.

2 Oft through the deep and stormy sea
The heavenly footsteps lie;
But on a glorious world beyond
His faith can fix its eye.

3 Though dark his present prospects be,
And sorrows round him dwell,
Yet hope can whisper to his soul,
That all shall issue well.

4 Full in the presence of his God,
Through every scene he goes;
And, fearing him, no other fear
His steadfast bosom knows.

411. C. M. Proud.

The Happiness of a Christian.

1 When true religion gains a place,
And lives within the mind,
The sensual life subdued by grace,
And all the soul refined:

2 The desert blooms in living green,
Where thorns and briers grew;
The barren waste is fruitful seen,
And all the prospect new.

3 O happy Christian, richly blessed!
What floods of pleasure roll!
By God and man he stands confessed,
In dignity of soul.

4 Substantial, pure, his every joy:
His Maker is his friend;
The noblest business his employ,
And happiness his end.

412. 7s. & 8s. M. Bowring.

"He that walketh uprightly, walketh surely."

1 He who walks in virtue's way,
Firm and fearless, walketh surely;
Diligent, while yet 'tis day,
On he speeds, and speeds securely.

2 Flowers of peace beneath him grow,
Suns of pleasure brighten o'er him;
Memory's joys behind him go,
Hope's sweet angels fly before him.

3 Thus he moves from stage to stage,
Smiles of earth and heaven attending;
Softly sinking down in age,
And at last to death descending.

4 Cradled in its quiet deep,
Calm as summer's loveliest even,
He shall sleep the hallowed sleep;
Sleep that is o'erwatched by Heaven.

413. C. M. Burns.

The Happiness of the Righteous.

1 The man, in life wherever placed,
Hath happiness in store,
Who walks not in the wicked's way,
Nor learns their guilty lore:

2 Nor from the seat of scornful pride
Casts forth his eyes abroad,
But with humility and awe,
Still walks before his God.

3 That man shall flourish like the trees
Which by the streamlets grow;
The fruitful top is spread on high,
And firm the root below.

4 But he whose blossom buds in guilt
Shall to the ground be cast,
And, like the rootless stubble, tossed
Before the sweeping blast.

414. L. M. Keble.

"Not that thou wouldst take them out of the world, but keep them from its evil."

1 Sweet is the bliss of souls serene,
When they have sworn and steadfast mean,
Counting the cost, in all t' espy
Their God, in all themselves deny.

2 O could we learn that sacrifice,
What lights would all around us rise!
How would our hearts with wisdom talk,
Along life's dullest, dreariest walk!

3 We need not bid, for cloistered cell,
Our neighbor and our work farewell,
Nor strive to wind ourselves too high
For sinful man beneath the sky:

4 The trivial round, the common task,
Would furnish all we ought to ask;
Room to deny ourselves; a road
To bring us, daily, nearer God.

415. 7s. & 6s. M. Cowper.

Joy and Peace in Believing.

1 Sometimes a light surprises
The Christian while he sings:
It is the Lord, who rises
With healing in his wings:
When comforts are declining,
He grants the soul again
A season of clear shining,
To cheer it after rain.

2 In holy contemplation,
We sweetly then pursue
The theme of God's salvation,
And find it ever new:
Set free from present sorrow,
We cheerfully can say,
"E'en let the unknown morrow
Bring with it what it may."

3 It can bring with it nothing,
But he will bear us through:
Who gives the lilies clothing,
Will clothe his people too:
Beneath the spreading heavens,
No creature but is fed;
And he who feeds the ravens,
Will give his children bread.

4 Though vine, nor fig tree neither,
Its wonted fruit should bear;
Though all the field should wither,
Nor flocks, nor herds be there:
Yet God the same abiding,
His praise shall tune my voice;
For while in him confiding,
I cannot but rejoice.

416. S. M. Anonymous.

For a Right Spirit.

1 I want a sober mind,
A self-renouncing will,
That tramples down and casts behind
The baits of pleasing ill;
A soul inured to pain,
To hardship, grief and loss,
Bold to take up, firm to sustain
The consecrated cross.

2 I want a godly fear,
A quick-discerning eye,
That looks to thee when sin is near,
And sees the tempter fly;
A spirit still prepared,
And armed with jealous care,
Forever standing on its guard,
And watching unto prayer.

3 I want a true regard,
A single, steady aim,
Unmoved by threatening or reward,
To thee and thy great name;
A zealous, just concern
For thine immortal praise;
A pure desire that all may learn
And glorify thy grace.

417. S. M. Watts.

Heavenly Joy on Earth.

1 Come, ye that love the Lord,
And let your joys be known;
Join in a song with sweet accord,
And thus surround the throne.

2 The sorrows of the mind
Be banished from the place!
Religion never was designed
To make our pleasures less.

3 The men of grace have found
Glory begun below;
Celestial fruits on earthly ground
From faith and hope may grow.

4 The hill of Sion yields
A thousand sacred sweets,
Before we reach the heavenly fields,
Or walk the golden streets.

5 Then let our songs abound,
And every tear be dry;
We're marching through Immanuel's ground,
To fairer worlds on high.

418. S. M. Miss Fletcher.

Where is Heaven?

1 Our heaven is everywhere,
If we but love the Lord,
Unswerving tread the narrow way,
And ever shun the broad.

2 'T is where the trusting heart
Bows meekly to its grief,
Still looking up with earnest faith
For comfort and relief.

3 Where guileless infancy
In happiness doth dwell,
And where the aged one can say
"He hath done all things well."

4 Wherever truth abides
Sweet peace is ever there;
If we but love and serve the Lord,
Our heaven is everywhere.

419. 8s. & 7s. M. J. G. Adams.

Heaven Here.

1 Heaven is here; its hymns of gladness
Cheer the true believer's way,
In this world where sin and sadness
Often change to night our day.

2 Heaven is here; where misery lightened
Of its heavy load is seen,
Where the face of sorrow brightened
By the deed of love hath been:

3 Where the bound, the poor, despairing
Are set free, supplied and blest;
Where, in others' anguish sharing,
We can find our surest rest.

4 Where we heed the voice of duty
Rather than man's praise, or rod;
This is heaven,--its peace, its beauty,
Radiant with the smile of God.

420. L. M. 6l. Mrs. Case.

God's Kingdom Here.

1 Oh, where, our Saviour! sweeps the line
That marks thy kingdom's holy reign?
Is it where northern meteors shine
Or gilds the cross the southern main?
Where breaks the dawn o'er spicy lands?
Or twilight sleeps on desert sands?

2 Is it where sunny skies grow dim
With smoke of heathen sacrifice?
Or where, in costly domes, the hymn
Is taught on incense clouds to rise?
Nay, nay, thy blessed word has shown
Thy kingdom is the heart alone!

3 That solemn world, whose bounds between
Life's mysteries of birth and death,
Are filled with warring hosts unseen,
Beings of power, though not of breath--
The spirit realm, where'er it be,
Is the dominion swayed by thee.

4 Wild, phantom shapes of gloom and fear,
Roam dimly through the haunted spot,
And earth holds not a land so drear
As the sad heart that owns thee not,
Where sorrows wound and pleasures pall,
And death's dread shadow darkens all.

5 But lift thy sceptre there, its bowers
Shall be serene and sweet and fair,
And, as in time's primeval hours,
The holy ones shall gather there,
And heaven's own peace the soul o'erflow,
E'en while it lingers here below.

421. 7s. M. Beaumont.

The Heaven Within.

1 As earth's pageant passes by,
Let reflection turn thine eye
Inward, and observe thy breast;
There alone dwells solid rest.

2 That's a close immured tower,
Which can mock all hostile power;
To thyself a tenant be,
And inhabit safe and free.

3 Say not that this house is small,
Girt up in a narrow wall;
In a cleanly, sober mind,
Heaven itself full room doth find.

4 The infinite Creator can
Dwell in it; and may not man?
Here, content, make thy abode
With thyself and with thy God.

DEVOUT EXERCISES.

422. C. M. H. M. Williams.

Habitual Devotion.

1 While thee I seek, protecting Power!
Be my vain wishes stilled;
And may this consecrated hour
With better hopes be filled.

2 Thy love the power of thought bestowed;
To thee my thoughts would soar;
Thy mercy o'er my life has flowed--
That mercy I adore!

3 In each event of life, how clear
Thy ruling hand I see!
Each blessing to my soul more dear,
Because conferred by thee.

4 In every joy that crowns my days,
In every pain I bear,
My heart shall find delight in praise,
Or seek relief in prayer.

5 When gladness wings my favored hour,
Thy love my thoughts shall fill;
Resigned, when storms of sorrow lower,
My soul shall meet thy will.

6 My lifted eye, without a tear,
The gathering storm shall see;
My steadfast heart shall know no fear;--
That heart shall rest on thee!

423. L. M. Bowring.

Perpetual Praise.

1 When, wakened by thy voice of power,
The hour of morning beams in light,
My voice shall sing that morning hour,
And thee, who mad'st that hour so bright.

2 The morning strengthens into noon;
Earth's fairest beauties shine more fair;
And noon and morning shall attune
My grateful heart to praise and prayer.

3 When 'neath the evening western gate
The sun's retiring rays are hid,
My joy shall be to meditate,
E'en as the pious patriarch did.

4 As twilight wears a darker hue,
And gathering night creation dims,
The twilight and the midnight, too,
Shall have their harmonies and hymns.

5 So shall sweet thoughts, and thoughts sublime,
My constant inspirations be;
And every shifting scene of time
Reflect, my God, a light from thee.

424. C. M. Mrs. Brown.

Secret Prayer.

1 I love to steal awhile away
From every cumbering care,
And spend the hours of setting day
In humble, grateful prayer.

2 I love to think on mercies past,
And future good implore,
And all my cares and sorrows cast
On him whom I adore.

3 I love by faith to take a view
Of brighter scenes in heaven;
The prospect doth my strength renew,
While here by tempests driven.

4 Thus, when life's toilsome day is o'er,
May its departing ray
Be calm as this impressive hour,
And lead to endless day.

425. S. M. C. Wesley.

Prayer for Self-Consecration.

1 O God, my strength, my hope,
On thee I cast my care,
With humble confidence look up,
And know thou hearest prayer.

2 O, for a godly fear,
A quick-discerning eye,
That looks to thee when sin is near,
And sees the tempter fly!--

3 A spirit still prepared,
And armed with jealous care,
Forever standing on its guard,
And watching unto prayer!

4 Lord, let me still abide,
Nor from my hope remove,
Till thou my patient spirit guide
To better worlds above.

426. L. M. Moore.

Breathings of Grace.

1 Like morning, when her early breeze
Breaks up the surface of the seas,
That, in their furrows, dark with night,
Her hand may sow the seeds of light;

2 Thy grace can send its breathings o'er
The spirit, dark and lost before;
And freshening all its depths, prepare
For truth divine to enter there!

3 Till David touched his sacred lyre,
In silence lay the unbreathing wire;
But when he swept its chords along,
E'en angels stooped to hear the song.

4 So sleeps the soul, till thou, O Lord,
Shall deign to touch its lifeless chord;
Till, waked by thee, its breath shall rise
In music worthy of the skies.

427. S. M. Cowper.

Dependence on God.

1 To keep the lamp alive,
With oil we fill the bowl;
'T is water makes the willow thrive,
And grace that feeds the soul.

2 The Lord's unsparing hand
Supplies the living stream;
It is not at our own command,
But still derived from him.

3 Man's wisdom is to seek
His strength in God alone;
And e'en an angel would be weak,
Who trusted in his own.

4 Retreat beneath his wings,
And in his grace confide;
This more exalts the King of kings
Than all your works beside.

5 In God is all our store,
Grace issues from his throne;
Whoever says, "I want no more,"
Confesses he has none.

428. 7s. M. 6l. Montgomery.

The Soul panting for God.

1 As the hart, with eager looks,
Panteth for the water-brooks,
So my soul, athirst for thee,
Pants the living God to see;
When, O when, with filial fear,
Lord, shall I to thee draw near?

2 Why art thou cast down, my soul?
God, thy God, shall make thee whole:
Why art thou disquieted?
God shall lift thy fallen head,
And his countenance benign
Be the saving health of thine.

429. L. M. Henry Moore.

Wisdom and Virtue sought from God.

1 Supreme and universal Light!
Fountain of reason! Judge of right!
Parent of good! whose blessings flow
On all above, and all below:

2 Assist us, Lord, to act, to be,
What nature and thy laws decree;
Worthy that intellectual flame,
Which from thy breathing spirit came!

3 May our expanded souls disclaim
The narrow view, the selfish aim;
But with a Christian zeal embrace
Whate'er is friendly to our race.

4 O Father, grace and virtue grant!
No more we wish, no more we want:
To know, to serve thee, and to love,
Is peace below,--is bliss above.

430. C. M. Merrick.

Holy Resignation.

1 Author of good, to thee we turn:
Thine ever wakeful eye
Alone can all our wants discern,
Thy hand alone supply.

2 O, let thy love within us dwell,
Thy fear our footsteps guide;
That love shall vainer loves expel,
That fear all fears beside.

3 And, O, by error's force subdued,
Since oft, with stubborn will,
We blindly shun the latent good,
And grasp the specious ill,--

4 Not what we wish, but what we want,
Let mercy still supply:
The good we ask not; Father, grant;
The ill we ask, deny.

431. L. M. 6l. C. Wesley.

Prayer for the Comforter.

1 I want the spirit of power within,
Of love, and of a healthful mind;
Of power to conquer every sin,
Of love to God and all mankind;
Of health that pain and death defies,
Most vigorous when the body dies.

2 O that the Comforter would come,
Nor visit as a transient guest,
But fix in me his constant home,
And keep possession of my breast;
And make my soul his loved abode,
The temple of indwelling God!

432. L. M. Cotton.

A Peaceful Conscience.

1 While some in folly's pleasures roll,
And court the joys that hurt the soul,
Be mine that silent, calm repast,
A conscience peaceful to the last.

2 With this companion in the shade,
My soul no more shall be dismayed;
But fearless meet life's dreariest gloom,
And the pale monarch of the tomb.

3 Amidst the various scenes of ills,
Each blow some kind design fulfils;
And can I murmur at my God,
While love supreme directs the rod?

4 His hand will smooth my rugged way,
And lead me to the realms of day;
To milder skies, and brighter plains,
Where everlasting pleasure reigns.

433. L. M. Watts.

Self-knowledge, and Abstraction from Earth.

1 My God, permit me not to be
A stranger to myself and thee:
Amidst a thousand thoughts I rove,
Forgetful of my highest love.

2 Why should my passions mix with earth,
And thus debase my heavenly birth?
Why should I cleave to things below,
And let my God, my Saviour go?

3 Call me away from flesh and sense;
Thy sovereign word can draw me thence:
I would obey the voice divine,
And all inferior joys resign.

4 Be earth, with all her scenes, withdrawn,
Let noise and vanity be gone:
In secret silence of the mind,
My heaven, and there my God, I find.

434. 7s. & 6s. M. Anonymous.

Rising towards Heaven.

1 Rise, my soul, and stretch thy wings,
Thy better portion trace;
Rise from transitory things,
Towards heaven, thy native place:
Sun, and moon, and stars decay,
Time shall soon this earth remove;
Rise, my soul, and haste away
To seats prepared above.

2 Rivers to the ocean run,
Nor stay in all their course;
Fire ascending seeks the sun,--
Both speed them to their source:
So a soul that's born of God
Pants to view his glorious face,
Upward tends to his abode,
To rest in his embrace.

435. L. P. M. Anonymous.

Christ Desired.

1 Come, O thou universal good!
Balm of the wounded conscience, come!
The hungry, dying spirit's food;
The weary, wand'ring pilgrim's home;
Haven to take the shipwrecked in,
My everlasting rest from sin!

2 Come, O my comfort and delight!
My strength and health, and shield, and sun
My boast, my confidence, and might,
My joy, my glory, and my crown;
My gospel-hope, my calling's prize,
My tree of life, my paradise.

436. C. M. Newton.

"Unto you who believe he is precious."

1 How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
In a believer's ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.

2 It makes the wounded spirit whole,
It calms the troubled breast;
'T is manna to the hungry soul,
And, to the weary, rest.

3 Weak is the effort of my heart,
And cold my warmest thought,
But when I see thee as thou art,
I'll praise thee as I ought.

4 Till then I would thy love proclaim,
With every fleeting breath;
And may the music of thy name
Refresh my soul in death.

437. 11s. M. Mrs. Hale.

The Lord's Prayer.

1 Our Father in heaven, we hallow thy name!
May thy kingdom holy on earth be the same!
O give to us daily our portion of bread;
It is from thy bounty that all must be fed.

2 Forgive our transgressions, and teach us to know
That humble compassion which pardons each foe:
Keep us from temptation, from weakness and sin,
And thine be the glory forever--Amen.

438. C. M. T. Whittemore.

The Same.

1 Our Father, who in heaven art,
All hallowed be thy name:
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
On earth, in heaven the same.

2 Give us this day our daily bread,
Our debts, O Lord, forgive,
As we forgive our enemies
And thus obedient live.

3 Into temptation lead us not,
From evil keep us clean;
Thine is the kingdom, glory, power
Forevermore, Amen.

439. S. M. Montgomery.

The Same.

1 Our heavenly Father, hear
The prayer we offer now:--
Thy name be hallowed far and near,
To thee all nations bow.

2 Thy kingdom come; thy will
On earth be done in love,
As saints and seraphim fulfil
Thy perfect law above.

3 Our daily bread supply,
While by thy word we live;
The guilt of our iniquity
Forgive, as we forgive.

4 From dark temptation's power
Our feeble hearts defend;
Deliver in the evil hour,
And guide us to the end.

5 Thine, then, forever be
Glory and power divine;
The sceptre, throne, and majesty
Of heaven and earth are thine.

440. C. M. Anonymous.

The Lord's Prayer.

1 O Thou, enthroned in worlds above,
Our Father and our Friend!
Lo, at the footstool of thy love,
Thy children humbly bend.

2 All reverence to thy name be given;
Thy kingdom wide displayed;
And, as thy will is done in heaven,
Be it on earth obeyed.

3 Our table may thy bounty spread,
From thine exhaustless store,
From day to day with daily bread,--
Nor would we ask for more.

4 That pardon we to others give,
Do thou to us extend;
From all temptation, Lord, relieve;
From every ill defend.

5 And now to thee belong, Most High,
The kingdom, glory, power,
Through the broad earth and spacious sky,
Both now and evermore.

441. 10s. M. Dr. Johnson.

From Boethius.

Seeking God.

1 O Thou, whose power o'er moving worlds presides,
Whose voice created, and whose wisdom guides,
On darkling man in pure effulgence shine,
And cheer his clouded mind with light divine.

2 'T is thine alone to calm the pious breast
With silent confidence and holy rest;
From thee, great God, we spring, to thee we tend;
Path, Motive, Guide, Original, and End.

442. S. M. Watts.

Abba, Father.

1 Behold, what wondrous grace
The Father has bestowed
On sinners of a mortal race,
To call them sons of God!

2 Nor doth it yet appear
How great we must be made;
But when we see our Saviour here,
We shall be like our Head.

3 A hope so much divine
May trials well endure;
May purify our souls from sin,
As Christ, the Lord, is pure.

4 We would no longer lie
Like slaves beneath the throne;
Our faith shall Abba, Father, cry,
And thou the kindred own.

443. L. M. Mrs. Steele.

The Christian's Resolve.

1 Ah wretched souls, who strive in vain,
Slaves to the world, and slaves to sin!
A nobler toil may I sustain,
A nobler satisfaction win.

2 May I resolve, with all my heart,
With all my powers, to serve the Lord;
Nor from his precepts e'er depart,
Whose service is a rich reward.

3 Be this the purpose of my soul,
My solemn, my determined choice,
To yield to his supreme control,
And in his kind commands rejoice.

4 O may I never faint nor tire,
Nor, wandering, leave his sacred ways;
Great God! accept my soul's desire,
And give me strength to live thy praise.

444. L. M. Browne.

"Giving thanks to God in all things."

1 Great God! my joyful thanks to thee
Shall, like thy gifts, continual be:
In constant streams thy bounty flows,
Nor end nor intermission knows.

2 Thy kindness all my comforts gives;
My numerous wants thy hand relieves;
Nor can I ever, Lord, be poor,
Who live on thy exhaustless store.

3 If what I wish thy will denies,
It is that thou art good and wise;
Afflictions, which may make me mourn,
Thou canst, thou dost, to blessings turn.

4 Deep, Lord, upon my thankful breast,
Let all thy favors be imprest;
And though withdrawn thy gifts should be
In all things I'll give thanks to thee.

445. C. M. Doddridge.

"Now are we sons of God."

1 How rich thy favors, God of grace!
How various, how divine!
Full as the ocean they are poured,
And bright as heaven they shine.

2 He to eternal glory calls,
And leads the wondrous way
To his own palace where he reigns
In uncreated day.

3 Jesus, the herald of his love,
Displays the radiant prize,
A crown of never-ending bliss,
To our admiring eyes.

4 The songs of everlasting years
That mercy shall attend,
Which leads, through sufferings of an hour,
To joys that never end.

446. C. M. H. H. Milman.

Praying for Divine Help.

1 O Help us, Lord! each hour of need
Thy heavenly succor give;
Help us in thought, and word, and deed,
Each hour on earth we live.

2 O help us, when our spirits bleed,
With contrite anguish sore,
And when our hearts are cold and dead,
O help us, Lord, the more.

3 O help us through the prayer of faith
More firmly to believe;
For still the more the servant hath,
The more shall he receive.

4 O help us, Father! from on high;
We know no help but thee;
O! help us so to live and die,
As thine in heaven to be.

447. C. H. M. Anonymous.

Come, let us Pray.

1 Come, let us pray: 'tis sweet to feel
That God himself is near;
That, while we at his footstool kneel,
His mercy deigns to hear:
Though sorrows cloud life's dreary way,
This is our solace--let us pray.

2 Come, let us pray: the burning brow,
The heart oppressed with care,
And all the woes that throng us now,
Will be relieved by prayer:
Our God will chase our griefs away;
O, glorious thought!--come, let us pray.

3 Come, let us pray: the mercy-seat
Invites the fervent prayer.
Our Heavenly Father waits to greet
The contrite spirit there:
O, loiter not, nor longer stay
From him who loves us; let us pray.

448. L. M. Sir Walter Scott.

Imploring the constant Presence of God.

1 When Israel of the Lord beloved,
Out from the land of bondage came,
Her father's God before her moved,
An awful guide in smoke and flame.

2 By day, along th' astonished lands,
The cloudy pillar glided slow;
By night, Arabia's crimsoned sands
Returned the fiery column's glow.

3 Thus, present still, though now unseen,
When brightly shines the prosperous day,
Be thoughts of thee a cloudy screen,
To temper the deceitful ray!

4 And O, when gathers on our path,
In shade and storm, the frequent night,
Be thou, long-suffering, slow to wrath,
A burning and a shining light!

449. C. M. C. Wesley.

Watchfulness.

1 I want a principle within
Of jealous, godly fear;
A sensibility of sin,
A pain to find it near.

2 I want the first approach to feel
Of pride, or fond desire;
To catch the wandering of my will,
And quench the kindling fire.

3 From thee that I no more may part,
No more thy goodness grieve,
The filial awe, the fleshly heart,
The tender conscience give.

4 Quick as the apple of the eye,
O God, my conscience make!
Awake my soul when sin is nigh,
And keep it still awake.

450. C. M. Smart.

For Prudence and Wisdom.

1 Father of light! conduct my feet
Through life's dark, dangerous road;
Let each advancing step still bring
Me nearer to my God.

2 Let heaven-eyed prudence be my guide;
And, when I go astray,
Recall my feet from folly's path
To wisdom's better way.

3 Teach me in every various scene
To keep my end in sight;
And while I tread life's mazy track,
Let wisdom guide me right.

4 That heavenly wisdom from above
Abundantly impart;
And let it guard, and guide, and warm,
And penetrate my heart:

5 Till it shall lead me to thyself,
Fountain of bliss and love!
And all my darkness be dispersed
In endless light above.

451. C. M. Moore.

Heaven Desired.

1 The bird let loose in Eastern skies,
Returning fondly home,
Ne'er stoops to earth her wing, nor flies
Where idle warblers roam.

2 But high she shoots through air and light--
Above all low delay,
Where nothing earthly bounds her flight,
Nor shadow dims her way.

3 So grant me, God, from every snare
Of sinful passion free,
Aloft through faith's serener air
To hold my course to thee.

4 No sin to cloud, no lure to stay
My soul, as home she springs;
Thy sunshine on her joyful way,
Thy freedom on her wings.

452. L. M. Stowell.

The Mercy-seat.

1 From every stormy wind that blows,
From every swelling tide of woes,
There is a calm, a sure retreat;
'Tis found before the mercy-seat.

2 There is a place were Jesus sheds
The oil of gladness on our heads,--
A place of all on earth most sweet;
It is the heavenly mercy-seat.

3 There is a scene where spirits blend,
Where friend holds fellowship with friend;
Though sundered far, by faith they meet
Around one common mercy-seat.

4 There, there, on eagle wings we soar,
And sin and sense molest no more;
And heaven comes down our souls to greet,
And glory crowns the mercy-seat.

453. C. M. Steele.

Thirsting after God.

1 When fainting in the sultry waste,
And parched with thirst extreme,
The weary pilgrim longs to taste
The cool, refreshing stream.

2 So longs the weary, fainting mind,
Oppressed with sins and woes,
Some soul-reviving spring to find,
Whence heavenly comfort flows.

3 O, may I thirst for thee, my God,
With ardent, strong desire;
And still, through all this desert road,
To taste thy grace aspire.

4 Then shall my prayer to thee ascend,
A grateful sacrifice;
My mourning voice thou wilt attend,
And grant me full supplies.

454. 7s. M. Newton.

Self-Distrust.

1 'T is a point I long to know,--
Oft it causes anxious thought,--
Do I love the Lord, or no?
Am I his, or am I not?

2 If I love, why am I thus?
Why this dull and lifeless frame?
Hardly, sure, can they be worse,
Who have never heard his name.

3 If I pray, or hear, or read,
Sin is mixed with all I do;
You that love the Lord indeed,
Tell me, is it thus with you?

4 Yet I mourn my stubborn will,
Find my sin a grief and thrall;
Should I grieve for what I feel,
If I did not love at all?

5 Father, let me love thee more,
If I love at all, I pray;
If I have not loved before,
Help me to begin to-day.

455. L. M. Doddridge.

Choosing the Better Part.

1 Beset with snares on every hand,
In life's uncertain path I stand:
Father divine! diffuse thy light,
To guide my doubtful footsteps right.

2 Engage this roving, treacherous heart,
Wisely to choose the better part;
To scorn the trifles of a day,
For joys that none can take away.

3 Then let the wildest storms arise,
Let tempests mingle earth with skies,
No fatal shipwreck shall I fear,
But all my treasures with me bear.

4 If thou, my Saviour, still be nigh,
Cheerful I live, and joyful die;
Secure, when mortal comforts flee,
To find ten thousand worlds in thee.

456. C. M. Watts.

Sincerity and Hypocrisy.

1 God is a spirit just and wise,
He sees our inmost mind;
In vain to heaven we raise our cries,
And leave our souls behind.

2 Nothing but truth before his throne
With honor can appear;
The painted hypocrites are known
Through the disguise they wear.

3 Their lifted eyes salute the skies,
Their bending knees the ground;
But God abhors the sacrifice
Where not the heart is found.

4 Lord, search my thoughts, and try my ways,
And make my soul sincere;
Then shall I stand before thy face,
And find acceptance there.

457. C. P. M. Wesley's Coll.

True Wisdom.

1 Be it my only wisdom here,
To serve the Lord with filial fear,
With loving gratitude;
Superior sense may I display,
By shunning every evil way,
And walking in the good.

2 O may I still from sin depart!
A wise and understanding heart,
Father, to me be given!
And let me through thy Spirit know
To glorify my God below,
And find my way to heaven.

458. L. M. 6l. Merrick.

For the Understanding and Influence of God's Word.

1 While here as wandering sheep we stray,
Teach us, O teach us, Lord, thy way!
Dispose our hearts, with willing awe,
To love thy word, to keep thy law;
That, by thy guiding precepts led,
Our feet the paths of truth may tread.

2 Great Source of light to all below!
Teach us thy holy will to know:
Teach us to read thy word aright,
And make it our supreme delight;
That, purged from vain desires, our mind
In thee its only good may find.

3 Maker, instructer, judge of all,
O hear us when on thee we call!
To us, all-bounteous Lord, dispense
Thy grace, and guiding influence!
Preserve us in thy holy ways,
And teach our hearts to speak thy praise!

459. C. M. Montgomery.

Solomon's Prayer for Wisdom.

1 Almighty God! in humble prayer
To thee our souls we lift;
Do thou our waiting minds prepare
For thy most needful gift.

2 We ask not golden streams of wealth
Along our path to flow;
We ask not undecaying health,
Nor length of years below.

3 We ask not honors, which an hour
May bring and take away;
We ask not pleasure, pomp, and power,
Lest we should go astray.

4 We ask for wisdom;--Lord, impart
The knowledge how to live;
A wise and understanding heart
To all before thee give.

5 The young remember thee in youth,
Before the evil days!
The old be guided by thy truth
In wisdom's pleasant ways!

460. C. M. Cowper.

Walking with God.

1 O, for a closer walk with God!
A calm and heavenly frame!
A light to shine upon the road
That leads me to the Lamb!

2 What peaceful hours I once enjoyed!
How sweet their memory still!
But now I find an aching void
The world can never fill.

3 Return, O holy Dove, return,
Sweet messenger of rest;
I hate the sins that made thee mourn,
And drove thee from my breast.

4 The dearest idol I have known,
Whate'er that idol be,
Help me to tear it from thy throne,
And worship only thee.

461. C. M. Doddridge.

For Freedom from Secret Sin.

1 Searcher of hearts! before thy face
I all my soul display;
And, conscious of its innate arts,
Entreat thy strict survey.

2 If, lurking in its inmost folds,
I any sin conceal,
O, let a ray of light divine
The secret guile reveal.

3 If tinctured with that odious gall
Unknowing I remain,
Let grace, like a pure silver stream,
Wash out the hateful stain.

4 If, in these fatal fetters bound,
A wretched slave I lie,
Smite off my chains, and wake my soul
To light and liberty.

5 To humble penitence and prayer
Be gentle pity given;
Speak ample pardon to my heart,
And seal its claim to heaven.

462. S. M. Grünbeck.

Self-abandonment to God.

1 Lord! bring me to resign
My doubting heart to thee;
And, whether cheerful or distressed,
Thine, thine alone to be.

2 My only aim be this,--
Thy purpose to fulfil,
In thee rejoice with all my strength,
And do thy holy will.

3 Lord! thy all-seeing eye
Keeps watch with sleepless care:
Thy great compassion never fails;
Thou hear'st my needy prayer.

4 So will I firmly trust,
That thou wilt guide me still,
And guard me safe throughout the way
That leads to Zion's hill.

463. C. M. Cowper.

Religious Retirement.

1 Far from the world, O Lord! I flee,
From strife and tumult far;
From scenes, where sin is waging still
Its most successful war.

2 The calm retreat, the silent shade,
With prayer and praise agree;
And seem, by thy sweet bounty, made
For those who follow thee.

3 There, if thy spirit touch the soul,
And grace her mean abode;
O with what peace, and joy, and love,
She communes with her God.

4 There, like the nightingale, she pours
Her solitary lays;
Nor asks a witness of her song,
Nor thirsts for human praise.

5 Author and Guardian of my life,
Sweet Source of light divine,
And all harmonious names in one,
My Father--thou art mine!

464. C. M. J. J. Gurney.

Silent Worship.

1 Let deepest silence all around
Its peaceful shelter spread;
So shall the living word abound,
The word that wakes the dead.

2 How sweet to wait upon the Lord
In stillness and in prayer!
What though no preacher speak the word
A minister is there:

3 He knows to bend the heart of steel,
He bows the loftiest soul;
O'er all we think and all we feel,
How matchless his control!

4 And, O, how precious is his love
In tender mercy given;
It whispers of the blest above,
And stays the soul on heaven.

5 From mind to mind, in streams of joy,
The holy influence spreads;
'T is peace, 'tis praise without alloy,
For God that influence sheds.

6 To thee, O God, we still will pray,
And praise thee as before;
For this thy glorious gospel-day,
Teach us to praise thee more.

465. L. M. 6l. Bowring.

"Help thou my unbelief."

1 If listening, as I listen still,
O God! to thine instructive word,
In spite of all my spirit's will,
Some whispering voice of doubt is heard,--
That voice spontaneous from the soul,
Which nought can check and nought control;

2 If when most earnestly I pray
For light, for aid, for strength from thee,
Some struggling thoughts will force their way,
And break my soul's serenity;--
If reason, thy best gift, will hold
The sceptre only half controlled:--

3 Help and forgive! heaven's alphabet
Hath many a word of mystery;
I read not all thy record yet,
Though perseveringly I try;
But teach me, Lord! and none shall be
More prompt, more pleased to learn of thee.

466. S. M. Herbert.

Doing all to the Glory of God.

1 Teach me, my God and King,
In all things thee to see;
And what I do in anything,
To do it as for thee!

2 To scorn the senses' sway,
While still to thee I tend;
In all I do be thou the way,--
In all be thou the end.

3 All may of thee partake:
Nothing so small can be,
But draws, when acted for thy sake,
Greatness and worth from thee.

4 If done beneath thy laws,
Even servile labors shine;
Hallowed is toil, if this the cause,
The meanest work divine.

467. 8s. 7s. & 4s. M. Oliver.

God the Pilgrim's Guide and Strength.

1 Guide me, O thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this mortal land:
I am weak, but thou art mighty;
Hold me with thy powerful hand:
Bread of heaven,
Feed me till I want no more.

2 Open now the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing streams do flow;
Let the fiery, cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through:
Strong Deliverer,
Be thou still my strength and shield.

3 When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Bear me through the swelling current;
Land me safe on Canaan's side:
Songs of praises
I will ever give to thee.

468. C. M. Wreford.

Prayer for Faith.

1 Lord! I believe; thy power I own,
Thy word I would obey;
I wander comfortless, and lone,
When from thy truth I stray.

2 Lord! I believe; but gloomy fears
Sometimes bedim my sight;
I look to thee with prayers and tears,
And cry for strength and light.

3 Lord! I believe; but oft, I know,
My faith is cold and weak;
Strengthen my weakness, and bestow
The confidence I seek!

4 Yes, I believe; and only thou
Canst give my soul relief;
Lord! to thy truth my spirit bow,
Help thou my unbelief!

469. S. M. Watts.

Safety in God.

1 When overwhelmed with grief,
My heart within me dies;
Helpless and far from all relief,
To heaven I lift mine eyes.

2 O lead me to the rock
That's high above my head;
And make the covert of thy wings
My shelter and my shade.

3 Within thy presence, Lord,
I ever would abide;
Thou art the tower of my defence,
The refuge where I hide.

470. C. M. Montgomery.

Prayer for Grace in Trial.

1 Father of all our mercies, thou
In whom we move and live,
Hear us in heaven, thy dwelling, now,
And answer, and forgive.

2 When, harassed by ten thousand foes,
Our helplessness we feel,
O, give the weary soul repose,
The wounded spirit heal.

3 When dire temptations gather round
And threaten or allure,
By storm or calm, in thee be found
A refuge strong and sure.

4 When age advances, may we grow
In faith, in hope, and love,
And walk in holiness below
To holiness above.

5 When earthly joys and cares depart,
Desire and envy cease,
Be thou the portion of our heart,--
In thee may we have peace.

471. L. M. Roscoe.

The Solace of Faith.

1 When human hopes and joys depart,
I give thee, Lord, a contrite heart;
And on my weary spirit steal
The thoughts that pass all earthly weal.

2 I cast above my tearful eyes,
And muse upon the starry skies;
And think that He who governs there
Still keeps me in his guardian care.

3 I gaze upon the opening flower,
Just moistened with the evening shower;
And bless the love which made it bloom,
To chase away my transient gloom.

4 I think, whene'er this mortal frame
Returns again to whence it came,
My soul shall wing its happy flight
To regions of eternal light.

472. C. M. Wesleyan.

For Purity of Heart.

1 O, for a heart to praise my God,
A heart from sin set free;
A heart that always feels how good,
Thou, Lord, hast been to me.

2 O for a humble, contrite heart,
Believing, true, and clean,
Which neither life nor death can part
From him who dwells within;--

3 A heart in every thought renewed,
And full of love divine,
Perfect, and right, and pure and good,
Conformed, O Lord, to thine.

4 Thy temper, gracious Lord, impart;
Come quickly from above;
O, write thy name upon my heart,
Thy name, O God, is Love.

473. L. M. Bowring.

God's sustaining Presence.

1 Father and friend, thy light, thy love
Beaming through all thy works we see;
Thy glory gilds the heavens above,
And all the earth is full of thee.

2 Thy voice we hear, thy presence feel,
Whilst thou, too pure for mortal sight,
Involved in clouds, invisible,
Reignest the Lord of life and light.

3 We know not in what hallowed part
Of the wide heavens thy throne may be;
But this we know,--that where thou art,
Strength, wisdom, goodness, dwell with thee.

4 Thy children shall not faint nor fear,
Sustained by this delightful thought,--
Since thou, their God, art everywhere,
They cannot be where thou art not.

474. S. M. Episcopal Coll.

Ark of Safety.

1 O, cease, my wandering soul,
On restless wing to roam;
All this wide world, to either pole,
Has not for thee a home.

2 Behold the ark of God;
Behold the open door;
O, haste to gain that dear abode,
And rove, my soul, no more.

3 There, safe thou shalt abide,
There, sweet shall be thy rest,
And every longing satisfied,
With full salvation blest.

475. C. M. Watts.

"O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes."

1 O that the Lord would guide my ways
To keep his statutes still!
O that my God would grant me grace
To know and do his will!

2 O send thy Spirit down to write
Thy law upon my heart!
Nor let my tongue indulge deceit,
Nor act the liar's part.

3 Order my footsteps by thy word,
And make my heart sincere;
Let sin have no dominion, Lord,
But keep my conscience clear.

4 Make me to walk in thy commands,--
'Tis a delightful road;
Nor let my head, or heart, or hands,
Offend against my God.

476. C. M. T. Humphries.

"Lord, remember me."

1 O thou, from whom all goodness flows,
I lift my soul to thee;
In all my sorrows, conflicts, woes,
Good Lord, remember me.

2 When on my aching, burdened heart
My sins lie heavily,
Thy pardon grant, new peace impart:
Good Lord, remember me.

3 When trials sore obstruct my way,
And ills I cannot flee,
O let my strength be as my day:
Good Lord, remember me.

4 And when before thy throne I stand,
And lift my soul to thee,
Then, with the saints at thy right hand,
Good Lord, remember me!

477. L. M. Merrick.

Prayer for Divine Guidance.

1 Teach me, O teach me, Lord! thy way;
So, to my life's remotest day,
By thy unerring precepts led,
My willing feet its paths shall tread.

2 Informed by thee, with sacred awe,
My heart shall meditate thy law;
And with celestial wisdom filled,
To thee its full obedience yield.

3 Give me to know thy will aright,--
Thy will, my glory and delight.--
That, raised above the world, my mind
In thee its highest good may find.

4 O turn from vanity mine eye;
To me thy quickening strength supply;
And with thy promised mercy cheer
A heart devoted to thy fear.

478. 7s. M. C. Wesley.

The Repose of Faith.

1 Happy soul, that safe from harm
Rests within his Shepherd's arm!
Who his quiet shall molest?
Who shall violate his rest?

2 Seek, O Lord, thy wandering sheep;
Bring me back, and lead, and keep;
Take on thee my every care;
Bear me, on thy bosom bear.

3 Let me know thy gracious voice;
More and more in thee rejoice;
More and more of thee receive;
Ever in thy spirit live:--

4 Live, till all thy love I know,
Perfect in my Lord below;
Gladly then from earth remove,
Gathered to the fold above.

479. C. M. C. Wesley.

A Rest Remaineth.

1 Lord! we believe a rest remains
To all thy people known;
A rest where pure enjoyment reigns;--
For thou art served alone:--

2 A rest where all our souls desire
Is fixed on things above;
Where fear, and sin, and grief expire,
Cast out by perfect love.

3 O that we now that rest might know,
Believe and enter in!
Thou Holiest! now the power bestow,
And let us cease from sin.

4 Remove this hardness from our heart,
This unbelief remove:
The rest of perfect faith impart,
The sabbath of thy love.

480. L. M. Anonymous.

Angels from Heaven Strengthening Him.

1 Lord! in thy garden agony,
No light seemed on thy soul to break,
No form of seraph lingered nigh,
Nor yet the voice of comfort spake;

2 Till, by thine own triumphant word,
The victory over, ill was won;
Till the sweet, mournful cry was heard,
"Thy will, O God, not mine, be done!"

3 Lord, bring these precious moments back,
When, fainting, against sin we strain;
Or in thy counsels fail to track
Aught but the present grief and pain.

4 In weakness, help us to contend;
In darkness, yield to God our will;
And true hearts, faithful to the end,
Cheer by thine holy angels still!

481. C. M. Steele.

Filial Submission.

1 And can my heart aspire so high,
To say, "My Father," God?
Lord, at thy feet, I fain would lie,
And learn to kiss the rod.

2 I would submit to all thy will,
For thou art good and wise;
Let each rebellious thought be still,
Nor one faint murmur rise.

3 Thy love can cheer the darkest gloom,
And bid me wait serene,
Till hopes and joys immortal bloom,
And brighten all the scene.

4 "My Father, God," permit my heart
To plead her humble claim,
And ask the bliss those words impart,
In my Redeemer's name.

482. C. M. Pope.

Universal Prayer.

1 Father of all! in every age,
In every clime, adored,
By saint, by savage, and by sage,
Jehovah, Jove, or Lord!--

2 Save me alike from foolish pride,
Or impious discontent
At aught thy wisdom has denied,
Or aught thy goodness lent.

3 This day be bread and peace my lot:
All else beneath the sun
Thou knowest if best bestowed or not
And let thy will be done.

4 Yet not to earth's contracted span
Thy goodness let me bound,
Or think thee Lord alone of man,
When thousand worlds are round.

5 To thee whose temple is all space,
Whose altar, earth, sea, skies,
One chorus let all beings raise,
All nature's incense rise.

483. C. M. Pope.

The Same.

1 Father of all, whose cares extend
To earth's remotest shore,
Through every age let praise ascend,
And every clime adore.

2 Mean though I am, not wholly so,
Since quickened by thy breath;
Lord, lead me wheresoe'er I go,
Through this day's life or death.

3 Teach me to feel another's woe,
To hide the fault I see;
That mercy I to others show,
That mercy show to me.

4 If I am right, thy grace impart
Still in the right to stay;
If I am wrong, O teach my heart
To find that better way.

5 What conscience dictates to be done,
Or warns me not to do,
This teach me more than hell to shun,
That more than heaven pursue.

484. 7s. M. Methodist Coll.

Seeking God.

1 Light of Life, Seraphic Fire,
Love Divine, thyself impart;
Every fainting soul inspire;
Shine in every drooping heart!
Every mournful sinner cheer;
Scatter all our guilty gloom;
Love of God, appear, appear!
To thy human temples come.

2 Come, in this accepted hour;
Bring thy heavenly kingdom in!
Fill us with thy glorious power,
Rooting out the seeds of sin:
Nothing more can we require,
We will covet nothing less;
Be thou all our heart's desire,
Be our heaven--in holiness.

485. C. M. Percy Chapel Coll.

"Thy Will be done."

1 Father, I know thy ways are just,
Although to me unknown;
O, grant me grace thy love to trust,
And cry, "Thy will be done."

2 If thou shouldst hedge with thorns my path;
Should wealth and friends be gone;
Still with a firm and lively faith,
I'll cry, "Thy will be done."

3 Although thy steps I cannot trace,
Thy sovereign right I'll own;
And, as instructed by thy grace;
I'll cry, "Thy will be done."

4 'Tis sweet thus passively to lie
Before thy gracious throne,
Concerning everything to cry,
"My Father's will be done."

486. C. M. Doddridge.

Confidence in God.

1 My God! the covenant of thy love
Abides forever sure;
And in thy matchless grace I feel
My happiness secure.

2 What though my house be not with thee
As nature could desire?
To nobler joys than nature gives
Thy servants all aspire.

3 Since thou, the everlasting God,
My Father art become;
Jesus my Guardian and my Friend,
And heaven my final home:

4 I welcome all thy sovereign will,
For all that will is love;
And when I know not what thou dost,
I wait the light above.

5 Thy covenant the last accent claims
Of this poor faltering tongue;
And that shall the first notes employ
Of my celestial song.

487. L. M. Henry Moore.

Prayer for Religious Principle.

1 Amidst a world of hopes and fears,
A wild of cares, and toils, and tears,
Where foes alarm and dangers threat,
And pleasures kill, and glories cheat:

2 Shed down, O Lord! a heavenly ray,
To guide me in the doubtful way;
And o'er me hold thy shield of power,
To guard me in the dangerous hour.

3 Teach me the flattering paths to shun,
In which the thoughtless many run,
Who for a shade the substance miss,
And grasp their ruin in their bliss.

4 May never pleasure, wealth or pride,
Allure my wandering soul aside;
But through this maze of mortal ill,
Safe lead me to thy heavenly hill.

488. L. M. Christian Psalmist.

Prayer for Divine Help.

1 Be with me, Lord, where'er I go;
Teach me what thou wouldst have me do;
Show me my weakness,--let me see
I have my power, my all from thee.

2 Enrich me always with thy love;
My kind protection ever prove;
Thy signet put upon my breast,
And let thy spirit on me rest.

3 Assist and teach me how to pray;
Incline my nature to obey;
What thou abhorr'st that let me flee,
And only love what pleases thee.

4 O may I never do my will,
But thine, and only thine, fulfil;
Let all my time and all my ways
Be spent and ended to thy praise.

489. C. M. Anonymous.

Prayer for the Christian Temper.

1 Almighty Maker! Lord of all!
Of life the only spring!
Creator of unnumbered worlds!
Supreme, Eternal King!

2 Drive from the confines of my heart
Impenitence and pride;
Nor let me, in forbidden paths,
With thoughtless sinners glide.

3 Let not despair nor fell revenge
Be to my bosom known:
Oh! give me tears for others' woes,
And patience for my own.

4 Feed me with necessary food;
I ask not wealth or fame;
Give me an eye to see thy will,
A heart to bless thy name.