2 The world can never give
The bliss for which we sigh;
'T is not the whole of life to live,
Nor all of death to die.
3 Beyond this vale of tears
There is a life above,
Unmeasured by the flight of years,
And all that life is love.
4 Here would we end our quest:
Alone are found in Thee
The life of perfect love, the rest
Of immortality.
A CHARGE to keep I have,
A God to glorify,
A never-dying soul to save,
And fit it for the sky;
2 To serve the present age,
My calling to fulfill;
Oh, may it all my powers engage
To do my Master's will!
3 Arm me with jealous care,
As in Thy sight to live,
And oh, Thy servant, Lord, prepare
A strict account to give!
4 Help me to watch and pray,
And on Thyself rely,
Assured, if I my trust betray,
I shall forever die.
BLEST are the pure in heart,
For they shall see our God
The secret of the Lord is theirs,
Their soul is Christ's abode.
2 The Lord, who left the heavens,
Our life and peace to bring,
To dwell in lowliness with men,
Their pattern and their King,—
3 He to the lowly soul
Doth still Himself impart,
And for His dwelling and His throne
Chooseth the pure in heart.
4 Lord, we Thy presence seek ;
May ours this blessing be:
Give us a pure and lowly heart,
A temple meet for Thee.
LORD Jesus, think on me,
And purge away my sin;
From earth-born passions set me free,
And make me pure within.
2 Lord Jesus, think on me
With many a care oppressed,
Let me Thy loving servant be,
And taste Thy promised rest.
3 Lord Jesus, think on me
Nor let me go astray;
Through darkness and perplexity
Point Thou the heavenly way.
4 Lord Jesus, think on me,
That, when the flood is passed,
I may the eternal brightness see,
And share Thy joy at last.
Synesius. Tr. A. W. Chatfield.
LOVE divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven, to earth come down,
Fix in us Thy humble dwelling,
All Thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
Pure, unbounded love Thou art;
Visit us with Thy salvation,
Enter every trembling heart.
2 Breathe, oh breathe Thy loving Spirit
Into every troubled breast;
Let us all in Thee inherit,
Let us find Thy promised rest;
Take away the love of sinning,
Alpha and Omega be;
End of faith, as its beginning,
Set our hearts at liberty.
3 Come, Almighty to deliver!
Let us all Thy life receive;
Suddenly return, and never,
Never more Thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing;
Serve Thee as Thy hosts above;
Pray, and praise Thee without ceasing,
Glory in Thy perfect love.
4 Finish, then, Thy new creation,
Pure and spotless let us be;
Let us see Thy great salvation,
Perfectly secured by Thee,
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in heaven we take our place;
Till we cast our crowns before Thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise.
C. Wesley.
FROM every stormy wind that blows,
From every swelling tide of woes,
There is a calm, a sure retreat;
'Tis found beneath the mercy-seat.
2 There is a place where Jesus sheds
The oil of gladness on our heads,
A place than all beside more sweet;
It is the blood-bought mercy-seat.
3 There is a spot 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's wing we soar,
And time and sense seem all no more,
And heaven comes down, our souls to
greet,
And glory crowns the mercy-seat.
JESUS, name all names above,
Jesus, best and dearest,
Jesus, fount of perfect love,
Holiest, tenderest, nearest ;
Jesus, source of grace completest,
Jesus purest, Jesus sweetest,
Jesus, well of power divine,
Make me, keep me, seal me Thine.
2 Jesus, open me the gate
That of old he entered,
Who, in that most lost estate,
Wholly on Thee ventured;
Thou, whose wounds are ever pleading,
And Thy passion interceding,
From my misery let me rise
To a home in paradise.
3 Woe, that I have turned aside
After fleshly pleasure!
Woe, that I have never tried
For the heavenly treasure!
Treasure, safe in home supernal,
Incorruptible, eternal,-
Treasure no less price hath won
Than the passion of the Son.
4 Jesus, crowned with thorns for me,
Scourged for my transgression,
Witnessing, through agony,
That Thy good confession;
Jesus, clad in purple raiment,
For my evil making payment;
Let not all Thy woe and pain,
Let not Calvary, be in vain.
5 When I cross death's bitter sea,
And its waves roll higher,
Help the more forsaking me
As the storm draws nigher;
Jesus, leave me not to languish,
Helpless, hopeless, full of anguish ;
Tell me, "Verily, I say,
Thou shalt be with Me to-day."
Theoctistus of the Studium. Tr. J. M. Neale.
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