A trusting heart, a yearning eye,
Can win their way above;
if mountains can be moved by faith,
Is there less power in love?
How little of that road, my soul!
How little hast thou gone!
Take heart, and let the thought of God
Allure thee further on.
The freedom from all wilful sin,
The Christian's daily task;
O these are graces far below
What longing love would ask!
Dole not thy duties out to God,
But let thy hand be free:
Look long at Jesus; his sweet blood,
How was it dealt to thee?
The perfect way is hard to flesh;
It is not hard to love;
If thou wert sick for want of God,
How swiftly wouldst thou move!
Good is the cloister's silent shade,
Cold watch and pining fast;
Better the mission's wearing strife,
If there thy lot were cast.
Yet none of these perfection needs;
Keep thy heart calm all day,
And catch the words the Spirit there
From hour to hour may say.
O keep thy conscience sensitive;
No inward token miss;
And go where grace entices thee:
Perfection lies in this.
Be docile to thy unseen Guide;
Love him as he loves thee;
Time and obedience are enough,
And thou a saint shalt be!
Prayer for the Spirit.
COME, Holy Spirit, come,
Let thy bright beams arise; Dispel the sorrow from our minds, The darkness from our eyes.
Convince us of our sin;
Then lead to Jesus' blood; And to our wondering view reveal The secret love of God.
Revive our drooping faith;
Our doubts and fears remove; And kindle in our breasts the flame Of never-dying love.
'Tis thine to cleanse the heart,
To purify the soul,
To pour fresh life in every part,
And new create the whole.
Dwell, Spirit, in our hearts;
Our minds from bondage free; Then shall we know, and praise, and love, The Father, Son, and thee.
Self-Examination.
WHAT strange perplexities arise!
What anxious fears and jealousies!
What crowds in doubtful light appear;
How few, alas, approved and clear!
And what am I? My soul awake,
And an impartial survey take:
Does no dark sign, no ground of fear,
In practice or in heart appear?
What image does my spirit bear?
Is Jesus formed and living there?
Say, do his lineaments divine
In thought, in word, and action shine?
Searcher of hearts, O search me still;
The secrets of my soul reveal;
My fears remove, let me appear
To God and my own conscience clear!
Scatter the clouds which o'er my head
Thick glooms of dubious terrors spread;
Lead me into celestial day,
And to myself, myself display.
May I at that blest world arrive,
Where Christ through all my soul shall live, And give full proof that he is there, Without one gloomy doubt or fear!
LOVE divine, all love 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.
Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit
Into every troubled breast;
Let us all in thee inherit;
Let us find that second rest.
Take away the love of sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
End of faith, as its beginning,
Set our souls at liberty.
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 host above;
Pray, and praise thee without ceasing,
Glory in thy perfect love.
Carry on thy new creation;
Happy, holy, may we be;
Let us see our whole salvation
Perfectly secured by thee:
Change from glory into glory,
Till in heaven we take our place
Till we cast our crowns before thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise.
The Hope of our high Calling.
WHAT is our calling's glorious hope,
But inward holiness?
For this, to Jesus I look up;
I calmly wait for this.
I wait till he shall touch me clean-
Shall life and power impart;
Give me the faith that casts out sin,
And purifies the heart.
This is the dear redeeming grace,
For every sinner free;
Surely it shall on me take place,
The chief of sinners-me.
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