& Had I a throne above the rest, Where angels and archangels dwell; One sin unslain within my breast,
Would make that heaven as dark as hell.
The prisoner, sent to breathe fresh air,
And bless'd with liberty again,
Would mourn were he condemn'd to wear
One link of all his former chain.
5 But oh! no foe invades the bliss,
When glory crowns the Christian's head;
One view of Jesus as he is,
Will strike all sin for ever dead.
422. When shall I come and appear before God?
1 AS pants the hart for cooling springs, So longs my soul, O King of kings, Thy face in near approach to see,
So thirsts, great Source of Life, for Thee.
2 With ardent zeal, with strong desires,
To Thee, to Thee my soul aspires;
When shall I reach thy blest abode?
When meet the presence of my God?
3 God of my strength, attend my cry,
Say why, my great Preserver, why
Excluded from thy sight I go,
And bend beneath a weight of wo?
4 Why thus, my soul, with care opprest?
And whence the woes that fill my breast'
In all thy cares, in all thy woes,
On God thy steadfast hope repose.
5 To Him my thanks shall still be paid,
My sure defence, my constant aid;
His name my zeal shall ever raise,
And dictate to my lips his praise.
Breathing after Holiness.
1 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!
2 Breathe, O breathe thy lovely spirit
Into every troubled breast!
Let us all in thee inherit,
Let us find thy promis'd rest:
Take away the love of sinning,
Alpha and Omega be,
End of faith, as its beginning,
Set our hearts at liberty.
3 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 thec as thy hosts above;
Pray, and praise thee without ceasing,
Glory in thy precious love.
4 Finish then thy new creation,
Pure, unspotted may we be;
Let us see thy great salvation
Perfectly restor❜d 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!
THAT my load of sin were gone,
Q that I could at last submit,
At Jesus' feet to lay it down! To lay my soul at Jesus' feet! 2 Rest for my soul I long to find:
Saviour, if mine indeed thou art,
Give me thy meek and lowly mind,
And stamp thine image on my heart.
3 Break off the yoke of inbred sin,
And fully set my spirit free;
I cannot rest till pure within,
Till I am wholly lost in thee.
4 Fain would I learn of thee, my God,
Thy light and easy burden prove,
The cross, all stain'd with hallow'd blood,
The labour of thy dying love.
5 I would; but thou must give the power;
My heart from every sin release;
Bring near, bring near the joyful hour,
And fill me with thy perfeet peace.
6 Come, Lord, the drooping sinner cheer,
Nor let thy chariot wheels delay;
Appear in
my poor heart, appear;
My God, my Saviour, come away!
Aspirations of the Soul after Goa.
1 Y Lord! in whose presence I live,
Whose favour alone I desire;
To whom all the hopes I conceive,
With ardent devotion aspire;
How pleasant is all that I meet!
From fear of adversity free.
I find even sorrow made sweet,
Because 'tis assign'd me by thee.
2 Transported I see thee display
Thy riches and glory divine;
I have only my life to repay,
To thee this best gift I resign.
Thy will is the treasure I seek,
For thou art as faithful as strong;
There let me, obedient and meek,
Repose myself all the day long,
3 My spirit and faculties fail;
O finish what grace has begun!
Destroy what is sinful and frail,
And dwell in the soul thou hast won!
Dear theme of my wonder and praise,
I cry, who is worthy as Thou!
I can only be silent and gaze;
"Tis all that is left to me now.
4 Oh glory, in which I am lost,
Too deep for the plummet of thought!
On an ocean of Deity toss'd,
I'm swallow'd, I sink into naught.
Yet lost and absorb'd as I seem,
I chant to the praise of my King;
And though overwhelm'd by the theme,
Am happy whenever I sing.
Prayer for spiritual mindedness. God! permit me not to be A stranger to myself and thee; Amidst a thousand thoughts I rove, Forgetful of my highest love.
2 Why should my passions mix with earth, And thus debase my heav'nly birth? Why should I cleave to things below, And let my God, my Father, go?
3 Call me away from flesh and sense; Thy gracious word can draw me thence. I would obey the voice divine,
And all inferior joys resign.
4 Be earth, with all her cares, withdrawn; Let noise and vanity be gone;
In secret silence of the mind,
My heav'n, and there my God, I find.
(336.) L. M.
Retirement and meditation.
RETURN, my roving heart, return,
And chase these shadowy forms no more; Seek out some solitude to mourn,
And thy forsaken God implore.
2 Wisdom and pleasure dwell at home;
Retir'd and silent seek them there:
This is the way to overcome,
The way to break the tempter's snare.
3 And thou, my God, whose piercing eye
Distinct surveys each deep recess,
In these abstracted hours draw nigh,
And with thy presence fill the place.
4 Through all the mazes of my heart,
My search let heav'nly wisdom guide;
And still its radiant beams impart,
Till all be search'd and purified.
5 Then with the visits of thy love
Vouchsafe my inmost soul to cheer;
Till ev'ry grace shall join to prove,
That God hath fix'd his dwelling there.
S. M.
(318.)
428. The blessedness of God's children.
'MY Father! cheering name!
O may I call thee mine!
Give me with humble hope to claim
A portion so divine.
This can my fears control,
And bid my sorrows fly:
What real harm can reach my soul
Beneath my Father's eye?
Whate'er thy will denies,
I calmly would resign;
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