227

Six 8's

HOU hidden love of God, whose

Theight,

Whose depth unfathomed no man knows:
I see from far thy beauteous light,
Inly I sigh for thy repose:

My heart is pained, nor can it be
At rest, till it find rest in thee.

2 Is there a thing beneath the sun

That strives with thee my heart to share? Ah! tear it thence, and reign alone, The Lord of every motion there. Then shall my heart from earth be free, When it hath found repose in thee.

3 O hide this self from me, that I

No more, but Christ in me, may live! My base affections crucify,

Nor let one favourite sin survive;
In all things nothing may I see,
Nothing desire, or seek, but thee.

4 Each moment draw from earth away
My heart, that lowly waits thy call!
Speak to my inmost soul, and say
I am thy love, thy God, thy all!
To feel thy power, to hear thy voice,
To taste thy love, be all my choice! Amen.
Gerhard Tersteegen, 1729; Tr. John Wesley, 1738, alt.

228

Six 8's

ESUS, my Lord, my God, my all,
Hear me, blest Saviour, when I call;
Hear me, and from thy dwelling-place
Pour down the riches of thy grace.
Jesus, my Lord, I thee adore;

O make me love thee more and more!

2 Jesus, too late I thee have sought;
How can I love thee as I ought?
And how extol thy matchless fame,
The glorious beauty of thy Name?"
Jesus, my Lord, I thee adore;

O make me love thee more and more!

3 Jesus, what didst thou find in me
That thou hast dealt so lovingly?
How great the joy that thou hast brought!
O far exceeding hope or thought!
Jesus, my Lord, I thee adore;

O make me love thee more and more!

4 Jesus, of thee shall be my song;
To thee my heart and soul belong:
All that I am or have is thine;
And thou, my Saviour, thou art mine.
Jesus, my Lord, I thee adore;

O make me love thee more and more!
Amen..

Henry Collins, 1854, alt.

229

JESUS, thy boundless love to me

Six 8's

No thought can reach, no tongue de-
clare;

O knit my thankful heart to thee,
And reign without a rival there!
Thine wholly, thine alone, I am;
Be thou alone my constant flame.

2 O grant that nothing in my soul

May dwell, but thy pure love alone! O may thy love possess me whole,

My joy, my treasure, and my crown! Strange flames far from my heart remove; May every act, word, thought be love!

3 O love, how cheering is thy ray!
All pain before thy presence flies;
Care, anguish, sorrow melt away,
Where'er thy healing beams arise.
O Jesus, nothing may I see,
Nothing desire or seek, but thee!

4 Still let thy love point out my way!
What wondrous things thy love hath
wrought!

Still lead me, lest I go astray;

Direct my word, inspire my thought; And if I fall, soon may I hear

Thy voice, and know that love is near.

5 In suffering, be thy love my peace;

In weakness, be thy love my power; And when the storms of life shall cease, Jesus, in that dark, final hour

Of death, be thou my Guide and Friend, That I may love thee without end. Amen. Paulus Gerhardt, 1653; Tr. John Wesley, 1739, alt.

230

Six 8's

Whom still I hold, but cannot see,

My company before is gone,

And I am left alone with thee;

With thee all night I mean to stay,
And wrestle till the break of day.

2 I need not tell thee who I am,
My misery or sin declare;
Thyself hast called me by my name;
Look on thy hands and read it there!
But who, I ask thee, who art thou?
Tell me thy Name, and tell me now.

3 Yield to me now, for I am weak,
But confident in self-despair;
Speak to my heart, in blessing speak,
Be conquered by my instant prayer!
Speak, or thou never hence shalt move,
And tell me if thy Name is Love.

4 'Tis Love! 'Tis Love! Thou diedst for me!
I hear thy whisper in my heart.
The morning breaks, the shadows flee;
Pure, universal Love thou art:

To me, to all, thy mercies move;
Thy nature and thy Name is Love.

231

L

Amen.

Charles Wesley, 1742, abr.

Eight 7's

OVE of Jesus, all divine,
Fill this longing heart of mine:
Ceaseless struggling after life,
Weary with the endless strife.
Saviour, Jesus, lend thine aid;
Lift thou up my fainting head;
Lead me to my long-sought rest,
Pillowed on thy loving breast.

2 Thou alone my trust shalt be,
Thou alone canst comfort me;
Only, Jesus, let thy grace
Be my shield and hiding-place;
Let me know thy saving power
In temptation's fiercest hour:
Then, my Saviour, at thy side
Let me evermore abide.

3 Thou hast wrought this fond desire,
Kindled here this sacred fire,

Weaned my heart from all below,

Thee and thee alone to know.

Thou who hast inspired the cry,

Thou alone canst satisfy:

Love of Jesus, all divine,

Fill this longing heart of mine. Amen.

Francis Bottome, 1872

232

C.M.

OW sweet the Name of Jesus sounds

H In a believer's ear!

It soothes our sorrows, heals our wounds,
And drives away our fear.

2 It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
'Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary rest.

3 Dear Name, the rock on which I build,
My shield and hiding-place,
My never-failing treasury, filled
With boundless stores of grace.

4 Jesus! my Shepherd, Guardian, Friend,
My Prophet, Priest, and King,
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise I bring.

5 Weak is the effort of my heart,
And cold my warmest thought;
But when I see thee as thou art,
I'll praise thee as I ought.

6 Till then I would thy love proclaim
With every fleeting breath;
And may the music of thy Name
Refresh my soul in death. Amen.

John Newton, 1774