In hope His plan to comprehend
When Jesus shall with clouds descend,
And call me from the tomb.
My God alone I fain would love,
And patient Thy return attend,
These clouds and mountains to remove,
And give me an expected end;
Explain my life of misery,
With all Thy Love's designs on me.
A child of sorrow from the womb,
By sad variety of pain
Weighed down, I sink into the tomb,
Yet only of myself complain.
My sins the root of bitterness
I must in life and death confess.
But trouble shall not always last:
Affliction's child shall weep no more,
When, thankful for my sufferings past,
Exulting on the heavenly shore,
I tell the acclaiming hosts above
That all Thy paths were Truth and Love.
Come, Finisher of sin and woe,
And let me die my God to see; My God, as I am known, to know, Fathom the depths of Deity, And spend, contemplating Thy face, A blest eternity in praise.
WHEN young, and full of sanguine hope,
And warm in my first love,
My spirit's loins I girded up,
And sought the things above;
Swift on the wings of active zeal
With Jesu's message flew,
O'erjoyed with all my heart and will
My Master's work to do.
Freely, where'er I would, I went
Through wisdom's pleasant ways,
Happy to spend and to be spent
In ministering His grace:
I found no want of will or power,
In love's sweet task employed,
And put forth every day and hour
My utmost strength for God.
As strong, and glorying in my might,
I drew the two-edged sword,
Valiant against a troop to fight
The battles of the Lord.
I scorned the multitude to dread,
Rushed on with full career,
And aimed at each opposer's head,
And smote off many an ear.
But now, enervated by age,
I feel my fierceness gone, And nature's powers no more engage To prop the Saviour's throne. My total impotence I see,
For help on Jesus call,
And stretch my feeble hands to Thee, Who workest all in all.
Thy captive, Lord, myself I yield,
As purely passive clay;
Thy holy will be all fulfilled,
Constraining mine to obey.
My passions by Thy Spirit bind,
And, governed by Thy Word,
I'll suffer all the woes designed
To make me like my Lord.
Wholly at Thy dispose I am,
No longer at my own;
All self-activity disclaim,
And move in God alone.
Transport, do what Thou wilt with me
A few more evil days,
But bear me safe through all to see
My dear Redeemer's face.
Take away all iniquity, and give good. HOSEA 14: 2.
How long, how often, shall I pray,
Take all iniquity away;
And give the plenitude of good,
The blessing bought by Jesu's Blood;
Concupiscence and pride remove,
And fill me, Lord, with humble love?
Again I take the words to me
Prescribed, and offer them to Thee:
Thy kingdom come, to root out sin,
And perfect holiness bring in;
And swallow up my will in Thine,
And human change into divine.
So shall I render Thee Thine own,
And tell the wonders Thou hast done,
The power and faithfulness declare
Of God, who hears and answers prayer,
Extol the riches of Thy grace,
And spend my latest breath in praise.
O that the joyful hour was come
Which calls Thy ready servant home,
Unites me to the Church above,
Where angels chant the song of love,
And saints eternally proclaim
The glories of the heavenly Lamb!
IN age and feebleness extreme,
Who shall a sinful worm redeem?
JESUS, my only hope Thou art,
Strength of my failing flesh and heart:
O could I catch a smile from Thee,
And drop into eternity!
WITH poverty of spirit blest,
Rest, happy saint, in Jesus rest;
A sinner saved, through grace forgiven,
Redeemed from earth to reign in heaven!
Thy labors of unwearied love,
By thee forgot, are crowned above;
Crowned, through the mercy of thy Lord,
With a free, full, immense reward!
|