256.

1 OH wherefore hath my spirit leave

To come so near my God,

And yet so soon must gaze and grieve O'er the abandoned road?

21 feel my God almost possessed,

The heavenly land half won; The blissful greeting of the blest,

The eternal song, begun:

8 O wings that drop! O strains that die! O light that fades away! O fleeting people of the sky!

O heaven, that will not stay!

1 What sweetness in thy presence, Lord! What glory in thy smile!

Thine awful voice, how quickly heard! Ah! wherefore but a while?

Lord, lay thy hand on me: Shall I not climb thy holy hill? 'Shall I not dwell with thee?

Thy Son's dear face, how dim!

Yet would I smile at thy right hand,

Yet would I reign with him.

It shone from God within;

And lit, as by a lamp from heaven,

The world's dark track of sin.

1 O LORD! how happy should I be
If I could leave my cares to thee,
If I from self could rest;
And feel at heart that One above,
In perfect wisdom, perfect love,
Is working for the best!

2 For when I kneel, and cast my care
Upon my God in humble prayer,
With strengthened soul I rise;
Sure that our Father, who is nigh
To hear the ravens when they cry,
Will hear his children's cries.

8 Oh may these trustless hearts of ours
The lesson learn from birds and flowers,
And learn from self to cease;
Leave all things to our Father's will;
And, on his mercy leaning still,
Find in each trial, peace!

All taken up by thee?

I thirst, I faint, I die to prove
The greatness of redeeming love. -
The love of God to me.

2 Stronger his love than death or hell; No mortal can its riches tell,

Nor first-born sons of light:
In vain they long its depths to see;
They cannot reach the mystery, -

The length, the breadth, the height.

3 God only knows the love of God:
Oh that it now were shed abroad
In this poor, stony heart.
For love I sigh, for love I pine:
This only portion, Lord, be mine, -
Be mine this better part.

4 Oh that I could for ever sit
In transport at my Father's feet!
Be this my happy choice:
My only care, delight, and bliss,
My joy, my heaven on earth, be this,

To hear my Father's voice.

To every heart of man;

Thy peace and joy and righteousness, In all our bosoms reign,

8 The righteousness that never ends, But makes an end of sin;

The joy that human thought transcends, Into our souls bring in ;

When used as talents lent; Those talents only well employed When in thy service spent.

4 And, though thy wisdom takes away, Shall I arraign thy will? No: let me bless thy name, and say, "The Lord is gracious still."