And let me through Thy Spirit know
To glorify my God below,
And find my way to heaven.
1 TEACH me, O teach me, Lord, Thy way;
That, to my life's remotest day,
By Thine unerring precepts led,
My feet Thy heavenly paths may 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 0 turn from vanity my eye;
To me Thy quickening strength supply;
And with Thy promised mercy cheer
A heart devoted to Thy fear.
James Merrick. 1765. a.
1 WHAT strange perplexities arise,
What anxious fears and jealousies!
What crowds in doubtful light appear,
How few, alas, approved and clear!
2 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?
3 What image does my spirit bear?
Is Jesus formed and living there?
Ah, do His lineaments divine
In thought, and word, and action shine?
4 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!
Samuel Davies. 1769.
1 AM I an Israelite indeed,
Without a false disguise?
Have I renounced my sins, and left
My refuges of lies?
20 does my heart unchanged remain,
Or is it formed anew?
What is the rule by which I walk,
The object I pursue?
3 Cause me, O God of truth and grace,
My real state to know;
If I am wrong, O set me right,
If right, preserve me so!
Benjamin Beddome. d. 1799.
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 in these fatal fetters bound
A wretched slave I lie :
Smite off my chains, and wake my soul
To light and liberty!
4 To humble penitence and prayer
Be gentle pity given;
Speak ample pardon to my heart,
And seal its claim to heaven.
1 'Tis a point I long to know,
Oft it causes anxious thought;
Do I love Thee, Lord, or no?
Am I Thine, or am I not?
2 When I turn my eyes within,
O how dark, and vain, and wild!
Filled with unbelief and sin,
Can I deem myself Thy child?
3 Lord, decide the doubtful case;
Thou, who art Thy people's Sun,
Shine upon Thy work of grace,
If it be indeed begun.
4 Let me love Thee more and more,
If I love at all, I pray;
If I have not loved before,
Help me to begin to-day.
1 QUIET, Lord, my froward heart;
Make me teachable and mild;
Upright, simple, free from art,
Make me as a weanéd child;
From distrust and envy free,
Pleased with all that pleases Thee.
2 What Thou shalt to-day provide,
Let me as a child receive;
What to-morrow may betide,
Calmly to Thy wisdom leave.
'Tis enough that Thou wilt care:
Why should I the burden bear?
3 As a little child relies
On a care beyond his own,
Knows he's neither strong nor wise,
Fears to stir a step alone:
Let me thus with Thee abide,
As my Father, Guard, and Guide.
4 Thus preserved from Satan's wiles,
Safe from dangers, free from fears,
May I live upon Thy smiles,
Till the promised hour appears,
When the sons of God shall prove
All their Father's boundless love.
John Newton. 1779.
1 WHEN, my Saviour, shall I be
Perfectly resigned to Thee?
Poor and vile in my own eyes,
Only in Thy wisdom wise?
2 Only Thee content to know,
Ignorant of all below;
Only guided by Thy light,
Only mighty in Thy might?
3 So I may Thy Spirit know,
Let Him as He listeth blow:
Let the manner be unknown,
So I may with Thee be one.
4 Fully in my life express
All the heights of holiness;
Sweetly let my spirit prove
All the depths of humble love.
C. Wesley. 1742.
1 LORD, if Thou Thy grace impart,
Poor in spirit, meek in heart,
I shall as my Master be,
Clothed with humility.
2 Simple, teachable, and mild,
Changed into a little child,
Pleased with all the Lord provides,
Weaned from all the world besides.
3 Father, fix my soul on Thee:
Every evil let me flee:
Nothing want beneath, above,
Happy in Thy precious Love.
4 0 that all may seek and find
Every good in Christ combined!
Him let Israel still adore,
Trust Him, praise Him evermore.
From C. Wesley. 1760.
1 LORD, for ever at Thy side
Let my place and portion be!
Strip me of the robe of pride,
Clothe me with humility.
2 Meekly may my soul receive
All Thy Spirit hath revealed.
Thou hast spoken;-I believe,
Though the prophecy were sealed.
Quiet as a weaned child,
Weanéd from the mother's breast;
By no subtlety beguiled,
On Thy faithful Word I rest.
4 Saints, rejoicing evermore,
In the Lord Jehovah trust:
Him in all His ways adore,
Wise, and wonderful, and just.
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